Senior Advisor – Operational Policy and Regulatory Systems
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Tēnei tūranga – About the role
The Strategy, Performance and Design (SPD) branch enables and empowers the functions of Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery (TWSD) to ensure that work is planned and prioritised in a way that will deliver on our strategic outcomes and in alignment to financial obligations. The SPD Branch is a centre of expertise, delivering a variety of specialised functions across TWSD.
The Operational Policy and Regulatory Systems (OPRS) team is a shared service within the Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery Group (TWSD). This means that the Senior Advisor will support and lead work with a range of teams within TWSD and across MBIE on a variety of operational policy projects.
The Senior Advisor will lead on the planning, design and development of changes and improvements, and provide operationally grounded advice informed by insight. They will also support work to ensure that the performance of our regulatory systems is monitored, and that legislative and operational changes are developed and implemented successfully.
Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role
Personal specifications
- Deploys policy skills to analyse complex problems and generate workable solutions.
- Can scope and lead the delivery of complex projects, using project management skills to meet deadlines and drive for outcomes in a changeable environment.
- Manages ambiguity successfully to identify a path forward, and takes a proactive approach to problem solving.
- Excellent communication skills to express ideas clearly and concisely, tailored to the audience (i.e. written, visual, oral).
- Exceptional interpersonal, teamwork and relationship management skills.
- Experience working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders.
- Experience in coaching, supporting and mentoring to build team capability.
- Understanding of regulatory frameworks, methodologies and processes including the policy process, budget bids and/or fees reviews.
- Knowledge of the public sector in Aotearoa.
- A tertiary qualification in a relevant discipline is preferred, but not essential.
- Must have the right to work and live in New Zealand.
Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables
Produce robust policy research and analysis
- Develops proposals and options which appropriately balance issues of viability from a government perspective; technical feasibility and ease of delivery from an implementation perspective; and desirability from a user and community perspective.
- Scans at an operational system level to identify critical system dynamics, tension points that need addressing, and opportunities for innovation.
- Develops and implements user-centric policy methodologies, tools, and processes that generate effective policy and efficient service solutions.
- Applies insights and diagnostic techniques to analyse issues and identify opportunities for improvement, or identify potential delivery and implementation impacts from proposed changes.
Proactively identifies and assesses changes that have value for operational branches and for users, and that draw on insights from business intelligence. - Makes connections across operational areas, regulatory systems, and between project and operational teams.
- Takes a forward-looking and proactive approach and seeks opportunities to implement new ideas and methods, supporting the Manager and Director to ensure a sufficient balance of work across the programme from incremental to transformational.
Manage key relationships and linkages within the Ministry and with sectors/industry
- Values and develops connections with stakeholders within and outside of the Ministry, purposefully engaging with them to gain deeper insights and better achieve desired policy and project outcomes collectively.
- Actively contributes to development of and promotion of whole of Ministry views in internal and external interactions.
- Contributes to and manages collaboration within the TWSD group on operational policy solutions.
- Works collaboratively with colleagues to monitor, review, evaluate and improve existing business, customer, and community experiences against desired outcomes.
- Establishes and maintains relationships with policy and service delivery functions across MBIE and within the wider public sector.
Manage tasks and projects
- Effectively delivers on tasks assigned within the broader team work programme, using project management techniques to plan and manage projects on a range of complex issues.
- Leads project/workstream planning and use of the policy development process. Involves other people, and can successfully orchestrate the team through successive phases of problem analysis, options identification, recommendations and evaluation as implementation progresses, to ensure changes are robust and sustainable.
- Alerts Manager to potential problems / risks well in advance and proposes solutions.
- Well-organised with a drive to achieve results; plans systematically and identifies and manages risks.
- Knows when to work alone and when to seek advice and others’ input.
Participate effectively in groups and teams
- Collaborates effectively on policy design problems and solutions, drawing insight from others and seeking out opportunities to co-design and co-create.
- Provides support to the Manager in relation to advisors’ development, including coaching on processes and development of expertise in subject matter and institutional practice.
- Participates positively in branch, business group and MBIE-wide initiatives.
- Models behaviours consistent with MBIE values and code of conduct.
- Proactively identifies areas for professional development and participates in performance and career discussions.
- Actively seeks opportunities to share relevant knowledge and information within portfolio / project area and with other colleagues across the branch, business group and Ministry.
Wellbeing, health and 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 Senior Advisor position reports into the Manager, Operational Policy and Regulatory Systems team in the Customer Design and Innovation Branch. The branch sits within the Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery group.
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
