National Manager Risk and Verification

Discover a career with purpose at MBIE

• Lead the future of risk and verification across Immigration New Zealand
• Play a pivotal system‑wide leadership role at the centre of Immigration Risk & Border
• Drive high‑impact change across a global network
• Permanent Full time | Wellington
• Salary range $193,289 - $289,933TFR

Tēnei tūranga - About the Role:

The National Manager Risk and Verification is a critical senior leadership role at the heart of Immigration New Zealand’s risk and verification system. Reporting to the Immigration Risk & Border branch, you will provide strategic system-level oversight while leading a large, globally dispersed operational team.

You will strengthen and lead the uplift of the risk and verification system that supports high‑quality, risk‑informed visa decisions whilst enabling efficient visa processing including through automation. In partnership with Visa Operations, you will drive collective system leadership, shape risk settings, enable system‑wide decision making, and uplift risk literacy across the network.

Operating at the centre of the Immigration Risk & Border system, you will play a key role in delivering new capabilities such as low‑risk automation, decision intelligence tools, and risk indicators. Your leadership will ensure that risk insights actively inform the design of future operating models, service pathways, and system settings.

This is a senior people-leadership role, requiring an experienced leader who can  guide people through complexity and transformation, build capability, lead leaders, and deliver long-term system stewardship in a dynamic operating environment. 

Location
This role is based in Wellington. As a central system-leadership position, co-location with senior leaders, design and assurance teams, and policy functions is essential for fast, well-informed decision-making, collective system stewardship, and close collaboration across the immigration network. 

Ngā pukenga me ngā wheako e hiahiatia ana -

Skills and Experience Required
 

• Proven senior leadership experience within complex operational or regulatory environments 
• Proven experience leading leaders and large scale, multi-layered teams across domestic and international locations
• Proven experience leading and delivering large-scale organisational or system transformation in complex and ambiguous settings
• Strong expertise in risk management, or proven experience applying risk frameworks across operational and system contexts
• The ability to influence, collaborate, and build effective relationships with senior stakeholders across MBIE, government agencies, and international partners
• Demonstrated strategic thinking and problem-solving capability, with the ability to synthesise complex information to guide system-level decisions 
• Demonstrated ability to uplift performance, capability, culture, and continuous improvement across large, dispersed operational teams

Prerequisites

• Ability to obtain and maintain a Top-Secret national security clearance
• New Zealand citizenship or hold a Permanent Resident Visa
• Consent to and successful completion of a credit check (role holds financial delegations)
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally

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 Emily Boyd at emily.boyd@mbie.govt.nz quoting ref MBIE/19117 if you have any further questions.

Applications close on Friday 13 March 2026 at 11.59pm.