About This Role
This communications specialist role at Air New Zealand involves protecting and enhancing the company's reputation, building business confidence, and keeping employees informed and engaged. It suits an experienced communications professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and can confidently manage proactive media opportunities and complex reputational issues.
Responsibilities
- Build and maintain strong relationships with New Zealand media, proactively identifying opportunities to tell the company's story and confidently managing media enquiries, including through the media phone and during high-pressure situations
- Provide clear, pragmatic, and commercially sound communications advice to senior leaders and stakeholders across the business, helping them navigate complex and sometimes sensitive issues
- Develop and deliver compelling communications that bring the company's strategy to life, engage employees, and build understanding and confidence in the company's direction
- Support the response to operational disruptions, emerging issues, and reputational challenges, often working at pace and with incomplete information
- Find and develop stories that matter, translating complex information into clear, engaging messages for a range of internal and external audiences
- Build trusted relationships with stakeholders, anticipating communications needs and taking ownership of projects from planning through to delivery
Requirements
- Strong background in corporate communications, internal communications, or public relations, ideally within a large, complex, or high-profile organisation
- Proven experience across external and internal communications, with the ability to adapt your approach for different audiences and business needs
- Established relationships with New Zealand media and a strong understanding of the media landscape, news cycles, and what makes a story
- Experience managing reactive enquiries, sensitive issues, and reputational challenges, including confidence handling a busy media phone
- Excellent writing and storytelling skills, with the ability to turn complex or technical information into clear, engaging and compelling communications
- Confidence to provide sound advice to senior stakeholders, constructively challenge thinking, and influence outcomes
- Strong commercial awareness and an understanding of how communications can support business strategy and reputation
- Proactive, solutions-focused approach, with the ability to anticipate issues, take initiative, and deliver with minimal direction
Important Details
- Application deadline: 30 October 2026
About the Company
Air New Zealand is one of New Zealand's most recognised brands, operating in a fast-moving, complex environment.
