Genuine Occupational Requirement
This role is open exclusively to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (in Australia) and Māori people (in Aotearoa New Zealand). This is not a diversity target it is a legal and genuine occupational requirement.
Australia: The filling of this position is intended to constitute a special/equal opportunity/affirmative measure under section 8(1) of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth). Pursuant to Section 14 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) and equivalent provisions in other Australian jurisdictions, Amazon considers that Aboriginality is a genuine occupational qualification for this position.
Aotearoa New Zealand: The filling of this position is intended to constitute a special/equal opportunity/affirmative measure under section 73(1) of the Human Rights Act 1993. Being Māori is a genuine occupational requirement, given the highly specialised cultural knowledge and lived experience essential to fulfilling the duties of this role.
The Opportunity
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is seeking an exceptional senior leader to serve as the Head of Indigenous Engagement for Australia and New Zealand, a role that sits at the heart of Amazon's commitment to First Nations peoples across the region.
This is a role for someone who carries deep cultural knowledge and lived experiences. Who has a demonstrated record of building meaningful, large-scale Indigenous partnerships. You will serve as the senior leader accountable for driving Amazon's Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and pan-Amazon Indigenous Engagement Strategy working collaboratively with tenured Indigenous team members who have helped develop and shape this work and elevating their contributions across Amazon's businesses.
You will operate at the intersection of culture, strategy, and business, building trust with Indigenous communities and leaders, navigating complex stakeholder environments, and influencing executives and business leaders across AWS Public Sector, AWS Commercial, Amazon Retail, and Amazon Operations to ensure a coherent, enterprise-wide approach to Indigenous engagement across ANZ.
This is not a role that works in isolation. You will be supported by Amazon's Innovate RAP commitments, existing Indigenous team members, and the broader organisational commitment to reconciliation. The goal is shared accountability — and you will have the backing of senior leadership to drive it.
Reporting & Structure
This role reports directly to the Head of ANZ Public Sector Industry Development and sits within AWS Public Sector, while carrying a pan-Amazon scope spanning AWS (Public Sector and Commercial), Amazon Retail, and Operations. You will be the single accountable senior leader for Indigenous engagement outcomes across all Amazon businesses in ANZ, operating as the connective tissue to ensure a coherent, enterprise-wide approach. Senior AWS leaders regularly operate at this level, creating impact across multiple lines of business across Amazon.
Location: Preferably Sydney or Melbourne. Amazon maintains a five-day-in-office policy; however, flexibility may be considered for the right candidate in other locations. Significant travel across Australia and to Aotearoa New Zealand should be expected.
Key job responsibilities
What You Will Do
Strategic Leadership
You demonstrate Ownership by taking accountability for defining, evolving, and operationalising the pan-Amazon Indigenous Engagement Strategy for ANZ, translating multi-year goals into coordinated action across all business lines. You Think Big by working at an enterprise scale, connecting Amazon's reconciliation commitments with broader societal and policy outcomes. You will:
Drive the evolution and execution of Amazon Australia's Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and Te Ao Māori frameworks in Aotearoa, ensuring the RAP deliverables and the overarching Indigenous Engagement Strategy work in clear, complementary alignment
Advise Amazon's ANZ senior leadership team on Indigenous affairs, cultural protocols, and community expectations ensuring culturally informed decision-making at the executive level
Refine the Indigenous Engagement Strategy based on community feedback, measurable outcomes, and emerging opportunities, maintaining alignment with established frameworks and core outcome areas
Represent Amazon externally as a senior voice on Indigenous engagement, building Amazon's reputation as the most trusted technology and services company for Indigenous peoples in ANZ
Community Relationships & Stakeholder Engagement
You Earn Trust by building consistent, genuine, and respectful relationships, centering community voices in every engagement. You listen attentively and speak candidly while keeping respect front of mind. You will:
Build and maintain trusted relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representative bodies, native title bodies, land councils, and Iwi through culturally appropriate, meaningful consultation that recognises their authority
Maintain consistency across all Amazon businesses so that Indigenous communities, customers, and partners experience Amazon as a unified and respectful organisation
Engage with senior government officials, policymakers, and regulators on Indigenous policy, procurement, and digital inclusion initiatives
Establish strategic relationships with government agencies and organisational partners, positioning Amazon as a trusted partner while keeping Indigenous voices primary in decision-making
Represent Amazon at board-level and C-suite discussions with Indigenous organisations, government, and industry partners
Thought Leadership & Advocacy
You Dive Deep into the issues that matter most to Indigenous communities, and you have the Backbone to advocate for those perspectives at the highest levels of industry and government. You will:
Serve as AWS's foremost subject matter expert on Indigenous engagement in ANZ, shaping public discourse and positioning Amazon as a genuine leader in the technology sector
Champion thought leadership on Indigenous data sovereignty, digital self-determination, and community-led technology adoption
Deliver keynote presentations, participate in high-profile panels, and contribute to publications that advance Indigenous innovation and digital inclusion
Mentor and develop the next generation of Indigenous leaders within Amazon and the broader ecosystem
Cross-Business Coordination — One Amazon
You deliver results by influencing without authority connecting the dots across business lines where you do not have direct reporting relationships, to ensure Indigenous engagement outcomes are achieved collectively. You will:
Coordinate with AWS Public Sector account, sales, and partner teams to ensure Indigenous customer engagements are culturally aligned and strategically prioritised
Partner with Amazon Retail and Operations on Indigenous procurement, supply chain diversity, and community benefit programs
Collaborate with Amazon's global Indigenous engagement and diversity functions to share best practice and align regional strategy with global direction
Work with Public Policy, Legal, Communications, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion teams to ensure alignment across all Indigenous-facing initiatives
Team Leadership & Capability Building
You demonstrate Customer Obsession by ensuring that every Amazon team member who engages with Indigenous communities does so with confidence, respect, and cultural alignment. You will:
Build and lead a high-performing Indigenous Engagement team, attracting top Indigenous talent and developing clear career pathways
Establish the mechanisms, governance, and cultural protocols that ensure all Amazon teams engage authentically and appropriately with Indigenous communities
Drive cultural competency uplift across the organisation through training, enablement programs, and internal advocacy
Create scalable frameworks that allow business teams to engage Indigenous customers and partners with genuine confidence
Work collaboratively with existing tenured Indigenous team members across Amazon's businesses — elevating their expertise and ensuring their work is recognised and amplified
A day in the life
Key Competencies
Cultural Authority & Executive Presence
Demonstrated respect and standing within Indigenous communities, with the ability to represent Indigenous perspectives authentically and earn the trust of Indigenous leaders and organizations
Executive presence to engage with the most senior leaders in government, industry, and Indigenous communities
Ability to hold complex, sometimes difficult conversations with cultural sensitivity and strategic acumen
Deep commitment to Indigenous self-determination, reconciliation, and community empowerment
Strategic & Systems Thinking
Ability to develop multi-year strategies that span multiple business lines and geographies
Systems-level thinking to connect Indigenous engagement with broader business, policy, and societal outcomes
Strong commercial awareness and ability to articulate value propositions to diverse stakeholders
Data-driven approach to measuring and reporting impact
Leadership & Influence
Proven ability to build high-performing teams and develop Indigenous talent
Exceptional stakeholder management across complex matrix environments
Influence without authority — ability to drive outcomes across business lines where you do not have direct reporting relationships
Collaborative leadership style that centres community voice and Indigenous knowledge systems
About the team
Our Recruitment Process A Culturally Safe Process Our recruitment process is designed around the following cultural safety principles:
Indigenous representation on the selection panel your application will be assessed by people who understand the cultural context of this work.
Initial contact may be made by an Indigenous Amazon team member so that your first conversation feels grounded in shared understanding and respect.
Interview panel cultural safety training every panel member will complete cultural safety training before the process begins.
Alignment with Amazon's Innovate RAP our engagement with you as a candidate reflects the same values we hold for our engagement with community. The successful candidate will be required to provide contact details of at least one Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and/or Maori Cultural Referee to confirm their ability to work and communicate respectfully with Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Maori peoples. If you have any
Diverse Experiences
AWS values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the preferred qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply. If your career is just starting, hasn’t followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, don’t let it stop you from applying.
Why AWS?
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating — that’s why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses.
Inclusive Team Culture
AWS values curiosity and connection. Our employee-led and company-sponsored affinity groups promote inclusion and empower our people to take pride in what makes us unique. Our inclusion events foster stronger, more collaborative teams. Our continual innovation is fueled by the bold ideas, fresh perspectives, and passionate voices our teams bring to everything we do.
Mentorship & Career Growth
We’re continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth’s Best Employer. That’s why you’ll find endless knowledge-sharing, mentorship and other career-advancing resources here to help you develop into a better-rounded professional.
Work/Life Balance
We value work-life harmony. Achieving success at work should never come at the expense of sacrifices at home, which is why we strive for flexibility as part of our working culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there’s nothing we can’t achieve.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in Indigenous engagement, Indigenous affairs, or Indigenous economic development in a senior leadership role
- Deep cultural knowledge and informed cultural insight in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, with experience navigating cultural protocols across diverse communities (Aotearoa experience is valued; Australian experience is prioritised)
- Experience developing and executing enterprise-level Indigenous engagement strategies with measurable outcomes, including Reconciliation Action Plans
- Proven ability to influence and advise C-suite and board-level executives on Indigenous affairs and cultural engagement
- Experience working across multiple business lines or functions in complex organisational structures
- Strong understanding of Indigenous data sovereignty, self-determination principles, and community-led approaches
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to deliver keynote addresses and represent an organisation in high-profile settings
- 5+ years of team leadership experience
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience
- Experience as a founder or executive focused on related segments, or as a practice leader or business unit owner
- Experience selling to Fortune 1000 or Global 2000 organizations
- Experience in the technology sector, cloud computing, digital transformation, or innovation-led industries
- Knowledge of government Indigenous procurement policies, supplier diversity programs, and RAP frameworks at Elevate or Stretch level
- Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles, Native Title frameworks, and Indigenous land rights
- Existing executive-level relationships within Indigenous business networks, Peak Indigenous Bodies, and iwi/rūnanga
- Track record in thought leadership, including published work, keynote speaking, advisory board participation, or policy contributions
- Experience as a founder, executive, or practice leader in a related field
- Experience operating within a multinational or global company with matrix reporting structures
- Relevant qualifications in Law, Political Science, Public Policy, Public Affairs, or Economic Development
Acknowledgement of country:
In the spirit of reconciliation Amazon acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
IDE statement:
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
