Senior People & Culture Advisor

English Language Partners is a not-for-profit, education provider with NZQA category 1 status, that has been providing English language programmes and settlement support to adult migrants and people from refugee and asylum backgrounds throughout New Zealand for over 40 years. 

With 21 centres spanning from Whangārei to Invercargill, our dedicated team of 380 staff and 850 volunteers annually support over 8,000 learners. We are passionate about supporting former refugees and migrants participate successfully in all aspects of life in Aotearoa New Zealand and we are looking for your help to achieve this. Our National Office, located in a great office space on The Terrace in Wellington, serves as our head office. 

About the role:

This is a unique opportunity to lead the operational delivery of People & Culture and Payroll services across a national organisation that’s deeply committed to its people and purpose. 

Reporting to the Head of People, Culture & Wellbeing, you’ll manage a small, capable team (Senior Payroll Officer and P&C Administrator) and ensure smooth, effective day-to-day operations. From recruitment and onboarding to payroll, learning and development, employment relations, project work and updating policies to keep them current, you’ll bring practical solutions that make things work better—simpler, smarter, and more efficient. This is your chance to leave your mark on a culture that’s progressive and continuously improving.

Who you are: 

• You bring at least 3 years of experience in human resources, with exposure to payroll services, and hold a relevant qualification or equivalent on-the-job experience.
• You have a solid understanding of current NZ employment and health & safety legislation, as well as best practice in HR, payroll compliance, and privacy regulations.
• You’re a pragmatic problem-solver who thrives on making things work better—simpler, smoother, and more effective. You’re confident providing expert advice to leaders, translating complex compliance requirements into practical, day-to-day solutions that stick.
• You’re tech-savvy and pick up new technology easily. We use MS Suite(Word, Excel, SharePoint), Teams, and Datacom, Humanforce and Job Adder HRIS systems. You have a knack for improving processes and systems, and you’re experienced in analysing data, producing clear reports, and creating engaging presentations, workshops, and guidelines.
• You’re a strong communicator who can engage across all levels of the organisation—from frontline staff to governance committees. You bring empathy, listening skills, and the confidence to influence and coach senior managers. You uphold a positive, inclusive culture and demonstrate cultural competency, ensuring our practices respect and reflect diversity.
• You’re organised, adaptable, and proactive—a self-starter who anticipates issues and takes ownership of outcomes. You value confidentiality, integrity, and delivering on commitments.
• This is a fixed-term role to cover parental leave from March to July this year, full-time (37.5 hours per week).

What we offer?

ELPNZ is a friendly and inclusive workplace with a culture of continuous improvement. There is no shortage of interesting and engaging work to do and your work will make a real difference to communities all around New Zealand – Aotearoa. 

You'll work in a small collaborative team at an organisation with staff engagement rates that are off the charts. People love working here and are passionate about our work.

Applications close 10 am, Monday 02 February 2026. We are likely to conduct interviews with successful candidates from Thursday 05 February 2026 in Wellington. We are looking for someone who can start from 25th February 2026 (with some flexibility). 

Applications close 02 February 2026.

Apply now