We’ve partnered with Māori Women Development Inc (MWDI) to create a new way for communities to fund indigenous and regional entrepreneurs. We believe supporting tangata whenua to access new forms of capital using platforms and tools that enable them to involve their communities can create a whole range of new opportunities – some of which we might only scratch the surface on.
Now, we’re looking for a Kaituitui to come lead the delivery of the Tā Koha platform. We’ve been up and down the country researching, have deep knowledge from Māori Women Development Inc and PledgeMe, but need someone to come bring that all together and drive the delivery of the platform. Is that you?
Role: Kaituitui – Tā Koha platform Project Lead
Location: Creative HQ, Wellington
Hours: 2-3 days per week for the next four months
Rate: $40/hour
We believe the right person will be able to:
- Lead a part-time team of five across two organisations
- Consolidate the qualitative and quantitative research already completed into the capital needs of indigenous entrepreneurs
- Formulate follow up research plans for external researchers
- Scope out the implementation with our wider team
- Take part in Kiwibank Accelerator programme in Wellington (running until the end of May)
- Give presentations, and facilitate group discussions
- Take part in weekly group meetings and advisory board check ins, as well as daily standups
- Deliver the first iteration of the platform with our partners and technical providers
- Support projects through the process
- Feed into reporting to our boards and funders
- Have fun
Experience
- Fluency in Te Reo Māori and a deep understanding of kaupapa Māori and Māori communities
- Leading teams (bonus points if it’s across organisations)
- Managing projects to budget and time
- Research
Who’s behind this?
We’re co-creating this initiative between Māori Women Development Inc and PledgeMe. Here is some of the team behind it:
Barry Grehan is our Irish blow-in. He’s a rebel banker with an eye for fresh financial ideas. Whether it’s crowdlending or equity crowdfunding, his aim is to democratise the financial markets.
Kaye-Maree Dunn is a Hinepreneur ICF Coach under #RISE2025 and Māori Women’s Development Inc (MWDI), specialising in project management and relationship building, she works with MWDI and Te Whare Hukahuka. She has also started her own company, Making Everything Achievable (MEA). Through coaching, facilitation, technology, community development and business management, she uses her commitment to kaupapa Māori and holistic principles to explore how we can create systemic change.
Linda Clay is a 2018 Leadership New Zealand participant has been the accountant at MWDI for the past five years. Her role includes managing the loan book for the organisation and working directly with clients and supporting the delivery of education to wahine Māori and their whānau.
Teresa Tepania-Ashton has 12 years experience in corporate banking with CITIBANK. She was responsible for major corporate clients in New Zealand that were focussed on global cash management and prior to that for more than a decade Teresa worked for a Danish Dairy Engineering firm. In July 2004, she was appointed as the CEO of Te Runanga a-Iwi o Ngāpuhi, allowing Teresa to focus on developing the assets of Ngapuhi but more importantly the aspirations of the Ngapuhi people. Teresa is currently appointed as CEO for Maori Women’s Development Inc who are a micro-lending organisation offering business loans to Maori women and their whanau.
Anna Guenther is PledgeMe’s co-founder, sounds American but she’s definitely a Kiwi. If pushed, she’ll say she’s technically from Dunedin, but will later admit she grew up in Boston. She completed her Masters with a focus on crowdfunding and has worked for everyone from NZTE to MIT (and all of the acronyms in between).
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Interested in the role? We’re taking applications until EOP Monday 26 March and looking to appoint quickly after that.
Please email your CV or LinkedIn and a bit more about what you’d like to bring o this role to barry@pledgeme.co.nz.
We hope to find someone as passionate about inclusive capital as us, with relevant experiences, and the interest to stick with us past the delivery of this project if it goes well.
