We have a vacancy on our Kaitiaki Advisory Board and are keen to hear from people who would like to join the Waikato wellbeing movement.

We recently said farewell to Jannat Maqbool, who has been a member of the Kaitiaki Advisory Board since its inception in July 2021. Jannat brought a wealth of experience to the board across a number of important areas including digital technology, smart cities and AI, as well as her significant community leadership roles.  After more than 20 years working and living in New Zealand, her and her family have made the decision to return to their home town of Melbourne.

With Jannat’s departure, we have an opportunity to welcome a new member to the Kaitiaki Advisory Board. In line with our strategic framework and priorities, we are looking for somebody to join our board who has the following attributes and skills:

·       A broad interest and curiosity in regional wellbeing

·       A sound understanding of Te Ao Māori o Waikato

·       Significant experience and understanding of the Waikato kai system

·       Excellent relationships and connections across the Waikato kai system including at least some of the following:  community and iwi food providers, growers, suppliers and retailers

·       An appreciation of the lived experience of hunger, poverty, food insecurity and food sovereignty

·       A good understanding of food supply chains and networks

·       A strong understanding of the interrelationships between food security, poverty, health, environmental quality, Maatauranga Māori, climate change and other determinants of wellbeing.

As a regional initiative, we are particularly interested in candidates who reflect the geographic, cultural, gender, age and socio-economic diversity of the Waikato region. If you are interested in joining the WWP Kaitiaki Advisory Board, we would love to hear from you.  Please respond to the Executive Director at the address below, including a short cover letter detailing your suitability for this role, and an up-to-date Curriculum Vitae.

An appointment panel will review the expressions of interest received and will invite a short-list of candidates to an interview. An interview will take place either in person or via Zoom. The successful candidate should expect to attend their first Kaitiaki Advisory Board meeting in August 2023.

Board meetings are held every 8 weeks and take approximately 2 hours, plus pre-reading. Meetings are usually held in Hamilton and all meetings can be attended on-line. Members are paid a meeting attendance fee of $250 +GST (if any) and can claim travel and other reasonable disbursements.

Send your expression of interest by 5pm 31 May 2023 to: Harvey.brookes@waikatoregion.govt.nz.

Please include a cover letter setting out why you are interested in the role, and an up-to-date CV.