Immigration Manager – Visa Operations

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Immigration Manager is a team leadership position in MBIE. The Immigration Manager will bring their business understanding and perspective to work in partnership with other managers and staff.

The Immigration Manager is responsible for:

• Leading a team of visa processing staff to ensure visa applications are assessed and decided through the effective administration of immigration policy and procedures, and in accordance with immigration law.
• Leading the implementation of work programmes, performance target and new initiatives for their team, together with supporting measurement, monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
• Managing work allocation and workload monitoring across the team to achieve business objectives.
• Establishing clear accountabilities and expectations for their team – and coaching and developing staff to enable them to achieve performance targets.
• Participating as part of the wider management team for their office to ensure the efficient organisation of people and resources, and drive the improvement of practices and service quality.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Demonstrated knowledge of the functions, philosophies, and operational practices of Immigration New Zealand – or the ability to quickly acquire this knowledge.
• Excellent interpersonal skills in a variety of settings, including cross-cultural, employee and client.
• Proven ability to develop trust and credibility with managers and staff.
• Understands the role within MBIE and how it contributes to MBIE’s purpose.
• Experience in using information systems and computer technology.
• Experience in leading, coaching and mentoring people to achieve results and personal growth.
• Experience in leadership and management of a team in a service delivery environment.
• Experience in implementing quality processes and strategies designed to improve productivity and deliver excellent service to customers.
• Experience managing staff in a changing and complex environment.
• Able to obtain and maintain an Immigration Officer Warrant.
• Able to obtain and maintain a security clearance where required.
• The ability to gain and maintain a national security clearance as required.
• Must be a NZ citizen or hold a Permanent Residence class visa (if the role is located in New Zealand).
• Must have the legal right to live and work in the country in which this position resides (if the role is located outside of New Zealand).

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Experience/credentials

• Tertiary qualification in a relevant field or equivalent experience.

Leadership

Provides leadership that engages and motivates others to succeed and develop, and proactively share experience, knowledge and ideas.

• Leads day-to-day operations for a team of visa processing staff to ensure visa applications are assessed and decided through the effective administration of immigration policy and procedures, and in accordance with immigration law.
• Assist reporting manager with establishing and maintaining key internal and external relationships and working closely with these clients.
• Represents Visa Services where required.

Staff management

Applies sound general management practices so that the team operates effectively and efficiently, and delivers agreed outputs to support achievement of Visa Services outcomes.

• Accountable for staff management functions of their team – including recruitment, induction, performance management, staff development, disciplinary and administrative functions.
• Leads the implementation of work programmes, performance targets and new initiatives for their team, together with supporting measurement, monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
• Manages work allocation and workload monitoring across the team to achieve business objectives.
• Establishes clear accountabilities and expectations for their team – and coaches and develops staff and provides feedback to enable them to achieve performance targets.
• Continually reviews and considers improvement to all elements of the team’s operations.
• Effectively and consistently identifies and manages risk and value.

Relationship management

Manages constructive working relationships with work colleagues and external stakeholders to enhance understanding and co-operation needed to achieve desired results.

• Assist reporting manager with establishing and maintaining key internal and external relationships and working closely with these clients.
• Provides assistance to the reporting manager for the day-to-day interface with stakeholders.
• May represent Visa Services internally and externally.

Monitoring and reporting

Applies sound forecasting, monitoring and reporting practices so that the business unit operates effectively and efficiently, and delivers agreed outputs to support achievement of Visa Services outcomes.

• Assist the reporting manager with inputting/validating data for forecasting reporting.
• Monitors and manages on-going performance of their team against KPIs.
• Manages internal quality assurance processes for their team.
• Inputs/validates data for quality performance reporting.
• Assist the reporting manager with first level incident (event) and investigations management for their office.
• Assist the reporting manager with first level complaints process management for their office.
• Accountable for health and safety assurance and first level investigation process management for their team.
• Inputs/validates data for financial reporting for business and financial reporting.
• Assist the reporting manager with monitoring and managing on-going performance of their office against risk reporting frameworks.
• Inputs/validates data for risk management reporting for their office.
• Engages with identified stakeholders to assist in managing risk.
• Assist the reporting manager with implementing strategies and processes communicate risk and build a culture of risk awareness for their team.

Market analysis and reporting

Delivers high quality analysis and monitoring to support outcomes.

• Monitors and escalates emerging trends in relation to markets and risks (e.g. risk profile development) within their office.
• Assist Visa Operations Manager or Head of Operations with liaising with representatives from key sectors and local partners (e.g. FCC and airlines) to capture relevant intelligence/information - within their local market area.

Strategic initiatives

Provides strategic support to the business through the use of commercially sound organisational solutions.

• Assist the reporting manager with leading/implementing change initiatives within their team or office.
• Assist the reporting manager with contributing to the development of new tools and systems for business development and manages implementation.

Wellbeing, health & safety

• Displays commitment through actively supporting all safety and wellbeing initiatives
• Ensures own and others safety at all times
• Complies with relevant safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, safe systems of work and event reporting
• Reports all incidents/accidents, including near misses in a timely fashion
• Is involved in health and safety through participation and consultation

Tō tūranga i roto i te Manatū – Your place in the Ministry

The Immigration Manager position reports into the Visa Operations Manager within the Border and Visa Operations branch. The branch sits within the Immigration New Zealand group.

More information about MBIE's structure

Matatautanga – Competencies (Leadership Success Profile)

The Leadership Success Profile (LSP) is a leadership capability framework, developed by the New Zealand public sector for the New Zealand public sector. It creates a common language for leadership and establishes what great leadership looks like. You can look at the twelve underpinning capabilities and four leadership characters here: Leadership Success Profile | Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission(external link)

To mātou aronga – What we do for Aotearoa New Zealand

Hīkina Whakatutuki is the te reo Māori name for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Hīkina means to uplift. Whakatutuki means to move forward, to make successful. Our name speaks to our purpose, Grow Aotearoa New Zealand for All.

To Grow Aotearoa New Zealand for All, we put people at the heart of our mahi. Based on the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi, we are committed to upholding authentic partnerships with Māori.

As agile public service leaders, we use our breadth and experience to navigate the ever-changing world. We are service providers, policy makers, investors and regulators. We engage with diverse communities, businesses and regions. Our work touches on the daily lives of New Zealanders. We grow opportunities (Puāwai), guard and protect (Kaihāpai) and innovate and navigate towards a better future (Auaha).

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

As an agency of the public service, MBIE has a responsibility to contribute to the Crown meeting its obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Te Tiriti). Meeting our commitment to Te Tiriti will contribute towards us realising the overall aims of Te Ara Amiorangi – Our Path, Our Direction, and achieve the outcome of Growing New Zealand for All. The principles of Te Tiriti - including partnership, good faith, and active protection – are at the core of our work. MBIE is committed to delivering on our obligations as a Treaty partner with authenticity and integrity and to enable Māori interests. We are committed to ensuring that MBIE is well placed to meet our obligations under the Public Service Act 2020 (Te Ao Tūmatanui) to support the Crown in strengthening the Māori/Crown Relationship under the Treaty and to build MBIE’s capability, capacity and cultural intelligence to deliver this.

Mahi i roto i te Ratonga Tūmatanui – Working in the public service

Ka mahitahi mātou o te ratonga tūmatanui kia hei painga mō ngā tāngata o Aotearoa i āianei, ā, hei ngā rā ki tua hoki. He kawenga tino whaitake tā mātou hei tautoko i te Karauna i runga i āna hononga ki a ngāi Māori i raro i te Tiriti o Waitangi. Ka tautoko mātou i te kāwanatanga manapori. Ka whakakotahingia mātou e te wairua whakarato ki ō mātou hapori, ā, e arahina ana mātou e ngā mātāpono me ngā tikanga matua o te ratonga tūmatanui i roto i ā mātou mahi.

In the public service we work collectively to make a meaningful difference for New Zealanders now and in the future. We have an important role in supporting the Crown in its relationships with Māori under the Treaty of Waitangi. We support democratic government. We are unified by a spirit of service to our communities and guided by the core principles and values of the public service in our work.

What does it mean to work in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Public Service?(external link) — Te Kawa Mataaho The Public Service Commission