Advisor at NZ Ministry of Education, Wellington

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Advisor, ECE Operational Funding

• Permanent, full-time
• Based in Wellington
• This key role supports the delivery of Early Childhood Education Operational Funding to over 4,700 early learning services

He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai ōna huanga 

We work to shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes 

Our organisation is made up of talented and committed people around Aotearoa, 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 our ākonga in our education system.

Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga recognises the partnership founded under Te Tiriti o Waitangi between Māori and the Crown. We are committed to having Te Tiriti o Waitangi at the forefront of our work for and with Māori students, their whānau, hapū and iwi.

Mō tēnei tūranga | About this role

The Advisor will work with the Senior Advisors to provide the correct ECE funding in a timely and accurate manner to all early childhood services, kōhanga reo, playgroups and other contracted service providers nationally. 

The Advisor will manage key tasks which include, but are not limited to, processing funding forms, administering the secure data portal, providing written responses to enquiries, and ensure all data is correctly recorded.

You will also ensure that all the work and initiatives you are involved in:

• Address equity and excellence, and
• Identify opportunities to strengthen Kaupapa Māori and critical consciousness.

For more information on this position, please read through the attached Job Description

We also offer:

• Flexible working arrangements where everyone feels valued & supported
• The ability to purchase extra days leave
• A range of employee network groups
• An inclusive environment that encourages your personal cultural competency journey
• Development and learning, including mentorship programmes and internal secondments
• Wellness initiatives to support your overall health and wellbeing

Mōhou ake | About you

We are looking for someone who can work collaboratively with key internal and external stakeholders to help design and implement funding systems changes into our operating model.

You will also offer:

• Experience working within the education sector and/or other government funding settings
• Strong communication skills
• Great analytical skills to support effective planning and decision-making
• An understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its implications for the work of the Ministry of Education especially in matters relating to Māori development and the partnership values that flow from the Treaty

Ideally you will have the ability to speak te reo Māori, and demonstrated competence in working with Māori whānau, hapū, iwi and/or Pacific communities.

We offer an environment where every day is different and challenging. Our wide-ranging work programme will give you opportunities to build your experience in the delivery of critical operational funding.

Mātau rōpū ake | About our ministry, group, and team

At Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga, we work to provide services and support nationally, regionally and locally to the education sector, and in some cases, directly to ākonga and whanau. To better deliver on this, we are undergoing an organisational design change. The transition phase to improve the way we deliver our purpose will be complete in 2023.

Te Pae Aronui was established within Te Mahau to provide the education sector with support and services that are more locally responsive, more accessible, and integrated. 

It is the place where everything Te Tāhuhu does for ākonga can come together. We gather insights, regulate, have service design and delivery functions, understand ākonga, whānau, communities and businesses - and use that to shape and influence the direction of education in Aotearoa New Zealand.

As part of Te Mahau, we work with whānau, hāpu, iwi, early learning services and schools / kura, to support ākonga and kaiako to create interactions in the magic space where learning happens. 

We have a critical role to support a proactive and future-focused Te Tāhuhu that delivers on equity and excellence for all ākonga. By 2025, we aspire to transform Te Pae Aronui so that: people are thriving, connections are strong, the system is sound and we are producing equitable outcomes for ākonga and whānau.   

Tātai Pou 

Tātai Pou is our Māori Cultural competency framework for individuals. It aligns to and complements the Māori Crown Relations Capability Framework (MCR). Tātai Pou is designed to support our people and organisation to take practical action to give effect to te Tiriti o Waitangi in our work. In our Te Tāhuhu | Ministry context, this means having the capability to deliver excellent and equitable outcomes, including to support Māori education success as Māori. Tātai Pou organises workplace capabilities under four Pou (focus areas) and describes four levels of competency (high, confident, developing, and essential). You will bring confidence and credible development across the four Pou:

• Pou Hono: Valuing Māori
• Pou Mana: Knowledge of Māori context
• Pou Kipa: Achieving equitable education outcomes for Māori
• Pou Aroā: Critical consciousness of racial equity for Māori

Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi? | Are you ready to make a difference?

We are committed to reflecting the diverse communities we serve, and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, orientations, and identities.

If this opportunity interests you, please submit your cover letter and CV by using the ‘apply' button below. In your cover letter we'd like to know about you, your values, your whakapapa or anything you'd like to share about your cultural identity. We're keen to know your motivations, strengths, transferable skills, and the diverse perspectives you will bring to the role.

For further information, please contact Peter Guiney at peter.guiney@education.govt.nz or Sarah Strong at sarah.strong@education.govt.nz

Applications close Midnight, Sunday 02 April 2023.

We want our people to feel valued for their unique qualities and have a sense of belonging. If you require assistance or adjustments to fully participate in the recruitment process, please let us know.