Senior Advisor
On this page
Tēnei tūranga – About the role
The Senior Advisor role is a specialist position working as part of a team which is accountable for identifying and informing prioritisation decisions which result in ongoing improvements to the immigration system as well as the effective implementation of these. Prioritised improvements will be focused on ensuring the end-to-end operating model is optimised and designed appropriately within Immigration New Zealand (INZ).
The role will lead and support continuous improvement initiatives and management of changes to key business processes and practices. The Senior Advisor will also support implementation of new strategic initiatives and monitoring of effectiveness of improvements to ensure they deliver the desired outcomes. This involves:
- Providing business analysis and impact assessments on any requirements for changes to INZ’s environment.
- Supporting managers on business improvements and best practice methodologies.
- Implementing innovative strategies and approaches to achieve a consistent global processing system.
- Interfacing across INZ Branches and wider MBIE for analysis, development and implementation of system changes.
Key relationships
- INZ Operational teams.
- Key sector stakeholders in the co-design of resources.
- Staff in other government agencies.
- Suppliers of goods and services.
- Members of the leadership teams.
- Targeting, Analytics and Insights.
Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role
Personal specifications
- Expertise and passion for an aspect of improvement (service design, system thinking, behavioural economics or process analysis, or familiarity with methodologies such as Lean, Kaizen or great communications or change management to name a few).
- Ability to quickly assimilate new information at a high-level and come to an understanding of unfamiliar and complex issues.
- Experience in the facilitation of workshops to understand problems and develop solutions.
- Have excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, and the ability to quickly develop recommendations based on quantitative and qualitative evidence.
- Experience in developing and maintaining key networks and stakeholder relationships.
- In-depth knowledge of the immigration system including immigration policy, platforms, practice and procedures is desirable.
- Skills in business analysis including report writing and business case development is desirable.
- Familiarity with project and programme management methodologies including the use of Agile or similar methodology is desirable.
- Tertiary qualification in a relevant field or equivalent experience.
- Must be a NZ citizen or hold a permanent resident visa.
Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables
Responsibilities of this position are expected to change over time as the Ministry responds to changing needs. The incumbent will need the flexibility to adapt and develop as the environment evolves. This includes performing any other reasonable duties as required.
Monitor and analyse operational performance
- Leading reviews of system and business process efficiency and effectiveness including end-to-end processes across the system, and global standardised processes.
- Advising branches on service improvements and development of operational strategies to achieve consistency and optimise service performance.
- Developing and maintaining a systematic approach to interpret system wide learning and provide advice on how to adjust business processes and design services.
- Identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and innovation.
- Delivering services, products and programmes that actively support and contribute to the achievement of the Ministry’s outcomes and that deliver to the needs of internal stakeholders.
- Developing sound business cases for Immigration New Zealand.
Clarify problems and define operational barriers or opportunities for optimising Immigration New Zealand systems and processes
- Providing business analysis to support Immigration New Zealand to become a learning organisation.
- Leading developments of organisational capability and promoting a culture of innovation focused on adding value and taking on an evidence-based approach.
- Scoping business initiatives and projects to address identified barriers to operation optimisation.
- Providing specialist advice on effective user-based service design methodologies.
- Leading work with multi-disciplinary teams to develop an iterative approach to change, and using visualisation and storytelling to enable shared understanding.
Design operational initiatives to optimise Immigration New Zealand systems and processes and review performance measures
- Leading projects of significant complexity, risk or organisational importance to ensure the right quality and quantity of resources are applied to the work programme.
- Providing thought leadership on customer’s experience of Immigration New Zealand and devising strategies to implement insights generated from qualitative/quantitative research projects.
- Leading analysis on what changes or improvements are required to improve service delivery effectiveness and efficiency in collaboration with the SDP teams.
- Identifying strategic issues and opportunities emerging from external and internal influences and team project work, and integrate responses into the team’s work programme.
- Providing accurate and timely advice to business owners of projects.
Manage internal and external relationships
- Proactively developing and maintaining connections with stakeholders within and outside of the Ministry, purposefully leveraging their activities and insights to better achieve desired outcomes.
- Leading strategic analysis and support for INZ and relationship portfolios.
- Developing and maintaining networks with Immigration Group staff (and where necessary other MBIE staff) in order to source information quickly.
- Collaborating with change teams with stakeholder engagement to ensure the solutions are fit for purpose.
- Writing aide memoires and briefing notes to Ministers on issues as needed, about a range of topics to tight deadlines, high standards of quality and accuracy.
- Initiating changes to instructions and policy reviews to improve Immigration Instruction and procedures.
- Leading work with relevant staff to develop process improvements, including development of best practice.
- Sharing information, providing advice and offering assistance to help office staff increase their awareness of what is needed in briefing Ministers and senior management.
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 Immigration Improvement within the Operations, Tasking and Improvement branch. The branch sits within the Immigration New Zealand 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
