Schools and Community Engagement Adviser

Company Description

Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland

The University of Auckland is New Zealand’s leading University. With over 6,000 academic and professional staff supporting over 46,000 students, we are one of NZ’s largest employers. We have six academic faculties and 13 service divisions creating a diverse, dynamic and complex organisational culture that demands excellence.

The University of Auckland creates globally transformative impacts through our distinctive strengths in world-leading research, scholarship, teaching, and collaborative partnerships, inspired by our unique position in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific.

Our mission and values place a strong emphasis on our student body and scholarly community, and we work with both the community and enterprise to advance the well-being of the people of Auckland and New Zealand, with a clear commitment to sustainability*.*

Job Description

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity

Are you a confident communicator and relationship builder who knows how to engage ambitious young people?

We’re looking for a Schools and Community Engagement Adviser to join our high-performing team and help strengthen the University’s connections with secondary schools, students, whānau, and school communities.

This is more than an outreach role. You’ll be part of the University’s student recruitment journey, helping attract high-achieving students and positioning UoA as a university of choice.

Our Schools and Community Engagement approach is grounded in Manaakitanga, Whanaungatanga, and Kaitiakitanga — caring for people, building lasting relationships, and taking responsibility for the communities we work with.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll take ownership of an assigned portfolio of schools and become a trusted first point of contact for students, teachers, careers advisers, and school communities.

Your days will be varied. You could be:

• Building strong relationships with schools and careers advisers and understanding what matters to their students.
• Representing at school visits, information evenings, events, and other engagement opportunities.
• Delivering confident, engaging presentations to students, teachers, and school leaders.
• Supporting the attraction and engagement of high-achieving secondary students, including students considering Cambridge and IB pathways.
• Using application, enrolment and engagement data to identify trends, opportunities and areas of focus.
• Developing tailored resources, digital content and engagement activities for different student audiences.
• Helping organise and deliver major University events and initiatives — and being someone who is comfortable rolling up their sleeves to make them happen.
• Working across the University with faculties, communications and marketing, student services and other teams to create a connected prospective student experience.
• The University of Auckland Contributing to projects and improvements that make it easier and more engaging for students to explore their future at The University of Auckland .
• Providing accurate, timely and genuinely useful advice to students and their whānau as they navigate their options.

The role combines relationship management, recruitment, presentations, events, project work, data and strategy

Ideal start date January 2027

This is a full-time (37.5 hours per week), permanent position.

The salary range is $73,400 to $90,700 per annum, depending on skills and experience.

For more detailed information, please refer to the Position Description

He kōrero mōu | About you

You’re someone who can build rapport quickly, but you’re also comfortable holding your own.

You’re confident, personable and strategic enough to see the bigger picture.

You’ll bring:

• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong presentation and facilitation skills, with the confidence to engage a room full of young people.
• A natural ability to build and maintain genuine professional relationships.
• The judgement to understand different audiences and tailor your approach accordingly.
• Strong organisation skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities, events and projects.
• A practical, solutions-focused approach — you see something that could work better and look for ways to improve it.
• Confidence working with data, systems and digital tools, with the ability to pick up new technology quickly.
• An analytical mindset and the ability to turn information and trends into useful insights.
• A strong customer and stakeholder focus, while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
• The confidence to work strategically and contribute ideas, rather than simply waiting for instructions.
• Must hold a full, clean New Zealand drivers licence

Experience working within the New Zealand secondary school sector and an understanding of the tertiary environment would be valuable. Experience working with academically focused schools or students following Cambridge or IB programmes would be an advantage.

An understanding of te ao Māori and confidence engaging respectfully with Māori and Pacific communities would also be highly valued. A commitment to equity and inclusion is important to how we engage with young people and their whānau.

Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou | What we offer

The University of Auckland is New Zealand's leading University and maintains significant computational, laboratory, and analytic facilities. Auckland is frequently rated as one of the world's most liveable cities.

The University is committed to providing an excellent working environment through the following:

· Flexible employment practices (including working from home and flexible hours)

· Up to 6.75% company superannuation scheme

· A competitive salary with five weeks' annual leave

In addition, we also offer career development programs, discounted car parking, a generous parental leave allowance, childcare, and other discounts on internal and external services.

For more information, please visit Staff Benefits.

Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply

Applications must be submitted online, by the closing date of23rd October 2026, to be considered. We may close this advert early if we have a large number of applications. Please include your cover letter and your CV highlighting how you can meet the skills and experiences detailed above.

Please reach out to Isabella Mory (Scholars Outreach & Engagement Manager) via isabella.mory@auckland.ac.nz for a confidential conversation. Please note we are happy to answer your questions, but we do not accept applications by email.

Additional Information

Equity

The University is committed to meeting its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi and achieving equity outcomes for staff and students in a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment. For further information on services for Māori, Pacific, women, LGBTQIATakatāpu* iMVPFAFF*+, people with disabilities, parenting support, flexible work and other personal circumstances go towww.equity.auckland.ac.nz