PROGRAMME COORDINATOR – Central North Island
NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATION –PART TIME ROLE (Average 28 HRS P/W)
About the Company
Road Safety Education Ltd (RSE) is a not-for-profit organisation delivering road safety education to high school students. Our flagship Ryda programme has been operating in New Zealand since 2006, with more than 150,000 students participating to date. RSE is supported by leading corporate partners including BOC, NZ Steel, Bridgestone, Toyota and AMI, together with Rotary clubs across New Zealand.
RSE seeks to appoint a tenacious and passionate individual to manage our operations across the Central North Island, covering Hamilton, Rotorua, Taupō, Taranaki and surrounding areas. The position will report to the NZ Programme Manager.
About the Role
This is a varied and challenging position provides a unique opportunity to make a positive difference in our community. RSE and its partners are committed to improving road safety and the Programme Coordinator will play a key role in maintaining and growing the programme, building strong relationships with schools and community partners, and coordinating successful delivery across the region.
This role is not for the faint-hearted. We’re looking for someone who enjoys a challenge, is resilient, takes ownership and is willing to get stuck into all aspects of the role. You’ll need to think on your feet, solve problems and be comfortable juggling competing priorities, often moving between relationship building, sales, event management, programme delivery and administration.
While the position is contracted at 28 hours per week, the workload varies considerably throughout the year. February to June is our busiest delivery period and requires greater flexibility, with some weeks closer to full-time hours. For this reason, the role needs to be your primary work commitment rather than something fitted around another job.
In return, this is a role where you can take real ownership, build strong relationships across your region and see the impact of your work. It will suit someone who thrives on responsibility and variety and is looking for a role they can genuinely make their own for the longer term.
Your Key Areas of Responsibility and Accountability will be:
The role involves successfully running our programmes with secondary schools and working with our community stakeholders. The key to your success will be your ability to:
Build strong relationships with local stakeholders, including school principals, senior leadership teams, teachers and students, Council road safety personnel, and Police.
Promote Ryda to schools, strengthen existing relationships, develop new school partnerships, and grow participation across the region.
Manage the end-to-end coordination and delivery of Ryda workshops across the Lower North Island, ensuring all bookings, facilitators, venues, resources and logistics are in place for successful programme days.
Manage and support contract facilitators to maintain consistent programme delivery standards.
Work with schools to strengthen road safety education beyond the Ryda programme day.
Build effective relationships with and coordinate volunteers.
Take responsibility for programme budgets, financial viability and accurate record keeping.
Be digitally confident and highly organised
Key Competencies:
Tenacity and resilience, with the ability to keep things moving when plans change.
Passion for working with schools and communities and making a positive difference.
Initiative and self-motivation, with the ability to work independently and take ownership.
Calm and professional under pressure, particularly in a busy programme-delivery environment.
Strong team player, willing to pitch in and help wherever needed.
Digitally confident, with strong working knowledge of Microsoft 365 and the ability to confidently use CRM and cloud-based systems.
Highly organised, with strong attention to detail and a commitment to keeping administration and records accurate and up to date.
Flexible and solutions-focused, with a practical “make it happen” attitude when challenges arise.
And yes, a good sense of humour.
Skills and Experience:
Essential Skills
Strong relationship-building and communication skills
Strong organisational and time-management skills
Administration and attention to detail
Digital confidence, including Microsoft 365 and the ability to work with CRM/cloud-based systems
Ability to work independently and use initiative
Ideally, you’ll also bring experience in at least three of the following:
Event or programme coordination
Sales, business development or growing participation
Working with schools or the education sector
Community programme delivery
Stakeholder management
Working with volunteers
Budget management
Presentation or Public speaking
An understanding of Te Ao Māori and an appreciation of its importance when working with schools and communities in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Not essential but viewed favorably:
Prior experience in a not-for-profit organisation and/or the road safety or education sectors.
This is a home-based role, with a company vehicle, laptop and mobile phone provided. Regular regional travel, including some overnight stays, is required. A fuel allowance and home-office allowance are provided in addition to the remuneration package.
If you're a self-starter with the drive, enthusiasm and experience to make a difference, we'd love to hear from you.
Please apply with your CV and a covering letter outlining your interest in the role and relevant experience.
Applications close on 30th November 2026. A full position description is available on request.
To learn more about Road Safety Education and Ryda, visit www.rse.co.nz