Operations Manager Investigations

Discover a career with purpose at MBIE

• Help lead a national investigations function delivering high quality tenancy compliance and enforcement outcomes across New Zealand
• Shape strategic regulatory practice under the Residential Tenancies and Unit Titles legislation
• Inspire and develop high performing investigative teams in a complex, evolving regulatory environment
• Auckland, Hamilton, Christchurch location, permanent position
• Salary range $118, 390 - $143, 639 + KiwiSaver + Wellness Benefits

Tēnei tūranga - About the Role:

Are you an experienced regulatory leader who thrives in complex investigation and enforcement environments? We are seeking an Operations Manager Investigations to help lead the national delivery of tenancy investigations and enforcement activity under the Residential Tenancies and Unit Titles legislation.

As one of two Operations Managers Investigations, you will jointly lead a team of Investigators responsible for delivering high quality, consistent, and effective investigation and enforcement outcomes nationwide. You’ll take a strategic, national approach to compliance activity, making data informed decisions to ensure investigative capacity is targeted where it will have the greatest impact on compliance with the Residential Tenancies Act.

Working closely with Tenancy Compliance & Investigations Leadership Team colleagues and the Practice and Stewardship team, you’ll play a critical role in strengthening MBIE’s position as the central regulator for the residential tenancies and unit titles sectors.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide inspiring leadership that motivates, develops, and supports a high performing investigations team
• Ensure investigations and enforcement activity are delivered to a consistently high standard and in line with agreed processes
• Lead the implementation and ongoing refinement of a national investigations and enforcement approach
• Ensure statutory and enforcement powers are used appropriately, effectively, and in a timely manner
• Manage operational planning, performance monitoring, reporting, and resources
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders, co regulators, and external partners
• Provide high quality strategic advice on emerging themes, risks, and regulatory impacts
• Actively identify, manage, and mitigate operational and regulatory risks

This role has regional responsibilities, and you will need to be available to travel as required.

Ngā pukenga me ngā wheako e hiahiatia ana -

Skills and Experience Required
 

You’ll be a confident, adaptive leader with substantial experience in regulatory compliance and investigations, and a proven ability to lead teams delivering complex enforcement activity at scale.

You will bring:

• Extensive experience in regulatory, compliance, and enforcement environments, including leading investigation operations
• Demonstrated success delivering national-level compliance or enforcement strategies
• Strong working knowledge of investigative best practice, evidence gathering, and prosecution to Tribunal and District Court standards
• Proven ability to make sound decisions in complex environments with incomplete or uncertain information
• Experience applying risk management principles to operational and strategic decision making
• A track record of building collaborative relationships across agencies and stakeholder groups
• Strong written communication and report writing skills
• Experience managing medium-scale operational functions
• Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand

Knowledge of residential tenancies legislation and regulatory frameworks will be highly regarded.

Ētahi kōrero mō MBIE - About MBIE:

MBIE's goal is to create a resilient and high-performing economy that delivers real and ongoing quality of life for all New Zealanders.

We do this by working with others to create an environment that supports businesses to be more productive and internationally competitive, enables all New Zealanders to participate in the economy through improved job opportunities and by working to ensure quality housing is more affordable.

People are at the heart of our mahi, our way of working is guided by our values which shape our behaviours.

• Mahi Tahi – Better Together
• Māia – Bold and brave
• Pae Kahurangi – Build our Future
• Pono Me Te Tika – Own It

Our aspirations are echoed in our Māori identity – Hīkina Whakatutuki – which broadly means ‘lifting to make successful'.

MBIE recognises the partnership founded under Te Tiriti o Waitangi between Māori and the Crown and is committed to giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We will do this through enduring, meaningful and effective partnerships with iwi, Māori, other Māori groups/organisations and the Crown, as this is critical to enable economic and social development, both for Māori and for wider Aotearoa New Zealand. We are committed to continuing to partner with iwi in order to find new sustainable solutions to address long standing systemic and cross-cutting issues facing Māori and wider Aotearoa New Zealand and we are also committed to identifying opportunities for iwi to lead and creating an enabling environment for iwi to leverage these opportunities.

E mōhio ana a Hīkina Whakatutuki i puea ake te kōtuinga I waenganui i a ngāi Māori me te Karauna i Te Tiriti o Waitangi, ā, kei te whai ia ki te whakaū ake i Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Mā te whai kiko o ngā kōtuinga ahungaroa o ngāi wi, o ngāi Māori, me ētahi atu rōpū Māori ki te Karauna, katutuki tēnei. He āhuatanga nui tēnei e āhei ai ngā mahi whanaketanga ā-ohanga, ā-pāpori hoki ki a ngāi Māori me Aotearoa whānui. E whai tonu ana mātou ki te kōtui atu ki ngā iwi mō te rapu huarahi hou ki te whakaara i ngā kaupapakua roa nei e tāmi ana i a ngāi Māori me Aotearoa whānui, ā, e whai ana hoki ki te tautohu i ngā āheinga kōkiritanga mā ngā iwi, me te tautoko i ngā iwi kia whai mana ake ai ēnei āheinga.

Me pēhea te tono - How to Apply:

Click here to view a position description. 

When you are ready to apply please send a CV and cover letter telling us why you're the perfect fit for this role.

All applications must be submitted via our online process.

We can't wait to hear from you!

Email Sarah Hutcheson at xx.xx@mbie.govt.nz quoting ref MBIE/19381 if you have any further questions.

Applications close at 5pm on 28 April 2026.