Manager - Kaimahi (Employee) Experience in Kent

Christchurch, City Campus Permanent, Full Time

Lead the employee experience and shape how kaimahi connect, grow and thrive. Drive onboarding, recruitment and insights that lift engagement and belonging. Build a high‑performing team delivering consistent, people‑centred services.

Mō Tēnei Tūranga Mahi – About the Role

We are seeking an experienced People and Culture leader to join our team in this key leadership role within our People and Culture team, focused on shaping and strengthening the experience of our kaimahi across Ara. You’ll lead the design and delivery of a connected, people‑centred employee experience, from attraction and recruitment through to onboarding, development and engagement. It’s about creating consistency, clarity and a sense of belonging for our people, so they can do their best work. Working closely with leaders and teams across Ara, you’ll bring a strong understanding of what best practice looks like in modern People and Culture service delivery. You’ll use data, insights and feedback to continuously improve how we support kaimahi, making sure our processes are easy to navigate and genuinely meet people’s needs. You’ll also lead a team responsible for key service areas such as recruitment, onboarding and employee experience programmes, building capability and creating a cohesive, high‑performing function that is known for its responsiveness and care.

Ngā Pūkenga Me Ngā Wheako – Skills and Experience

We’re looking for a confident and thoughtful leader who is passionate about creating positive workplace experiences. You’ll also be comfortable working across both strategy and delivery, and able to see how small improvements can make a big difference to the day‑to‑day experience of our kaimahi. You’ll bring:

• Proven experience in a senior HR, People and Culture or employee experience role
• Previous involvement in developing People and Culture frameworks, policies, standards and implementing these within the organisation
• Experience leading end‑to‑end employee lifecycle practices, including recruitment and onboarding
• Strong understanding of remuneration frameworks, tools and strategies, including job evaluation, pay structures and performance‑based approaches
• Experience using insights, data and feedback to improve services and lift engagement
• The ability to design and deliver practical, people‑focused solutions in a complex environment
• Experience leading and developing teams, with a focus on building capability and connection
• Excellent communication skills and a collaborative, relationship‑focused approach
• Payroll system experience
• Experience in the tertiary or public sector would be helpful, along with an understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and a commitment to applying this in practice.

Mō Mātou – About us

Ara Institute of Canterbury is a vibrant and progressive tertiary institute providing world‑class, tertiary‑level education throughout the Canterbury and Waitaki region. Our talented employees, innovative business collaborators and supportive community partners are passionate about the role they play in our learners' success. Ara is committed to giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and delivering services in a manner that responds with excellence to the needs of Māori learners and their whānau, as well as the aspirations of iwi and Māori communities throughout our catchment (including Māori employers). To deliver effectively on this commitment, Ara recognises the need for a culturally competent and confident workforce vertically and horizontally across our organisation.

Tono Ināianei - Apply now

We accept applications via our online application system. For any other queries, please email Recruitment@Ara.ac.nz.

Rā Katinga - Applications close – 11:55pm, Sunday 17 May 2026. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place prior to the close date. This means we reserve the right to close a job ad before the advertised close date.