Amazon Web Services (AWS) is seeking a senior, experienced leader to serve as the Head of Indigenous Engagement for Australia and New Zealand.
The Head of Indigenous Engagement will be a senior leader and trusted advisor who brings deep cultural authority, executive presence, and a track record of building impactful, large-scale Indigenous partnerships while at the same time championing the necessary change within the organization for success. You will serve as the single-threaded leader accountable for executing the Indigenous engagement strategy and elevating the work of existing Indigenous-focused staff across Amazon's businesses. Working collaboratively with tenured Indigenous team members who have developed and deployed this strategy, you will unify Indigenous Engagement execution across all seven Amazon businesses, ensuring consistent, culturally aligned, and community-led outcomes.
This role requires an individual who can operate at the intersection of culture, strategy, and business — building trust with Indigenous leaders, navigating complex stakeholder environments, representing AWS at the highest levels of government and industry, and driving measurable impact across the organisation
Key job responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Define, own, execute and operationalize the pan-Amazon Indigenous Engagement Strategy for ANZ, translating multi-year strategic goals and success metrics into coordinated action across all business lines
- Serve as the single-threaded senior leader accountable for Indigenous engagement outcomes across multiple business divisions.
- Advise Amazon's ANZ senior leadership team on Indigenous affairs, cultural protocols, and community expectations, ensuring culturally informed decision-making at executive level
- Evolve and refine the Indigenous Engagement Strategy based on community feedback, measurable outcomes, and emerging opportunities, while maintaining alignment with the established strategic framework and core outcome areas
- Drive the evolution and execution of Amazon Australia's Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and Te Ao Maori frameworks in Aotearoa
- Represent Amazon externally as a senior executive voice on Indigenous engagement, building our reputation as the most trusted technology and services company for Indigenous Peoples in ANZ
Executive Relationships & Stakeholder Engagement
- Maintain consistent engagement approaches across all Amazon businesses to ensure Indigenous communities, customers, and partners experience Amazon as a unified, respectful organization that listens attentively and speaks candidly while maintaining respect front-of-mind
- Build and maintain trusted relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representative bodies, native title bodies, and Iwi through culturally appropriate, meaningful consultation that recognizes their authority and ensures their voices remain central to Amazon's decision-making.
- Establish strategic relationships with government agencies and organizational partners, positioning Amazon as a trusted partner aligned with policy objectives while maintaining clear boundaries that keep Indigenous voices primary in decision-making.
- Engage with senior government officials, policymakers, and regulators on Indigenous policy, procurement, and digital inclusion initiatives
- Represent Amazon at board-level and C-suite discussions with Indigenous organisations, government, and industry partners
- Develop strategic partnerships with Indigenous-led organisations, academic institutions, and industry bodies to advance shared objectives
Thought Leadership & Advocacy
- Serve as AWS's foremost subject matter expert on Indigenous engagement in ANZ, shaping public discourse and positioning Amazon as a leader in the technology sector
- Deliver keynote presentations, participate in high-profile panels, and contribute to publications that establish Amazon's credentials in Indigenous innovation and digital inclusion
- Develop and champion thought leadership on Indigenous data sovereignty, digital self-determination and community-led technology adoption
- Mentor and develop the next generation of Indigenous leaders within Amazon and the broader ecosystem
Cross-Business Coordination (OneAmazon)
- Operate as the connective tissue across Amazon business to ensure a coherent, enterprise-wide Indigenous engagement approach
- Coordinate with AWS Public Sector account, 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 practices 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
- Build and lead a high-performing Indigenous Engagement team, attracting top Indigenous talent and developing 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 confidence and cultural alignment
Applicants in Australia:
Aboriginality is a genuine occupational qualification for this position. Pursuant to Section 50D of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (and equivalent provisions in other Australian jurisdictions), this role is open only to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Aboriginality is considered essential for this position.
Applicants in Aotearoa:
Genuine Occupational Qualification: Pursuant to Section 27 (or 73) of the Human Rights Act 1993, being Māori is a genuine occupational requirement for this position due to the highly specialized cultural competency and lived experience needed to fulfill the duties.
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
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.
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.
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.
