Senior Change Adviser

The Opportunity | Te Āheinga
 
Few organisations offer change practitioners exposure to transformation at the scale currently underway at Kāinga Ora.

As a Senior Change Advisor, you'll lead change across priority initiatives, supporting organisational, workforce, process and technology change from planning through to implementation and adoption.
Reporting to the Lead - Business Change Services, you'll partner with senior leaders, programme sponsors and project teams to assess impacts, build change strategies, support readiness and coach leaders through complex change.

This is a senior individual contributor role where you'll lead your own portfolio while working closely with another Senior Change Advisor in a collaborative, high-performing team.

If you enjoy variety, complexity and meaningful work, this is an opportunity to contribute to significant organisational transformation while supporting outcomes that matter for New Zealand communities.
 
About the Role | Mō te Tūranga
You'll partner with leaders and teams across Kāinga Ora to help people understand, prepare for and adopt change successfully.
Your day-to-day will include:

• Leading end-to-end change management across significant organisational, workforce, operating model, process and technology initiatives
• Developing change strategies, stakeholder engagement plans, communications and capability uplift activities
• Assessing organisational impacts and readiness, while identifying risks and opportunities that may affect successful adoption
• Coaching sponsors, leaders and project teams on their role in leading change
• Supporting consultation processes and working alongside People Services on workforce and employment relations considerations
• Measuring adoption, monitoring outcomes and supporting benefits realisation activities
• Working closely with a fellow Senior Change Advisor to share knowledge, peer review work and collectively strengthen change practice
• Contributing to enterprise change frameworks, standards and continuous improvement initiatives

About You | Māu
You're an experienced change practitioner who enjoys working directly with leaders, teams and stakeholders to turn change strategies into meaningful outcomes.
You'll demonstrate strong experience leading complex change, trusted relationships with senior leaders, and a practical focus on adoption, outcomes and lasting benefits.

Here's what you'll bring to the role:

• 5+ years' experience leading business change across large and complex initiatives, including operating model, technology, process, service delivery, organisational and workforce change
• Recognised change management qualification (Prosci, AIM or equivalent)
• Sound understanding of NZ employment, consultation and ER context
• Experience coaching senior sponsors and leaders through change
• Resilience, emotional intelligence and clear, accessible communication under change pressure

Just as important as experience is how you work.
You'll be someone who builds trust quickly, reads a room well and adapts your approach to different audiences. You're comfortable working alongside operational leaders, project teams and stakeholders navigating competing priorities, and understand how to bring people with you through periods of uncertainty and change. You'll also enjoy working as part of a close-knit team. The two Senior Change Advisors operate as a genuine partnership, supporting one another, sharing ideas, peer-reviewing work and collectively lifting change capability across the organisation.

What We Offer | Ā Mātou Tuku

• Rare Change Exposure - Gain experience across operating model, workforce, process, service delivery and technology transformation initiatives.
• Development & Mentoring - Work alongside an experienced change leader in an environment focused on coaching, growth and capability building.
• Complex, Meaningful Work - Apply your expertise in an organisation navigating significant transformation while delivering outcomes that impact communities across Aotearoa.
• Collaborative Team Environment - Join a high-performing team where partnership, trust and knowledge sharing are genuinely valued.
• Commercial Scale, Real Purpose - Experience the complexity and pace of a large organisation while contributing to work that makes a meaningful difference.
• Additional Benefits - Including five weeks' annual leave, insurance benefits and flexible working arrangements.

Interested? | E Hiahia Ana?
Cultivate is proud to be partnering with Kāinga Ora on these appointments.
If you're interested in learning more or applying for the role, please do so through Cultivate. To help us manage the recruitment process effectively, we kindly ask that applications are not submitted directly to Kāinga Ora.
Next steps
Apply now - you'll need to hold New Zealand citizenship, residency, or a valid work visa.
If this role isn’t a perfect match, we still encourage you to apply or register your details on our website. If this isn’t quite the right fit, another role might be. This ad was written with help from AI, but your application will be reviewed by a real human.
We believe diversity is vital to a healthy, high-performing workplace. That’s why we’re committed to delivering a psychologically safe recruitment experience. One that uncovers and celebrates your strengths. If traditional hiring processes don’t bring out your best let us know. We want you to shine, not shy away.

A bit about Kathryn
20 years recruiting within the NZ market - she has helped hiring managers build capability in their teams whilst mutually assisting hundreds of individuals take the next step in their career. 
 
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