When Sophia Sykes joined Rangitīkei District Council as Communications Manager nearly two years ago, she thought she knew what she was signing up for.

After roles across central government and the private sector, plus time spent completing her master’s thesis, she was looking for something closer to home and, ideally, a little more balance. Having relocated to Palmerston North with her husband following his Army career, she had been commuting to Wellington for work while also studying part-time.

She took her role thinking it would be interesting but maybe a slower pace. What she found in local government was something quite different.

“I was so naive and I really had no idea what I was getting myself in for,” she laughs.

Today, Sophia leads a communications team of three while also completing a PhD. While she jokingly describes herself as “a baby compared to most in the local government sector”, she has quickly developed a deep appreciation for the complexity, pace and purpose of local government.

Originally from a marketing and brand background, her career naturally progressed into communications with her love of storytelling and the challenge of making complex ideas accessible. But one of the biggest surprises when she entered local government was discovering how communications as a profession was often viewed within the sector.

“I’ve always loved copywriting and see so much value in storytelling and making complex things sound human.”

Rather than seeing communications as a service that simply delivers information after decisions have been made, Sophia’s approach centres around understanding the decisions themselves and helping organisations communicate with greater clarity, trust and purpose.

Curious about how local government worked in practice, she began spending time in council meetings to better understand the context behind decisions and the relationships that shaped them.

“Communications isn’t just about translating decisions after they’re made. It’s about understanding the system that produced them. The more I understand the politics, relationships and competing priorities behind a decision, the better I can explain it.”

For Sophia, those hours spent listening, observing and learning are part of being a strategic communicator. Understanding the context behind decisions helps her tell more authentic stories and build stronger connections between communities and local democracy.

It also gave her a front-row seat to one of the things she now loves most about local government.

“I find it so fascinating how close staff are to the decisions that directly affect communities. It really is democracy in action.”

Nearly two years on, she still describes local government as “fascinating”. What began as a practical career move has become something much more meaningful.

“It’s such a cool feeling. I get to the end of the week and genuinely feel I’ve made a difference.”

Alongside her council role, Sophia is also completing a PhD focused on political extremism. It’s a significant undertaking alongside a full-time leadership role, and one that requires careful juggling of priorities. She credits Rangitīkei District Council’s flexible culture with helping make it possible, allowing her dedicated study time while remaining fully engaged in her role.

Sophia is quick to sing the praises of her small but mighty team and lights up when talking about the work they’ve achieved together. She sees one of her most important responsibilities as creating an environment where people can do their best work.

One highlight was the council’s local elections campaign, which focused on encouraging participation in local democracy and increasing voter turnout. Working with a modest budget, the team developed a campaign that exceeded expectations and generated strong community engagement. The final week of the campaign saw Sophia and her team driving around the district pumping music, with a voting bin in the back of the car, encouraging locals to vote.

She also points to more recent work supporting conversations around local government reform and Head Start, where tight timeframes required creativity, collaboration and a willingness to move quickly.

For Sophia, these projects reinforce what she enjoys most about working in a smaller council environment: the ability to roll up your sleeves, work closely with colleagues and see the direct impact of your efforts.

“You actually can just get shit done.”

Although relatively new to the sector, Sophia has already embraced opportunities to connect with others across local government through Taituarā. She has attended Midlands and Central Branch events and values the chance to learn from people with decades of experience.

” Learning from other people, people that have been in the sector for way, way, way longer than me… has been really key.”

That willingness to learn, combined with a strong work ethic and genuine curiosity, has helped her make the most of opportunities both within her council and across the wider sector.

For now, Sophia isn’t focused on planning her next move. After years of studying, changing roles and looking ahead to the next challenge, she finds herself in a position she didn’t necessarily expect.

“I’m actually really happy with my career at the moment – and what a privilege that is. I get to contribute to community good and do meaningful work with absolute legends.”