People & Culture Advisor

Who We Are:

Founded by Gosia Piatek in 2006, Kowtow is a seed-to-garment brand from Wellington, New Zealand. All of our garments are made naturally from a single fibre, Fairtrade organic cotton.

At Kowtow our vision is to create clothing that can return to the earth without harm. We take responsibility for what we produce, how we operate our business and are actively working on solutions to reduce our footprint. We are committed to the principles of circular design - reducing waste, making products that last, keeping them in use and regenerating the natural environment at every point in the process. Our collections are created to build a modular wardrobe, offering quality pieces that can be worn again and again, year after year.

“The limitations of our ethos keeps us innovative. We don’t compromise on design, and embrace restrictions. This gives our garments a strong minimal identity, and we believe the simplicity of our clothing is the first step toward circularity.”

– Gosia Piatek, Kowtow Founder

The Role and what you will bring

We are looking for a passionate People and Culture Advisor to deliver our employee experience programme and support our high performing team with people and culture initiatives. Reporting to the Managing Director, this role will be the sole people and culture role in our organisation so we are looking for someone with the experience and desire to manage end to end people processes autonomously. You’ll be comfortable working across all aspects of HR operations and being hands on in collaborating with the wider business to support operational needs. 

On a day to day basis you will be responsible for leading all of our people and culture activities from recruitment and onboarding, through to employee relations, employment documentation, wellbeing and engagement initiatives and health and safety. You’ll also work closely with our people leaders to shape and deliver a people plan that reflects our purpose and values. 

We’re looking for someone with a genuine passion for creating great employee experiences, strong knowledge of employment best practices and confidence in providing trusted advice at all levels. You’ll have experience working across all aspects of the employee lifecycle ideally in a sole charge role or as part of a small team. If that sounds like you and you are looking to work for a B-Corp certified organisation with strong purpose and values and a genuine care for their people, we’d love to hear from you. 

The Primary Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day people and culture support across the business including with recruitment, engagement and wellbeing initiatives, development and employee experience.
• Build strong relationships across our teams to provide advice and identify opportunities for people and culture support that is aligned with our values.
• Work closely with the Managing Director to deliver the people and culture plan, key processes and initiatives that align with Kowtow’s overall goals.
• Manage our HRIS (Employment Hero) to ensure employee records and information is kept up to date.
• Advise on employment relations matters to ensure compliance with legislation while also reflecting best practice and our values.
• Ensure health and safety policies and practices are up to date and embedded in our day to day work flows. 

Your Skills and Experience

• Experience in providing end-to-end generalist people and culture advice, preferably in a sole charge capacity or as the lead person responsible within a team environment.
• Experience managing end-to-end recruitment processes.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of employment legislation, best practice and ability to provide confident and practical advice.
• Experience designing and delivering culture, wellbeing and engagement initiatives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• A high level of personal discretion and confidentiality.
• Experience using technology and HRIS systems, ideally Employment Hero.
• Curiosity about emerging people and culture trends and innovations to improve employee experience.
• Taking initiative to identify and address organisational people and culture risks.
• A collaborative approach and willingness to help out where needed to support the team. 

Ideally you care about preserving the planet as much as we do and have a genuine interest in circularity, sustainability and innovation.

Working at Kowtow

Kowtow’s workroom and studio is located in central Wellington, Aotearoa’s creative capital. Flexible working options, a 9-day fortnight and volunteer days are just some of the ways we support the health and wellbeing of our team, and allow our people the time they need to rest and recharge. A seasonal clothing discount provides you and your loved ones the opportunity to enjoy wearing our Fairtrade organic cotton clothing.

At Kowtow we are proud of our kind and caring culture. We aim to provide a positive work environment where people can achieve their full potential, and we are committed to being diverse, inclusive and accessible. We believe in a future where fashion harmonises with the planet and people, leaving no harmful footprint behind. The whole team shares an interest in sustainability and innovation and everyone at Kowtow contributes toward our shared goals.

You will thrive at Kowtow if you are naturally confident, have a positive attitude and share our vision of leaving the planet better than we found it.

To learn more about Kowtow please visit www.kowtowclothing.com 

Applicants for this position should have NZ residency or a valid NZ work visa.

Apply by emailing [email protected]. Please include a cover letter and CV. Applications close Friday 8 May, 2026, we will be reviewing applications as they come in so we may contact candidates before the close date. 

Apply now