Operational Planner at NZ Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS), Wellington

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Join our diverse and talented people and work at the heart of national security, providing essential intelligence to the NZ government to protect New Zealand and its people.

At the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) | Te Pā Whakamarumaru, we are dedicated to our mission of keeping Aotearoa New Zealand and our people safe and secure. We collect and analyse intelligence and security concerns to protect New Zealand from threats such as foreign interference, espionage and terrorism.

Does the idea of planning and leading a team of highly skilled operatives in a vast array of covert and overt technical deployments pique your interest? This could be in the suburbs of Christchurch at 4am or in an office complex at midday attending a ‘business meeting’. 

This is a rare opportunity to join a highly performing team as an Operational Planner tasked with leading safe and effective operational deployments from concept all the way through to delivery.

About the role:

Surrounded by highly skilled specialists operating as a cohesive operational team, you'll plan and lead intelligence and security operations, ensuring they are delivered safely, effectively and securely.

Your intelligence and security investigations/operations experience will also enable you to provide tactical leadership to operational teams. Our work requires agile thinking, sound judgement and initiative in fast paced operational situations.

Who we are looking for:

Our successful candidate will demonstrate the following:

• Excellent planning and organisation skills
• Resilience under pressure in dynamic situations
• High level of attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• A curious mind and a can-do approach to challenges
• A full clean NZ driver licence

At times this role entails travel and working outside of normal hours to meet operational requirements. To cater for the uniqueness and unpredictability in this role, you'll receive an allowance on top of your salary. It is a multi-level position allowing for career progression in the future.

Key points in our selection process:

If shortlisted and progressed through the recruitment process, you may be invited to complete the following activities:

• Cognitive and psychometric testing
• Assessment Centre
• An interview

The successful candidate will be required to commit to and successfully complete a six-week pass/fail training course in Wellington in July 2027 and upon successful completion will become employed as a permanent Operational Planner.

Why work for us?

Alongside getting to work with our talented people, we also offer a range of comprehensive benefits which include:

• Medical insurance and Vision Care packages
• Enhanced employ contributions to your KiwiSaver
• Generous Leave benefits, including additional paid days off and enhanced sick leave and parental leave
• Childcare allowance for your pre-schoolers
• Great work-life balance with flexible hours 
• Opportunities for personal and professional growth with career pathways across the Intelligence Community

Before you apply

Working within our unique environment means we have to ensure you're eligible for employment.

You must:

• Have been a New Zealand Citizen for at least 10 years

OR

Hold a current NZ Residency Class Visa and ideally have been a citizen of the UK, USA, Canada or Australia for at least 10 years

• Be eligible to obtain a Top Secret Special (TSS) security clearance
  • Ordinarily, this means you'll have a 15 year checkable background in countries NZSIS Vetting can make meaningful and reliable checks.
    
    

Still unsure? Use this online tool to self-check your eligibility for a TSS security clearance: http://www.protectivesecurity.govt.nz/eligibility-tool

The NZIC treats all applications for employment in the strictest confidence and we expect that you maintain a similar level of confidentiality during the recruitment process and throughout your career.

We'll provide you with information and tips throughout the recruitment process, but in the meantime check out some of our Security FAQs here The security clearance process | Beyond Ordinary Careers

You can also learn more about our work and understand our areas of focus by reading New Zealand's Security Threat Environment | New Zealand Security Intelligence Service