Regional Business Partner Programme Advisor

Tēnei tūranga – About the role 

The Advisor position provides expert advice and ensures the effective and efficient operation of the Regional Business Partner Programme. This team is responsible for providing advice, training and support to Growth Advisors around Aotearoa New Zealand  and operational services from across the unit and liaises with external providers to meet business needs.

The Advisor is responsible for ensuring quality and consistency of advice and practices in relation to their role. This highly collaborative role will help set the direction, provide advice/strategic advice across the work programme of the team and co-ordination across a wide range of operational priorities to ensure the RBP develops and maintains high quality, innovative and user centric practices and processes.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Excellent organisational and written communication skills with ability to develop and maintain electronic information collection and management systems as well as analysing information to produce accurate and succinct assessments and reports. 
• Experience in training and supporting users on new systems and processes, ability to trouble shoot and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Proven analytical and data presentation skills.
• Communication skills and experience in managing communication plans and writing effective messaging for various audiences.
• Relationship management skills and experience in quickly establishing connections with senior business people as well as experience in managing third party providers and external consultants. 
• Keen influencing skills to manage the balance between encouraging input from a team of Services Managers and negotiating/providing challenge back to ensure the best outcome. 
• Experience in programme management with responsibility for developing and managing high quality systems and best practice procedures in order to deliver a roster of simultaneous projects. 
• Experience of working collaboratively with a high performing team in a commercial environment.
• Understanding of government initiatives, resource allocation and expectations.
• Ability to utilise technical skills and experience to provide relevant advice to the wider team and/or stakeholders
• Ability to exhibit behaviour aligned to MBIE values 
• A relevant tertiary qualification and/or relevant expertise gained through work experience.
• The legal right to live and work in New Zealand.

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Project Management

• Representing the voice of Growth Advisors and small businesses providing input into, or at times leading, SBS project teams to ensure innovation and programmes of work takes into consideration implications on Growth Advisors and businesses in the regions.
• Is responsible for the successful delivery of Programme Events – plans, coordinates and executes events, ensuring all events and showcases are delivered to a high standard and within budget, including post event evaluation.
• Manages programme logistics to enable smooth delivery of RBP Services.
• Applies sound project management practices ensuring team operates effectively and efficiently and delivers agreed outputs to support achievement of MBIE outcomes.
• Well organised, plans systematically, regularly monitors and reports on progress towards achievement of plans and strategies, completes full post project evaluation including sharing lessons learned.  
• Effectively and consistently identifies and manages risk, alerting manager to potential problems/risks well in advance.
• Proposes solutions to any risks or issues identified.
• Effectively allocates tasks within portfolio area, assists others with project planning, and is able to plan and manage a range of complex issues.
• Knows when to work alone and when to seek advice and identifies resources necessary to meet objectives of self or team.
• Manages projects that span a number of complex issues over an extended period of time.
• Works with People Leaders to develop systems and models to support high quality training development and monitoring of analytical standards.

Advice, Analysis and Communication

• Ensures that advice and plans consider the wider SBS strategy and Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery Group’s strategic context, taking a broader view when providing advice.
• Develops and delivers effective, proactive and regular communications updates to various RBP network stakeholders and audiences.  
• Responsible for ensuring all websites are up to date and current, liaising with internal SMEs to ensure best practice and ultimate reach. 
• Responsible for timely and effective preparation and processing of documents, presentations, newsletters and reports ensuring brand standards are maintained, information is accurate and professionally presented.
• Manages databases, systems, and processes for management of information and projects ensuring all information is kept up to date and is accurate.
• Provides team up to date programme metrics and analytics in a timely manner, providing advice to senior leadership team on suggested improvement strategies or priorities to take advantage of opportunities and address challenges.
• Researches and analyses trends and information to make recommendations on improvements
• Provides input to project teams providing appropriate information to other Government agencies for surveys/reports, ensuring information reported is accurate, consistent with other information given, is well managed and documented as required.

Client Support

• Maintains expert knowledge of Small Business Services and the Regional Business Partner Network Programme, acting as the first point of contact for programme enquires from Growth Advisors, providing them with timely advice on services available, taking each opportunity to educate and guide them on how to best meet their customer needs.
• Triages enquiries through the 0800 line and email inboxes, ensuring these are delegated or responded to appropriately, in a timely manner and that trends are captured to inform continuous improvement processes.
• Identifies training needs, understanding how to best address these, recommending solutions and developing training material as required. This includes delivering successful induction and training programmes to Growth Advisors in person and remotely, including evaluating learning outcomes.
• Provides advice and support services to Service Providers including analysing and assessing provider and service registrations, training requirements, and maintenance of operational documentation. Attends regional events from time to time.

Relationship Management

Manages constructive working relationships with work colleagues and external stakeholders to enhance understanding and co-operation needed to achieve desired results.

• Participates as an active team member and contributes knowledge and expertise needed to achieve MBIE’s outcomes.
• Develops effective working relationships with other MBIE managers and staff in order to transfer knowledge and learning from TWSD to the wider organisation.
• Represents whole-of-ministry views and protects its reputation in external interactions.
• Builds strategic alliances with key government and non-government representatives to ensure MBIE’s views are influential in their decision-making.
• Tests the effectiveness of stakeholder relationships using a range of appropriate measures and processes (including stakeholder feedback).

Wellbeing, health & safety

• Displays commitment through actively supporting all safety and wellbeing initiatives.
• Ensures own and others safety at all times.
• Complies with relevant safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, safe systems of work and event reporting.
• Reports all incidents/accidents, including near misses in a timely fashion.
• Is involved in health and safety through participation and consultation.

Tō tūranga i roto i te Manatū – Your place in the Ministry

The Regional Business Partner Programme Advisor position reports into the Regional Business Partner Manager within the Business and Consumer branch. The branch sits within the Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery group.

More information about MBIE’s structure(external link)

To mātou aronga – What we do for Aotearoa New Zealand

Hīkina Whakatutuki is the te reo Māori name for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Hīkina means to uplift. Whakatutuki means to move forward, to make successful. Our name speaks to our purpose, Grow Aotearoa New Zealand for All.

To Grow Aotearoa New Zealand for All, we put people at the heart of our mahi. Based on the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi, we are committed to upholding authentic partnerships with Māori.

As agile public service leaders, we use our breadth and experience to navigate the ever-changing world. We are service providers, policy makers, investors and regulators. We engage with diverse communities, businesses and regions. Our work touches on the daily lives of New Zealanders. We grow opportunities (Puāwai), guard and protect (Kaihāpai) and innovate and navigate towards a better future (Auaha).

Ngā matatau – Our competencies

Cultivates innovation We create new and better ways for the organisation to be successful by challenging the status quo generating new and creative ideas and translating them into workable solutions.

Nimble learning We are curious and actively learn through experimentation when tackling new problems by learning as we go when facing new situations and challenges.

Customer focus We build strong customer relationships and deliver customer-centric solutions by listening and gaining insights into the needs of the communities we serve and actively seeking and responding to feedback.

Decision quality We make quality and timely decisions that shape the future for our communities and keep the organisation moving forward by relying on an appropriate mix of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgement to make valid and reliable decisions.

Action oriented We step up, taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with purpose, urgency and discipline by taking responsibility, ownership and action on challenges, and being accountable for the results.

Collaborates We connect, working together to build partnerships with our communities, working collaboratively to meet shared objectives by gaining trust and support of others; actively seeking the views, experiences, and opinions of others and by working co-operatively with others across MBIE, the public sector and external stakeholder groups.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

As an agency of the public service, MBIE has a responsibility to contribute to the Crown meeting its obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Te Tiriti). Meeting our commitment to Te Tiriti will contribute towards us realising the overall aims of Te Ara Amiorangi – Our Path, Our Direction, and achieve the outcome of Growing New Zealand for All. The principles of Te Tiriti - including partnership, good faith, and active protection – are at the core of our work. MBIE is committed to delivering on our obligations as a Treaty partner with authenticity and integrity and to enable Māori interests. We are committed to ensuring that MBIE is well placed to meet our obligations under the Public Service Act 2020 (Te Ao Tūmatanui) to support the Crown in strengthening the Māori/Crown Relationship under the Treaty and to build MBIE’s capability, capacity and cultural intelligence to deliver this.

Mahi i roto i te Ratonga Tūmatanui – Working in the public service

Ka mahitahi mātou o te ratonga tūmatanui kia hei painga mō ngā tāngata o Aotearoa i āianei, ā, hei ngā rā ki tua hoki. He kawenga tino whaitake tā mātou hei tautoko i te Karauna i runga i āna hononga ki a ngāi Māori i raro i te Tiriti o Waitangi. Ka tautoko mātou i te kāwanatanga manapori. Ka whakakotahingia mātou e te wairua whakarato ki ō mātou hapori, ā, e arahina ana mātou e ngā mātāpono me ngā tikanga matua o te ratonga tūmatanui i roto i ā mātou mahi.

In the public service we work collectively to make a meaningful difference for New Zealanders now and in the future. We have an important role in supporting the Crown in its relationships with Māori under the Treaty of Waitangi. We support democratic government. We are unified by a spirit of service to our communities and guided by the core principles and values of the public service in our work.

What does it mean to work in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Public Service?(external link) — Te Kawa Mataaho The Public Service Commission