Senior Policy Advisor | Resource Policy

Discover a career with purpose at MBIE

• Work alongside engaged and passionate people.
• Join a high-performing team and branch, which values diversity of thought and is willing to invest into your professional development.
• Work on cutting edge economic and regulatory reform needed to manage New Zealand’s valuable mineral and petroleum estate in a way that supports the transformation to a more inclusive and sustainable economy.
• Permanent position with flexible working arrangements available, flexible location – Wellington, Auckland or Christchurch
• Salary range: $ 110,098 - $ 138,028 including KiwiSaver + wellness benefits.

Tēnei tūranga - About the Role:

This is an exciting opportunity to make a difference in the resources sector. You will be an experienced policy professional, able to lead policy workstreams, and have the experience to pick up sector knowledge quickly and provide advice on New Zealand's petroleum and mineral resources, while working closely with other agencies and sector stakeholders.
 
You will use your analytical skills to work on a complex and stimulating work programme, identifying emerging issues and tackling key policy and regulatory challenges to support the Government’s priorities for the sector.

The Resource Policy team is at the centre of a number of Government priorities including:

• Implementing the national Minerals Strategy, released in 2025, which includes investigating wider system settings to enable critical minerals development and supply.
• Future-proofing the natural gas industry by restarting offshore petroleum exploration.
• Ensuring the regulatory settings allow for the exploration of natural geological hydrogen in New Zealand, to maximise future energy resilience.

We also work closely with other government agencies including the Department of Conservation and Ministry for the Environment to provide secondary policy advice on a number of Natural Resource Sector policy projects.  The Crown's Treaty partners are front and centre of our engagement approach to our work, and we also work closely with stakeholders including industry and NGOs.

Ngā pukenga me ngā wheako e hiahiatia ana -

Skills and Experience Required
 

• Experience working on complex policy and strategy work programmes.
• Significant understanding of the policy production process, including iwi engagement and stakeholder consultation processes.
• Ability to think critically, analyse evidence and information and develop clear, well-reasoned advice.
• Enjoy working on tricky problems, generating ideas and coming up with solutions.
• Have the ability to work through ambiguity and deliver results. 
• Able to build relationships with others and work collaboratively.
• Display strong stakeholder relationship building, influencing and engagement skills to gain the cooperation and commitment of others.
• A commitment to developing the capability and expertise of others through coaching and mentoring.

Why work for us?

It is an exciting time to be working in resources policy! The resources sector is critical to the prosperity of New Zealand, to ensure we have a secure supply of the energy and minerals we need to support energy security, the clean energy transition, and a growing economy.

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 Monica Chow at monica.chow2@mbie.govt.nz quoting ref MBIE/17844 if you have any further questions.

Applications close at 11.59pm on Thursday, 31st July.