Emmeline McLeod
Dunedin,New Zealand
Summary
Senior advisory and coordination professional with expertise in regional public service governance and cross-agency collaboration. Demonstrated ability to navigate complex public sector environments and provide evidence-based advice for senior decision-making. Recognised for fostering trusted relationships across agencies and enhancing visibility of regional activities to support coordinated responses. Proven track record in exercising sound judgment and operating effectively in ambiguous situations.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Advisor, Regional Public Service - Secondment
Ministry of Social Development
Dunedin
12.2025 - Current
- Provide advisory, coordination, and governance support across the Regional Public Service in Otago, contributing to alignment across agencies, regional planning, and informed decision-making.
- Represent the Regional Public Service in regional governance and engagement forums (including Local Public Service Leads rōpū), exercising sound judgement, discretion, and appropriate escalation in complex multi-agency discussions.
- Build and maintain trusted working relationships across agencies, supporting coordinated responses to regional priorities and effective cross-agency engagement.
- Coordinate regional workstreams, including Local Public Service Leads rōpū coordination and Ōtepoti Buildings of Concern engagement, supporting continuity of delivery across shared priorities.
- Contribute to cross-agency monitoring and engagement forums (including Children’s Monitor and Foot and Mouth hui), supporting shared understanding of emerging pressures, risks, and opportunities across agencies.
- Identify emerging issues and regional trends by drawing together information from multiple sources, providing timely updates and structured briefing material to support senior leadership awareness.
- Identify duplication, gaps, and points of friction across agencies and regional activity, supporting better alignment and clearer visibility of priorities.
- Lead and deliver practical tools and approaches to strengthen regional capability and consistency, including induction materials, thematic tracking tools, and reusable communication templates.
- Operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-moving environments, bringing structure, prioritisation, and clarity to evolving regional issues and work programmes.
- Operate with a high degree of autonomy across workstreams, contributing to better coordination across agencies and more aligned regional responses.
Executive Assistant to Regional Director
Ministry of Social Development
Dunedin
07.2020 - 12.2025
- Provide high-level executive and governance support to the Regional Director, enabling effective decision-making across complex regional portfolios and priorities.
- Manage competing demands with sound judgement, supporting appropriate prioritisation, escalation, and time allocation to critical leadership matters.
- Deliver comprehensive secretariat support to governance and leadership forums, including agenda development, paper coordination, minute-taking, and action tracking.
- Act as a central coordination point across regional leaders, national office, external partners, and MSD staff, facilitating clear communication and issue resolution.
- Prepare concise briefings, summaries, correspondence, and documentation to support situational awareness and informed decision-making.
- Maintain oversight of information flow across regional initiatives, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and accessibility of key materials.
- Support continuity of regional operations by maintaining structured systems for tracking decisions, actions, and correspondence.
- Exercise discretion and sound judgement in handling confidential and sensitive information, including identifying matters requiring escalation.
Community Liaison Advisor - Secondment
Ministry of Social Development
Dunedin
11.2022 - 01.2023
- Coordinated regional responses to media and external enquiries, supporting timely, accurate, and consistent messaging from regional leadership.
- Drafted statements and communications for the Regional Commissioner and Regional Director, supporting timely, accurate, and well-judged public messaging.
- Supported management of client-related media issues, working with regional sites and leadership to ensure appropriate responses and follow-up actions.
- Identified, developed, and promoted positive regional stories, coordinating written, photographic, and video content for national and internal channels.
- Produced and distributed internal regional communications, including newsletters and updates, supporting consistent information flow across the region.
- Supported communications planning and seasonal campaigns showcasing regional and partner initiatives.
- Supported communications for regional projects and initiatives, ensuring messaging was clear, timely, and aligned with wider priorities.
- Created regional activity updates for leadership, highlighting key themes, emerging issues, and community-facing work.
Key Account Manager
Magnum Advertising and Design
Auckland
04.2011 - 11.2016
- Managed a portfolio of major client accounts, overseeing contracts, budgets, timelines, and end-to-end campaign delivery across multiple concurrent projects.
- Worked closely with senior leadership to identify delivery risks, operational gaps, and emerging trends, contributing to improved strategic planning.
- Coordinated stakeholders across creative, production, and client teams to ensure aligned delivery of campaign objectives and outputs.
- Planned and delivered integrated campaigns across digital, retail, event, and brand environments, maintaining consistency and quality standards.
- Led internal workflow and production meetings to track progress, resolve issues, and maintain visibility of priorities and dependencies.
- Developed and maintained schedules, workflows, and reporting tools to manage delivery risk and ensure timely execution.
- Supported onboarding and mentoring of team members, contributing to team capability and delivery consistency.
Key Account Manager
Mailshop
Auckland
06.2006 - 03.2011
- Managed end‑to‑end delivery of client campaigns from brief through to production and execution.
- Coordinated internal teams and external suppliers to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant delivery.
- Managed account administration including proposals, billing, contracts, and reporting to maintain clear visibility of performance.
- Maintained structured tracking systems to monitor progress, timelines, and financials across accounts.
- Identified opportunities for account growth through proactive client engagement and relationship development.
- Ensured compliance with operational, health and safety, and delivery requirements during campaign execution.
Skills
- Cross‑agency coordination and alignment of regional work
- Trusted relationship management with senior stakeholders
- Sound judgement, discretion, and confident escalation
- Governance and senior leadership support
- Identification and interpretation of emerging risks and trends
- Clear, concise communication for senior and varied audiences
- Data‑informed insight and structured reporting
- Strong organisational prioritisation across competing demands
- Calm, resilient performance in complex, high‑pressure environments
References
Available on request
Timeline
Advisor, Regional Public Service - Secondment
Ministry of Social Development
12.2025 - Current
Community Liaison Advisor - Secondment
Ministry of Social Development
11.2022 - 01.2023
Executive Assistant to Regional Director
Ministry of Social Development
07.2020 - 12.2025
Key Account Manager
Magnum Advertising and Design
04.2011 - 11.2016
Key Account Manager
Mailshop
06.2006 - 03.2011