Senior Advisor at NZ Ministry of Education, Wellington

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Senior Advisors x2 | Kaitohu Tuakana

Government, Executive and Ministerial Services | Te rōpū kāwanatanga tautoko

• Senior Advisors: Permanent
• Role is based at Mātauranga House, Wellington

Kia ora, Talofa lava, Bula Vinaka, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Fakatalofa atu, Kia orana, Malo e lelei, Malo ni, Tēnā koutou katoa and welcome.

Help shape the future of Education

At the Ministry of Education, we work together to shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes.

Our organisation is made up of more than 3,000 talented and committed people around New Zealand, from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures.

While we work in different groups and on different things, we all strive every day to make the biggest difference we can for every child, young person and adult learner in our education system.

About our group and team

Government, Executive and Ministerial Services (GEMS) is an advisory function that provides the confidence, connections and expertise to allow quality information and advice to flow where it is needed. We work at the interface between te Tāhuhu, Ministers' offices and Parliament, and our team includes the Portfolio Private Secretaries in our Ministers' offices.

GEMS leads the development of strategically sound responses to correspondence and information requests, including:

• Chief Executive's correspondence
• Ministerial correspondence
• Ombudsman investigations
• Official Information Act requests
• Parliamentary questions
• Select Committee questions (including the Estimates and Annual Review).

We also facilitate workshops across te Tāhuhu on the Machinery of Government - how government works - including bespoke workshops on the application of the Official Information Act 1982, responding to written and oral parliamentary questions and understanding Cabinet and its related processes. These workshops are about building the capability of the wider te Tāhuhu workforce and sharing our expertise with our colleagues.

About this role

We are looking for two high-performing Senior Advisors (minimum two years' experience in a similar role at a senior level) to join our team and contribute to the delivery of quality advice for our Ministers and stakeholders.  

This will include responding to and mentoring others to respond to OIAs, and leading Written Parliamentary Questions, Ombudsman investigations, Select Committee processes (including Estimates, Annual Review and working with committees on petitions) and weekly reports for Ministers.

About you

You will:

• have significant experience working in Ministerial servicing at a senior level
• have experience leading responses to Ombudsman investigations
• have experience managing relationships with Ministers' Offices, Executive Leaders, the Office of the Ombudsman and/or the Office of the Privacy Commissioner
• be comfortable providing critical feedback, assessing risk and ensuring quality in your own and others' work
• be passionate about the Machinery of Government and upskilling your colleagues in this area
• have strong written and oral communication skills, and be able to produce information that is accurate, clear and concise for any given audience
• be organised, with excellent time management skills and a proven ability to manage competing demands and deliver high-quality work on time
• work effectively under pressure and build strong relationships, both within the team and across the organisation
• be flexible and able to work collaboratively with others to produce work of the highest standard.

An strong eye for detail and a willingness to learn are essential in the work we do, as is an ability to identify and mitigate risk.

As an organisation, we are committed to building equity and excellence in the education sector and having a team that brings diverse perspectives is very important to us to ensure we deliver on this commitment.

The guiding principles of Te Tiriti are at the centre of our work and your knowledge and commitment to this is important to us.

If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, enjoy working with a broad range of subject matter, and have a logical approach to problem solving with an inquiring mind, we would love to hear from you. In return, you will be provided with a dynamic place to work, and a supportive environment that offers opportunities to further develop your skills and experience.

Are you ready to make a difference?

We welcome candidates from diverse backgrounds who will enrich our work and understanding of the education system.

More information is available in the position description attached. If this opportunity sounds like you, please apply now using the ‘apply online' button.

For further information, please contact Lydia Ireland or Emma Drysdale via email Lydia.Ireland@education.govt.nz or Emma.Drysdale@education.govt.nz       

Applications close on Wednesday 26 May 2022.