Senior Business Advisor

Discover a career with purpose at MBIE

• Use your strategic and operational thinking to achieve key deliverables for the Refugee and Migrant Services branch in Immigration New Zealand
• Flexible working options and career development opportunities
• A competitive salary range of $101,911 - $121,196 with Kiwisaver and wellness benefits
• Permanent full-time Wellington-based role

Tēnei tūranga - About the Role:

The Refugee and Migrant Services branch in Immigration New Zealand upholds New Zealand’s international humanitarian obligations and commitments and works collaboratively across government, sectors and communities to welcome, protect, and enable migrants and refugees to resettle and thrive in New Zealand.

We work across five key areas:
 

• Refugee resettlement and delivery of refugee programmes. 
• Determining claims for refugee and protection status.
• Settling refugees and migrants in the community.
• Supporting Pacific labour mobility programmes (such as the Recognised Seasonal Employer programme) and capacity building.
• Irregular migration and trafficking in persons.

The Senior Business Advisor in the Business Support Team is responsible for leading work and engagement relating to the strategic direction and operations of the branch. This includes planning and operational advice on complex issues. You will bring your business understanding, risk management experience and perspective to work across Immigration New Zealand and MBIE to grow relationships and inform strategic and operational projects.

You will lead and deliver a range of business advisory services. This includes providing responses to Official Information Act requests, select committee and parliamentary questions, and leading work on planning, performance and reporting, risk management, business continuity planning, continuous improvement and assurance processes. You will also lead work to deliver key projects and initiatives.

You will use your past experiences, along with your strong business acumen, to provide timely advice to the branch General Manager, Immigration Leadership Team, Minister of Immigration and Associate Minister of Immigration concerning different operational aspects of our business.

What we offer in return
 

• We are a small, but collaborative and supportive business support team that aims to deliver a high-quality customer-focused service.
• We will provide you with assistance to further develop your career aspirations, guide, and help you on your journey to achieve them. 
• We provide a wide range of flexible working arrangements to support work-life balance including flexible working hours, and some days working from home to name a few.

Ngā pukenga me ngā wheako e hiahiatia ana -

Skills and Experience Required
 

• Excellent political awareness and sensitivity to anticipate areas of potential risk and inform decision-making.
• A strong understanding of the processes that underpin the operations of the public sector environment, including policy development, Cabinet and parliamentary processes, and machinery of government.
• Proven experience in delivering outstanding quality service to internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to quickly assimilate new information at a high level and come to an understanding of unfamiliar and complex issues.
• Ability to explore and evaluate new operational delivery practices and approaches.
• Proven ability to think strategically, develop frameworks and manage organisation wide systems and processes
• Experienced in working with and applying legislation to an operational context (e.g. the Immigration Act 2009, Official Information Act and Privacy Act).
• Ability to quickly identify ways of thinking about risks and issues and possible pathways forward. Ability to focus on both strategic and operational issues.
• Ability to quickly establish and build strong working relationships.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proven ability to develop trust and credibility with managers and staff, including an ability to work with senior managers on contentious, difficult and urgent issues.
• High integrity and ability in handling sensitive and confidential information.
• Demonstrated commitment to effective client servicing and the ability to liaise with all levels of staff within the ministry and with external agencies.
• Relevant qualification or equivalent experience.
• Police vetting required.

For your application to be considered you must be a New Zealand citizen or hold a permanent resident visa.

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:

Please note: MBIE is currently undergoing a set of significant changes which has resulted in a number of our kaimahi being considered affected. As per our usual policy, any staff affected by change are considered first for vacancies if appropriate. This may result in delays to recruitment for non-affected staff, or in recruitment being stopped prior to shortlisting or interview stage. 

Click here to view a position description. All applications must be submitted via our online process and include a Cover Letter and CV outlining your interest and suitability for the role.

Email Emily Boyd at emily.boyd@mbie.govt.nz quoting ref MBIE/16173 if you have any further questions.

Applications close on Thursday, 8 May 2025 at 11.59pm.