Senior Policy Advisor

Discover a career with purpose at MBIE

• Challenging and intellectually stimulating work to make a real difference for New Zealanders and the New Zealand labour market.
• Be part of a supportive team that is committed to growth, development, and supporting your work-life balance.
• Permanent, Full time | Wellington Central
• Salary range $110,098- $138,028 + Kiwisaver & Wellness benefits

 
We are seeking Senior Policy Advisors across the following teams (Please indicate your preference on your application noting each application will be considered for roles both teams):

• Immigration (Border and Funding) Policy within the Employment Skills and Immigration Policy branch 
• Health and Safety Policy Team within the Workplace Relations and Safety Policy Branch
   

Tēnei tūranga - About the Role:

Our Senior Policy Advisors work on complex and high-profile government policy projects.  They apply their policy expertise to deliver results for New Zealand. They use their strong communication and influencing skills to engage and work collaboratively with various groups. They have great knowledge of policy frameworks and processes, Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles, and a strong understanding of the wider political environment to better position New Zealand for the future.

Our Senior Policy Advisors work across different levels to share their own knowledge with others. With the wide variety of work across the different policy areas, there are numerous development opportunities to grow and build their careers within MBIE.

Ngā pukenga me ngā wheako e hiahiatia ana - Skills and Experience Required:

We are looking for motivated people with experience in problem solving complex problems and formulating high-quality policy advice for a range of stakeholders and projects.

Ideally you will have:
 

• Experience leading complex policy projects within central government
• Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles and application of these in public policy and in partnership with Māori
• Wide ranging knowledge of policy development disciplines and processes
• Strong stakeholder relationship building, influencing and engagement skills to gain the cooperation and commitment of others
• Demonstrated capability in working with Ministers, senior public service officials, internal and external stakeholders
• Passion for leading and coaching others to develop their policy craft and take their careers to the next level
• The ability to work through ambiguity and deliver results 

 
You may be a seasoned policy professional looking for that next challenge or ready to take your next step into a Senior Policy Advisor role – we'd love to hear from you!
 

About the Employment Skills and Immigration Policy branch:

The Employment Skills and Immigration Policy branch leads the government’s advice on labour market issues. We work with a range of government and non-Government stakeholders to facilitate good labour market outcomes from a set of regulatory and non-regulatory systems. 

You’ll be part of a team filled with smart and committed policy professionals with excellent policy skills and knowledge. We have a positive and engaging work environment in which you can thrive while addressing some of the tricky policy issues that impact New Zealand’s businesses and workers.  

Given the unique nature of our systems, you will enjoy working collaboratively. You’ll be up for delivering a full and interesting work programme that attracts significant attention.  

We are focused on developing our people and with the wide variety of work across the branch there are often opportunities to work with other teams on projects that will help you grow and build your experience and achieve your career goals.

The branch sits within the Labour, Science and Enterprise Group at MBIE where connections are made to how immigration settings can align with and support labour market, skill development, economic and industry policy. 

About the Immigration (Border and Funding) Policy team:
 
The Immigration (Border and Funding) Policy team provides advice on the system setting for Immigration. This includes the legislation, funding, and the border.  We also work on visa settings for investor migrants. 

We are currently working on the following projects: 
 

• Reviews of the Immigration Act 2009 – an amendment bill was introduced to the House on 7 April 
• Visa pathways for investor migrants to support the Government’s economic growth objectives 
• Developing an approach to support MBIE’s stewardship of the immigration system, with a focus on financial management 

The Border and Funding team works alongside two other Immigration Policy teams (Skills and Residence, International and Humanitarian) and the three teams regularly come together to share ideas and discuss key topics. All team members have opportunities to engage with Ministers s senior officials, internal and external stakeholders. 

You will be joining a high-performing, friendly and supportive team.  There are plenty of opportunities to lead, coach and develop your policy craft.

About the Workplace Relations and Safety Policy branch

The Workplace Relations and Safety Policy branch operates as a team and not as a hierarchy. You’ll be responsible for providing advice and will have plenty of opportunities to discuss it directly with Ministers. You’ll be part of a team filled with smart and committed policy professionals with excellent policy craft skills and domain knowledge. We have a positive and engaging work environment in which you can thrive while addressing some of the tricky policy issues that impact New Zealand’s businesses and workers.

 
Given the unique nature of our systems, you will enjoy working collaboratively and alongside others. You’ll be up for a full and interesting work programme that attracts significant attention.

 
We are focused on developing our people and with the wide variety of work across the branch there are often opportunities to work with other teams on projects that will help you grow and build your experience and to achieve your career goals.

About the Health and Safety Policy team:

New Zealand’s workplace fatality rate is high compared to countries like Australia and the United Kingdom. Workers, organisations, and businesses spend a lot of time and money trying to comply with health and safety rules and regulations, to keep themselves, their workers and those affected by their work safe.
 
How do we make sure businesses, organisations and workers are focused on addressing the things that are causing harm, understand what it is that they need to do to comply with the law and keep people safe, and are clear on how the health and safety system works and their role in it? You’ll be part of a team that is working to answer these questions.
 
The Health & Safety Policy team lead advice on strategic issues across work health and safety and energy safety including regulatory reform, system priorities, system performance and interfaces, oversight of system levers and funding matters.
 
The work involves a mix of strategic and regulatory work and support for WorkSafe’s operational policy development.
 
Our current work programme is focused around the Government’s commitment to reform the Work Health and Safety system. We are also providing advice on working with Engineered Stone, updating various Health and Safety Regulations, and updating Energy Safety Standards.
 
You will have a portfolio of work ranging from leading on discrete items of regulatory reform through to involvement in a project team advising on broader system issues like the regulatory framework and system performance and governance.

Our Senior Policy Advisors play a significant role in the regulation of work in New Zealand. You’ll be part of a team with a policy programme that directly impacts the lives of most New Zealanders. Our Branch’s policy advice spans areas like the minimum wage, the Holidays Act, pay transparency, employment law, parental leave, modern slavery, migrant exploitation, health and safety regulations and ACC settings.
 
You’ll be working in a friendly team that values and supports your development and creates an environment that enables you to be proactive and take ownership of your work.

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. 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 Roxana Anderson at roxana.anderson@mbie.govt.nz quoting ref MBIE/17302 if you have any further questions.

Applications close on Tuesday, 27th May 2025