Are you passionate about supporting youths into employment?
18th March, 2026
An Education Charitable Trust at Airport Precinct is seeking a dedicated and enthusiastic Work Pathways Navigator.
Role Overview:
The Work Pathways Navigator will play a central role in increasing Ara's capacity to support rangatahi as they transition from school into meaningful, sustainable employment. Working alongside young people with a strengths-based, wrap-around approach, the mentor will provide consistent, individualised support through every stage of the employment journey — from initial engagement through to long-term job retention.
Key Responsibilities
Rangatahi Engagement & Support
Engage promptly with rangatahi, establishing trust and rapport from the first contact
Conduct strengths-based assessments to understand each young person's goals, aspirations, barriers, and support needs
Develop and implement individualised employment or training plans in collaboration with each rangatahi
Maintain meaningful, regular contact and mentoring with rangatahi throughout their journey — logging all interactions via Jobadder or Monday.com
Provide wrap-around support that addresses practical, emotional, and systemic barriers to employment
Employment & Transition Outcomes
Support rangatahi to transition successfully into employment, apprenticeships, or further training
Prepare young people for the workforce through job readiness mentoring, CV development, interview preparation, and workplace expectations
Liaise with employers and training providers to facilitate placements and ensure good fit for both parties
Sustained Employment Support
Provide ongoing check-ins and support to support sustained employment
Identify risks to employment retention early and connect rangatahi with appropriate support
Gather employer feedback on preparedness and performance, using insights to improve future support
Data, Reporting & Systems
Maintain accurate and up-to-date participant records in Jobadder / Monday.com, including status, contacts, outcomes, and barriers
Ensure all phone calls, texts, and contacts are logged through approved systems in line with programme requirements
Contribute to quarterly progress check-ins and end-of-project reviews
Provide data and narrative reporting aligned to programme success indicators
Learning, Practice & Partnership
Identify emerging barriers and themes, and contribute to practice improvement across the team
Build and maintain strong relationships with schools, employers, training providers, and community organisations
Represent Ara professionally and contribute to strengthening its reputation as a youth employment partner
Participate in team reflection and contribute anonymised case stories or quotes for impact reporting
Job Requirements:
Experience working with rangatahi or young people in an employment, careers, or youth development context
Strong relational skills with the ability to build trust quickly, particularly with young people who may be disengaged or lacking confidence
Knowledge of the New Zealand employment landscape, including pathways through apprenticeships and training
Strengths-based, solution-focused approach to working with individuals facing barriers
Strong organisational and time management skills; ability to manage a caseload independently
Competent with digital systems for data entry, contact management, and reporting (e.g. Jobadder, Monday.com, or similar)
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to produce clear reports and insights
Understanding of tikanga Maori and the ability to engage effectively with rangatahi Maori and their whanau
Existing relationships with employers, schools, or training providers
Experience in employment placement, or vocational guidance
Knowledge of wrap-around support services and community resources
Must hold a restricted/full driver's license and have reliable transport