Tracey Spence CMHRNZ
Waikato Taniwha Rau, He Piko, He Taniwha, He Piko He Taniwha He!
Taupiri Te Maunga
Waikato Te Awa
Tainui Te Waka
Waikato Te Iwi
Ngaati Mahuta, Ngaati Whaawhaaki, Ngaati Tamaahohoo, Ngaati Tai, Ngaa Hapuu
Waahi Paa Te Marae
Taane I Te Pupuke Te Whare Tupuna
Ko Miria Te Kakara Te Wharekai
Kei Te Noho Au Ki Taamaki Makaurau Ki Te Tonga
Ko Tracey Spence Tooku Ingoa
No Reira Tena Koutou Tena Koutou Katoa,
What led you to a career in HR/the position that you are in currently?
My HR career spans over 30 years, with a focus on creating equitable and inclusive workplaces that align people strategies with organizational goals. With an Executive MBA and comprehensive experience in corporate, non-government organisations, and public sectors across New Zealand and Australia, I offer a diverse perspective on HR.
I am dedicated to integrating Te Ao Māori principles to ensure culturally competent and inclusive practices. My expertise in employment relations empowers me to navigate complex challenges with precision and confidence.
What do you love about working in HR?
Human Resources serves as a vital connector between people and strategy, cultivating environments that enable everyone to excel. By incorporating Te Ao Māori principles such as aroha, tika, pono, manaakitanga, and kaitiakitanga. We can enrich workplace culture while effectively addressing employment challenges. My diverse experience across sectors has positioned me to drive meaningful and sustainable change. I am dedicated to enhancing the employee experience, ensuring that each individual feels valued, supported, and equipped to realise their full potential. Together, we can create a thriving workplace where everyone can succeed.
Are there any specific highlights of your career that you wish to share?
Career highlights include earning an Executive MBA, enhancing my ability to lead strategic HR initiatives, completing Chartered Membership with HRNZ, becoming an Associate Member of AMINZ, showcasing my mediation and dispute resolution expertise alongside completing the Kaitiakitanga Post Graduate Diploma in Bicultural Professional Supervision, in which I created my model of practice: “Whakawatea o ngā Mamae.”
“Whakawatea o ngā Mamae” aims to restore mana and promote well-being by harmonizing traditional Māori practices with Western methodologies, creating a holistic framework applicable to both personal and professional contexts, particularly in leadership and conflict resolution. By contributing to culturally responsive and equitable practices in Māori and non-Māori settings, this model honours relational accountability, cultural competence, and mana restoration, offering a pathway informed by historical insights, collective wisdom, and contemporary rangahau.
Additionally, my nomination at Oranga Tamariki for the Te Tohu Huataki Leadership Excellence award exemplifies my commitment to leadership and biculturalism.
What are your thoughts on Chartered Membership? How do you feel about being a Chartered Member?
Chartered Membership offers unparalleled benefits that align perfectly with my professional goals and aspirations. Here’s how I see it enhancing my career:
Recognition
Acknowledgement of Expertise: It is a clear and credible validation of my skills and capabilities as a senior HR professional through a robust and transparent process.
Professional Status: Post-nominals like CMHRNZ will showcase my achievement, professionalism, and credibility in the HR field.
Commitment to Values: It reflects my unwavering dedication to the leadership skills that matter—such as a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and championing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Extended Learning
Continuing Professional Development (CPD): The CPD system ensures my knowledge remains current and encourages me to continually grow through further learning.
Tailored Growth: I will have access to a dynamic range of development activities designed to meet my unique goals and aspirations.
Professional Opportunities
Enhanced Employability: Chartered status will demonstrate my expertise and leadership capabilities to potential employers.
Career Advancement: This recognition will position me for senior roles and strategic opportunities.
Pathway to Higher Membership: It also creates a natural stepping stone toward even higher levels of professional chartered membership.
I am confident that becoming a Chartered Member will solidify my reputation, keep me at the forefront of the HR profession, and open new opportunities to achieve my long-term goals.
What motivated you to work towards becoming a Chartered Member?
My motivation to work towards becoming a Chartered Member is because it represents an opportunity to further develop and showcase the skills and qualities I’ve honed throughout my career. It’s more than a professional milestone—it’s a platform to amplify my impact as a leader who fosters inclusivity, innovation, and sustainable workplace practices.
A key driver for me is my connection to Te Ao Māori and my commitment to embedding Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles into everything I do. I am deeply passionate about advocating for initiatives that increase Māori representation in the workplace and creating environments that allow Māori to thrive. I also value leading and influencing workplace cultures that embrace diversity, inclusion, and recognition of individual needs. As someone who values relationships and collaboration, I excel at understanding and valuing people, reading a room or situation, and bringing others on the journey. These qualities have enabled me to solve workplace problems effectively, mitigate risks, and lead initiatives that align people strategies with business goals. My ability to apply mediation and negotiation skills, combined with commercial judgment, ensures that I achieve balanced and effective outcomes in challenging situations.
I pride myself on having broad operational and functional knowledge, which I bring to the table when contributing to people strategies and business plans. Using people analytics, I identify and define organizational challenges and develop practical, strategic solutions. I also lead the development of policy frameworks and controls that ensure compliance with employer obligations while fostering innovation and organizational success.
Becoming a Chartered Member reflects my commitment to professional growth, courageous leadership, and the ethical and culturally grounded practices that I believe are essential for modern HR leaders. It’s a chance to continue influencing workplace cultures in a way that honours manaakitanga, promotes kaitiakitanga, and supports the well-being of all.
What are your next steps in terms of your career now that you are a Chartered Member?
As a Chartered Member, I am currently focused on enhancing my leadership skills and preparing for future milestones, including achieving a Chartered Fellowship and obtaining a globally recognized postgraduate research doctorate (PhD). Accomplishing these goals would represent the highest level of professional recognition and contribute to academic Indigenous knowledge systems, allowing us to effectively highlight the importance of contributions on both strategic and sector-wide levels.
I view the Chartered Fellowship as an opportunity to strengthen my influence, especially in incorporating the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi into organizational strategies and advancing Te Ao Māori perspectives in workplace practices. Leading initiatives that promote Māori representation and fostering inclusive, values-driven cultures remain at the core of my career aspirations.
As I work toward these goals, I plan to make meaningful contributions to HRNZ and continue to grow as a leader. Mentoring others through the HRNZ mentoring program is also a priority, and I aim to demonstrate my commitment to HRNZ through consistent and impactful participation in various capacities, beyond merely attending events or maintaining membership. These steps are integral to my journey towards my goals and will support my ongoing development as a professional dedicated to contributing to the broader HR community.