Summer Internship Programme 2026 - 2027

About the programme

Our 12-week paid Summer Internship Programme is an opportunity for current tertiary students and recent graduates to put their knowledge and skills into action.

The majority of placements will be in our Wellington-based national office however, we will also consider candidates who are interested in being placed in one of our regional offices across the motu.

Successful interns will begin their placement on 30 November 2026 and finish on 19 February 2027.

We invite applications from individuals of all backgrounds, cultures, and experiences who have an interest in Te Puni Kōkiri and:

We value the different strengths, skills and viewpoints that a diverse workforce brings to the delivery of our purpose of drawing strength from our past to build an Aotearoa New Zealand where whānau can all stand, thrive and belong.

Interns will be paid an annual salary of $60,201, which will be pro-rated for the period of the Summer Internship Programme.

How many positions are available?

We have ten 2026-2027 Summer Internships available.

What are the placement opportunities?

We are looking to place interns in the following areas:

• Policy
• Strategy
  • System Performance Monitoring
  • Data and Automation
  • Communications
• Regions
  • Investments
  • Iwi and Māori Relations
  • Regionally based placements

Find out more about our organisational structure and the role of the different puni here.

Although we aim to place successful applicants in their preferred placement area and/or location, we may consider you for other areas due to limited positions being available.

Who should apply?

• Tertiary students who have completed at least two years of study and could be studying from a broad range of disciplines
• Tertiary graduates who are less than two years post-study completion
• Tertiary students who are interested in working in a crown agency that focuses specifically on Māori Development and Iwi and Māori Relations with the Crown, and are looking to gain experience in the above placement areas.

You will be required to:

• learn how Te Puni Kōkiri works to enable system-wide influence
• communicate clearly and concisely
• relate well to others and be able to work as part of a team
• be willing to listen and engage to understand diverse perspectives
• be agile and adaptive to change.

Why become an intern at Te Puni Kōkiri?

An internship at Te Puni Kōkiri provides an opportunity for you to:

• gain practical work experience by contributing to key pieces of work in a Crown agency that focuses specifically on Māori Development and Iwi and Māori Relations with the Crown
• apply knowledge from your studies to everyday working situations.
• enhance your ‘work-ready’ and communication skills in a public sector environment
• grow your professional network within Te Puni Kōkiri and the wider Public Service
• have further professional learning opportunities, for example Tautuhi-ō-Rongo (our policy approach) and te reo Māori classes.

What does Te Puni Kōkiri do?

Te Puni Kōkiri leads policy advice to the Government on Māori development, and Iwi and Māori relations with the Crown. We draw strength from our past to build an Aotearoa New Zealand where whānau can all stand, thrive and belong. This anchors us in our history, as we adapt to the changing and evolving needs of hapū, Iwi and Māori and the Crown.

Te Puni Kōkiri is positioned to strategically influence, monitor and mentor other agencies and hold them to account for delivering public services to, for and with Māori.

Our strategic framework | Tapatoru (depicted below) outlines our vision, purpose and role, along with our policy and delivery approaches and the five strategic priority areas that will help achieve our vision of Thriving Whānau.

Previous intern's experiences

Elizabeth, Nova and Gillan share their experience as previous Te Puni Kōkiri Summer interns.

Elizabeth Nahu
“My experience as an intern at Te Puni Kōkiri was a great introduction to the Public Service. I had the opportunity to work with both operations and policy teams and to be exposed to the different types of work that Te Puni Kōkiri does. A highlight of my internship was working on the Waitangi Tribunal Housing Inquiry. I read about Te Puni Kōkiri’s past and gained an appreciation for the depth of our heritage, and the work we have done for Māori since 1861. I also really valued being able to apply my skills and knowledge from university and see how they translated in the workplace. The internship programme set the foundation for me to return to Te Puni Kōkiri as a policy advisor a few years later, once I had finished studying. I feel very fortunate to be able to come back to an organisation that does such valuable work”.

Nova Te Hāpua Waretini-Hewison
“I found there was no better place to learn the foundational aspects of government than at an agency dedicated to uplifting Māori values, people, and tikanga. Working in the ‘Strengthening Wāhine Leadership’ workstream, I was introduced to incredible kaupapa happening across the motu that aligned with my own personal commitment to mana wāhine. I was incredibly supported by my colleagues who were all eager to support my growth, always feeling that my perspectives and passion areas were valued. I gained a bunch of new tools in my kete that have enabled me to promote Māori practices in spaces that don’t inherently seem like a Māori environment, bringing confidence, tikanga, and mana Māori into every venture I take on.

Gillan Harris
“My summer internship with Te Puni Kōkiri was a defining step in my career. After graduating in 2023, I joined the Te Tai Hauāuru regional team in Whakatū | Nelson, where I was trusted from the outset to contribute to meaningful mahi across Iwi partnerships, Marae, regional investment, community relationships, and Indigenous collaboration. I really valued the opportunity to learn alongside generous and experienced kaimahi, connect with hapori Māori, and build relationships with my fellow regional interns. Some of my highlights included supporting a region-wide Marae survey project, helping organise an Indigenous Wāhine in Leadership event in Rotorua, and joining my Regional Director at Government House for the 25th anniversary of APEC Voices of the Future. The internship affirmed my passion for Māori development and public service, and it has led me into Advisor roles across Te Tai Hauāuru and Te Waipounamu, and now Ōtautahi | Christchurch. I will always be grateful for the opportunities, experiences, and connections the internship gave me.”

Click here to read more stories from kaimahi | employees about working at Te Puni Kōkiri, including one of our previous interns, Kuramaiki.

What is the recruitment process?

To apply, submit your application by Hanarei 13 Hepetema 2026 | Sunday 13 September 2026 at 11.55pm.

You will need to:

• provide a current CV
• provide a cover letter that tells us why you are interested in completing a summer internship with Te Puni Kōkiri, as well as what placement area/s interest you and why.
• answer some pātai/questions
• provide an up-to-date academic transcript (this does not need to be an official transcript)

Submit your application here.

Following the close of applications, if you are shortlisted, you will be invited to attend an interview. Interviews are scheduled to take place between 21 September to 2 October 2026.

Following interviews, we will conduct reference checks for preferred candidates. We are aiming to make offers to successful candidates by 30 October 2026.