Communications and Engagement Lead

Communications and Engagement Lead Department: Communications Employment Type: Permanent Location: Wellington (Ferry Holdings Ltd) Reporting To: Pete Fitzjohn Description About us Ferry Holdings Limited (FHL) was established in 2025 to deliver one of New Zealand's most significant transport infrastructure programmes: the replacement of the Cook Strait ferries and the development of the port infrastructure needed to support reliable inter-island connections for decades to come. As a Crown-owned Schedule 4A company, FHL operates within the parameters set for it by the Government and is transparent and publicly accountable for the decisions it makes. Our mandate is clear: to secure safe, reliable, affordable rail-enabled ferries and the infrastructure required to support them, while delivering value for taxpayers. Working in partnership with CentrePort, Port Marlborough, KiwiRail and GSI Shipyard, FHL is leading the commercial, technical and programme coordination required to bring new ferries and port infrastructure into service by 2029. We are a small, agile organisation bringing together specialist expertise to deliver a complex, high-profile programme that is critical to New Zealand's future. About the role This is a principal-level communications and engagement role at the centre of a nationally significant infrastructure programme. Reporting to the Accountability and Strategic Communications Manager, you will lead the implementation of FHL's communications and engagement strategy by turning plans into action, keeping activity moving, coordinating partners and stakeholders, and ensuring the programme communicates clearly, consistently and credibly. You will be a senior communications and engagement practitioner who is comfortable operating across media, stakeholder engagement, partner coordination, issues management, digital channels, content, events and reporting. You will bring the judgement, maturity and credibility expected of a principal-level communications professional and be equally comfortable providing trusted advice to senior leaders and rolling up your sleeves to lead delivery. Working across one of New Zealand's most visible public infrastructure programmes, you will help shape how the programme is understood by Ministers, stakeholders, partners, communities, media and the public. You will coordinate communications and engagement activity across multiple organisations, manage issues and opportunities as they emerge, support senior leaders and delivery partners, and help maintain confidence in programme delivery. This is a role for someone who enjoys both strategic thinking and hands-on delivery, builds trusted relationships quickly, and can operate confidently in an environment where public perception, stakeholder confidence and political context matter. About you You are a senior communications and engagement practitioner with substantial experience in complex, high-profile environments, and you are at your best when turning strategy into delivery. You bring the professional maturity, judgement and credibility to operate with autonomy, advise senior leaders, manage sensitive issues and maintain trusted relationships. You are equally comfortable working at pace in the detail, managing competing priorities and following through until the job is done. You have excellent writing and communication skills, strong political awareness, sound issues and media management capability, and a proven ability to coordinate activity across stakeholders, partners and workstreams. You know how to simplify complex information, provide clear advice, manage media interest and maintain momentum in fast-moving environments. Ideally, you will bring experience from public service or crown entities, major infrastructure projects, public affairs, regulated environments or other complex stakeholder settings. A tertiary qualification in communications, public relations, journalism, public policy or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience, will be an advantage. Why Join Us? This is an opportunity to contribute to career-defining work on a programme of national significance and visible public impact. You will be part of a small, focused organisation working with experienced leaders, delivery partners and stakeholders to deliver a critical investment in New Zealand's transport resilience, freight network and passenger connections. You will have the opportunity to help shape how the programme is understood, support confidence in delivery, and contribute to a once-in-a-generation infrastructure programme for New Zealand. #J-18808-Ljbffr