Chief Policy Analyst at NZ Ministry of Education, Wellington

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Permanent, full-time (part-time can be considered)
• Wellington-based

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

We're looking for a Chief/Principal Policy Analyst who is keen to have an impact for children and young people with disabilities, with learning support needs, or are at risk of disengaging from education. The Learning Support policy team develops policy to improve the education experience and outcomes for these learners who face additional barriers to reaching their full potential.  Your work will contribute to advice on realising an inclusive education system in NZ, including learning supports that work for ākonga Māori, disabled learners, and learners with high support needs. The work is both stimulating, and extremely rewarding.

This role would suit someone looking to step up into policy leadership. It includes scope to mentor and lead others within a supportive and fun team environment. You'll play a key role in supporting the senior policy manager to shape and deliver the team's work programme, including identifying opportunities for high-impact proactive policy advice. You will be able to work flexibly across the varied work of the team, building and maintaining a breadth of understanding to be able to step in when needed. This includes overseeing projects within the team, and helping to ensure the right balance of ownership and support for junior colleagues.

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

Salary range: $135,287 - $164,462 per annum + 3% kiwi saver. The successful candidate will be appointed at a salary which reflects individual skills and experience.

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're keen to hear from you if you have proven policy experience at a senior level, and 

• thrive in a fast-paced policy environment 
• are confident supporting the development of the team through mentoring, quality assurance and coaching
• have proven ability to collaborate with others to find solutions 
• are a critical thinker and can bring innovative approaches to complex policy issues 
• have sound approaches to developing evidence-based analysis and advice 
• have experience providing high quality advice to senior leadership teams and Ministers. 

In return we can offer you the opportunity to contribute to a high profile, challenging and ambitious agenda for change, a strong focus on the development of our people, and the ability to drive and influence policy direction. 

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 currently undergoing an organisational design change. The transition phase to improve the way we deliver our purpose will be complete in 2023.

For additional information on the changes we are embarking on, please visit here.

Education is key to our well-being, social cohesion, and citizenship.  It is crucial to New Zealand's ability to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Successful candidates will join Te Pou Kaupapahere and be based in the Schools Policy Group. We are a group with a strong policy culture that works on issues affecting a huge system that directly impacts the lives of all New Zealanders. 

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.

You are also welcome to reach out to Anne Fontaine, Principal Advisor for more information at Anne.Fontaine@education.govt.nz

Applications close Midnight Monday 05 June 2023.