Pouawhina Maori - Student Support Adviser

Job Description:

Te Whiwhinga mahi | The opportunity

We are looking for a compassionate, organised, and culturally grounded Pouāwhina Māori | Māori Student Adviser to join the team at He Āhuru Mōwai.

This is a meaningful and highly rewarding role where you will work directly with tauira Māori to provide pastoral care, guidance, and day-to-day support that helps students feel connected, supported, and empowered throughout their university journey.

As one of the key faces of He Āhuru Mōwai, you will help create a warm, welcoming, and culturally safe environment for tauira, whānau, and staff. You will play an important role in strengthening tauira Māori engagement and supporting student success through exceptional manaakitanga and whanaungatanga.

This role offers the opportunity to contribute to kaupapa and initiatives that make a genuine difference to Māori student experiences across the University.

Key responsibilities include:

• Acting as a first point of contact for tauira Māori, whānau, and visitors to He Āhuru Mōwai
• Providing pastoral care, advice, and culturally responsive support to tauira Māori
• Supporting tauira Māori engagement initiatives, orientation activities, pōwhiri, and events aligned to student wellbeing and success
• Supporting outreach, recruitment, and transition initiatives for prospective tauira Māori and their whānau
• Assisting with scholarship promotion and application support
• Coordinating communications, engagement activities, and operational support for the centre
• Maintaining accurate records, databases, and engagement reporting information
• Supporting the operational management of He Āhuru Mōwai, including bookings, supplies, facilities, and administration
• Working collaboratively across Student & Scholarly Services and wider Māori support networks to enhance tauira outcomes

This is a role where your ability to build trust, foster connection, and create a positive student experience will truly make an impact.

This is a full-time, 37.5 hours per week role on a fixed-term contract for 12 months. The salary range for this role is $63,600-$79,300 per annum, depending on experience and qualifications.

For more detailed information, please refer to the Position Description.

He kōrero mōu | About you

You are someone who genuinely enjoys supporting people and creating spaces where others feel welcomed, respected, and valued.

You bring a strong understanding of tikanga Māori and are confident working within Māori spaces and alongside diverse communities. You are approachable, proactive, and thrive in environments where relationship-building and manaakitanga are at the heart of the work.

You’ll also be highly organised, adaptable, and comfortable balancing pastoral support with operational and administrative responsibilities.

Ngā pūkenga motuhake | Important skills and experience

• Minimum three years’ experience in an administration or support-focused role
• Experience working within Māori spaces and/or supporting tauira Māori
• Strong customer service experience and a genuine commitment to student support
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build meaningful relationships
• Strong organisational and administrative capability, with confidence using databases and customer management systems
• Excellent Te Reo Māori pronunciation, with fluency in Te Reo Māori viewed highly favourably
• Understanding of tikanga Māori and culturally grounded approaches to care and engagement
• Ability to work collaboratively and contribute positively to a kaupapa Māori environment

Experience working within the tertiary sector or supporting tauira Māori in education settings would be highly beneficial.

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

Please reach out to Nicky Rawnsley - [email protected] for a confidential conversation. Please note we are happy to answer your questions but we do not accept applications by email.

Applications must be submitted online, by the closing date of 31/05/26 to be considered. Please include your CV and a cover letter highlighting how you can meet the skills and experiences detailed above.