Brand Partnerships Manager

Shepherdess is a social enterprise and multimedia platform dedicated to strengthening connection in rural communities through storytelling, community-building and events. Its purpose is to help build vibrant rural communities across Aotearoa.

Shepherdess was started around a kitchen table on a dairy and beef farm in the Horowhenua. After being exposed to the isolation many women living rurally experience, Kristy McGregor launched Shepherdess magazine in 2020.

Alongside the quarterly magazine, Shepherdess has produced a documentary television series that has aired globally, founded The Shepherdess Muster – a biennial festival for women living rurally – and produced the RNZ podcast Far From Town, featuring six women sharing stories of rural life. Learn more at www.shepherdess.co.nz.

We are seeking a Brand Partnerships Manager who will support us in the growth of Shepherdess, by developing comprehensive integrated print and digital campaigns for brands, and onboarding and nurturing relationships with brands and agencies. 

We've just celebrated the release of our 26th edition of the magazine. We have an engaged and loyal audience of 38,000 - our digital channels received 3.2 million views and 332,000 reach in the final quarter of 2025. We want to continue to grow our reach and impact through authentic partnerships, and power the telling of stories from all corners of the motu.

We’re a small team, working from farms and kitchen tables across provincial Aotearoa, with a passion for telling authentic stories. The role would suit someone that is looking for an opportunity to work from home, and join a small but wonderful team who pitches in and believes in print media, the channels that amplify it, and rural communities as much as we do. We are looking for someone with capacity to work a minimum of 20 hours per week, with the opportunity for the role to grow.

You will bring your experience working in communications, marketing or media, planning integrated campaigns across digital platforms (and ideally print too). You’ll have experience in sales and a strong commercial acumen. You will know how to engage with industry folks. You will be a team player, self-motivated, and work well under pressure. Refer to the Role Description below for further details.

Shepherdess magazine is published by Muster Vibrant Rural Communities, a social enterprise with the mission of making rural folks feel connected through community building, storytelling and events.

Purpose Statement

To drive revenue through supporting the growth of the Shepherdess digital and print advertising offering, and developing integrated campaigns across Shepherdess platforms, developing and facilitating paid partnerships with brands and organisations.

Responsibilities

• Developing comprehensive digital and print campaign pitches that meet the brand’s objectives and articulate the value proposition of Shepherdess.

• Brainstorming and developing clever and creative campaigns, working with our editorial and operations teams.

• Securing advertising bookings.

• Achieve and surpass advertising revenue goals.

• Build and nurture client and agency relationships.

• Identifying opportunities across Shepherdess’s current channels, both print and digital, for growth and maximising revenue potential.

Requirements

Background in marketing and/or communications. 

Experience in media or agency, and selling advertising, would be an advantage.

Target-driven; ability to meet and exceed targets. You will be driven by closing deals.

Digitally savvy. Experience planning campaigns, and monitoring results.

Strong commercial acumen.

Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills. Experienced in relationship management.

Excellent organisational and time management skills.

Creative thinker.

Attention to detail, including an excellent standard of grammar and spelling.

Self-motivated and reliable, with initiative.

A team player.

Ability to work well under pressure.

Flexible with work hours when peak periods demand it.

An understanding of our target audience, and an affinity and understanding of rural and regional Aotearoa.

Must be proficient with a computer, including (or willing to learn) Asana, Slack, Dropbox and Pipedrive. Experience with a CRM desirable.

An awareness of te ao Māori and the social and cultural diversity of rural Aotearoa.

Commitment

Contract position and commission based. Part-time – must be available a minimum of 20 hours per week, with scope for the role to grow. Must be available for weekly team meetings. Ability to travel for in-person meetings with brands and agencies, if required, would be desirable.