Senior Systems Owner

Discover a career with purpose at MBIE

Looking for your next opportunity? This role comes with plenty of challenge and potential for growth, whilst playing a key role in supporting the success of a critical government function:

• Purposeful Work: Play a pivotal role in delivering reliable, secure, and efficient systems that support New Zealand’s immigration services.
• Growth & Challenge: Tackle complex problems, drive strategic change, and develop your leadership in a dynamic environment, particularly as we migrate off legacy systems to our strategic systems platform.
• Supportive Culture: Be part of MBIE—a values-driven organization committed to inclusion, partnership, and continuous improvement.
• Wellness & Flexibility: Enjoy wellness benefits, Kiwisaver, and a central Wellington location. We value your wellbeing and work-life balance.

This Wellington(preferred but other locations considered upon agreement) based permanent role has a salary range that sits between $132k to $160k + kiwisaver and wellness benefits.

What You’ll Bring

Commitment to making a difference every day!
Expert knowledge in systems operation, integration, maintenance, and support.
Proven experience in ICT services planning and delivery at a senior level.
Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to communicate complex issues clearly.
Ability to build relationships and influence outcomes.
Commitment to continuous improvement and staying ahead of technical changes.
NZ citizenship or permanent residency, plus ability to obtain a security clearance.

Tēnei tūranga - About the Role:

The Senior Systems Owner, reporting to the INZ Systems Manager, is responsible for ensuring the delivery of a reliable, effective, and efficient portfolio of Immigration New Zealand (INZ) systems that support business services delivery in the maintain and operate space. This role plays a pivotal part in shaping the strategic direction of INZ’s technology landscape, ensuring systems remain fit-for-purpose, secure, and resilient in a dynamic business and operating environment.

Key Accountabilities:

• Leadership and Direction:
• Lead the ongoing evolution of assigned INZ’s systems portfolio, aligning technology capabilities with business priorities and future needs.
• Drive planning and prioritisation to ensure systems remain responsive to operational, and technological changes.

• Operational Excellence and System Integrity:
• Oversee the integrity, performance, and security of INZ’s production systems and environments.
• Oversee the operational health of systems, ensuring high availability, reliability, and scalability.

• Portfolio Management:
• Manage the lifecycle of allocated INZ systems, including planning, implementation, upgrades, and retirement.
• Ensure systems are optimised to deliver value, meet compliance obligations, and support service delivery.

• Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration:
• Act as a primary liaison between technical teams, business units, and external partners.
• Foster strong relationships across INZ and Corporate Services to ensure system decisions are informed by business needs.

• Risk Management and Compliance:
• Proactively identify and mitigate risks related to system performance, security, and continuity.
• Ensure systems comply with relevant legislation, privacy standards, and security protocols.

Functional Responsibilities Include: 

• Portfolio Technical and Operational Governance of systems and underlying platforms.
• Assessing, monitoring and reporting on portfolio cost and system risk, and remediation.
• Operational systems integrity, performance & strategy.
• Systems maintenance planning and delivery across four-year and annual plans
• Governance and embedding of systems change into operation.
• Vendor, service level, and contract management.
• Disaster recovery planning and testing.

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

• Expert knowledge in end-to-end system operation, integration, maintenance, enhancement, and support across the system lifecycle.
  
• Experienced in developing effective solutions to solve complex problems under time constraints
  
• Proven track record of leading the development and delivery of ICT strategic planning at a senior level in a medium to large public sector or business organisation.
  
• Proven ability to remain up-to-date on key technical changes and opportunities in their specialist area and proactively use this to continuously improve INZ digital system services. 
  
• Demonstrated excellence in communication including the ability to translate complex issues from one level to another. 
  
• Proven ability to external relationships and use negotiation and influence to deliver strategic outcomes.
  
• Proven problem-solving skills, being able to work through complex issues, using in-depth analysis in the context of the overall business and systems issues, and the judgement to select and apply/recommend appropriate decisions.
  
• Must be a New Zealand citizen/permanent resident.
  
• Candidates must consent to and satisfactorily complete a credit check.
  
• Police vetting required as well as having the ability to obtain a Confidential level security clearance. Not sure if you can - check here
  

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 Matt Guy at matt.guy@mbie.govt.nz quoting ref MBIE/18524 if you have any further questions.

Applications close on the 9th of November 2025