Nadia Wesley-Smith (Kāti Taoka, Kāi Te Pahi, Kāi Te Ruahikihiki) will take up the role after the departure of previous rūnaka chief executive officer Andrew Rouvi in November.
Ms Wesley-Smith said she had worked in a similar role for the rūnaka before, and her new appointment felt like a well-timed return.
"I have a deep love of people and a really strong ethos of service, so I’m really looking forward to returning to work for the rūnaka," she said.
"Because for me, ultimately, it’s about the people in our hapū, in our wider communities as well ... to serve in order for wellbeing outcome."
She will finish up as Dunedin City Council corporate policy manager this week and leave her current role as elected rūnaka chair/kaiwhakahaere for the 2023-26 term.
Paulette Tamati-Elliffe (Kāi Te Pahi, Kāi Te Ruahikihiki, Kāi Tahu and Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Mutunga) will take up the kaiwhakahaere role in an interim capacity until the rūnaka annual meeting in November.
Ms Wesley-Smith has worked in tourism and hospitality overseas, was rūnaka manager from 2021 to 2023 and is a Ngāi Tahu representative on the Sustainable Destinations Milford Sound Piopiotahi programme board.
"For me, it’s all about people, and really my career has largely been focused around people, so this is a really natural move for me," she said.
"Given my upbringing, close to marae and on the marae, it feels right to return, to serve our people."
