Senior Advisor – Māori Collections

About the role

The Māori Outcomes Delivery Unit (Te Waka Kerewai) at Auckland Council is seeking a Senior Advisor to lead the development and stewardship of Māori collections across Auckland Libraries. This role sits at the intersection of strategy, cultural leadership and innovation, ensuring that Māori knowledge, taonga and publishing are integrated into library services for present and future generations.

Key responsibilities

• Define and drive the strategic direction for embedding mātauranga Māori across collections, systems, services and physical spaces.
• Develop and implement policies, frameworks and guidance that align collection governance with kaupapa Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
• Provide senior‑level strategic advice to influence organisational processes, capability building and decision‑making.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with iwi, Māori communities, sector leaders and internal stakeholders.
• Champion innovation and continuous improvement by equipping staff with practical tools and best‑practice approaches.

Required profile

• Deep grounding in te ao Māori with strong command of te reo Māori and understanding of tikanga and kawa.
• Extensive experience in the GLAM sector, preferably with collections, library, information services or publishing background.
• Proven ability to shape policy, influence senior leadership and work collaboratively across diverse groups.

Required skills

What we offer

• Salary range $110,000–$120,000 NZD per annum.
• Opportunity to influence Māori cultural heritage at a city‑wide, regional and national level.
• Engagement with a large public library network and sector‑wide initiatives.