Jobs & Careers

Ki te puāwai te ahurea, Ka ora te iwi
Culture is thriving, The people are well

Ko Te Manatū Taonga tēnei, he mana whānui, he toronga whānui, he manawa nui anō hoki tēnei e karanga atu nei. Nau mai, tomo mai, kia rongo ai tāua i ngā tākirikiringa o te hatumanawa o tō tatou tuakiritanga ā-motu.

Current vacancies

We list vacancies on our vacancies page and on jobs.govt.nz

Come work with us

We are a small Ministry of around 180 people, with a broad mandate and wide reach across the arts, culture and heritage sector.

We embrace diversity and inclusiveness, are passionate about our mahi, and value work-life balance.

We welcome experiences from different sectors to strengthen and support the pou of our whare.

Learn more about us on LinkedIn.

A taste of what we do

We work in a sector that contributes $11 billion to New Zealand’s GDP and supports over 90,000 jobs, ranging from screen production to symphonies, broadcasting to ballet, kapa haka to heritage and more.

Our mahi helps the government promote Aotearoatanga, our unique cultural identity—from policy to programme delivery.

With our partners—iwi Māori, public sector organisations and funded agencies—we connect local communities to cultural experiences that enrich lives.

Our sector supports storytelling that reflects who New Zealanders are today, helping us to navigate our future — to build an inclusive and cohesive nation we want our tamariki to shine in and call home.

Hiring the people we need

We are seeking people to join us who fill gaps and round out our strengths. We value capabilities within teams that span the public sector, and the culture and heritage sector -

we seek individuals who desire and commit to having a foot in both.

We ensure the diversity of New Zealand is reflected in our Ministry, sometimes taking a less experienced or skilled candidate and supporting them to grow. We hire to ensure our values thrive.

What people say about working at Manatū Taonga

“Working at Manatū Taonga provides unique opportunities. If you want to have an impact on the public and cultural sectors, there is no better place to be.”

“As a relatively small team with a wide portfolio, we get involved in a huge range of work. That diversity, exposure and strong connection to our two sectors means we constantly stretch into new areas and add to our skills and knowledge.”

“Manatū Taonga leads the sector. We influence government policy and funding and drive the way our important stories are told. The work we do every day has a huge effect on how New Zealanders engage with the culture and heritage of Aotearoa.”

“Our work takes us to concerts, community events, commemorations and more. We are often there when people connect with their heritage and culture in a way they never have before. That’s a special place to be, and we wouldn’t get it anywhere else.”