Operations Manager Investigations

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Operations Manager Investigations is responsible for leading a team to deliver the Tenancy Investigations function, relating to investigations and enforcement under the residential tenancies and unit titles legislation. The role is responsible for the day-to-day delivery and management of the team, ensuring that Investigators carry out their functions to a high standard. The position will be responsible for taking a national approach to investigations and enforcement, developing and maintaining standards in relation to the team’s work, ensuring consistent and high-quality regulatory activities are provided throughout New Zealand and that investigative capacity is focused strategically and utilised in a way that maximises compliance with the requirements of the Residential Tenancies Act.

Partnering with the wider Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Leadership Team, and the Practice and Stewardship team, this position plays a key role in supporting Tenancy Services to effectively and efficiently deliver a national approach for compliance and investigations activities that are critical for delivering on MBIE’s roles as the central regulator for the residential tenancies and unit titles sectors.

This is a role with regional responsibilities with a requirement to be available for travel.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Demonstrated considerable experience and knowledge of regulatory, compliance and enforcement environments, including leading and managing large scale investigation and enforcement operations.
• Demonstrated experience in the leadership of regulatory, compliance and enforcement activity, cross agency and cross regulator collaboration and a proven track record of results.
• Experience and knowledge of compliance and investigation practices including the ability to make decisions with incomplete or uncertain facts.
• Experience delivering a national compliance and enforcement strategy.
• A demonstrated ability with evidence gathering, production of evidence to court standards and prosecuting regulatory compliance cases in Tribunals and the District court.
• Experience in application of risk management concepts and techniques as they pertain to decision making and business operations.
• Experience in leading, coaching, and mentoring others to achieve results and professional growth.
• Good knowledge of the relevant legislation, operational policy, practice frameworks and business processes and how these should be applied by compliance officers within the team.
• Ability to recognise the need for more specialised and/or technical advice and/or support and to ensure it is quickly obtained and effectively applied.
• Previous successful experience in the management of a medium scale operation function and/or business unit preferably with a compliance / regulatory focus.
• Experience in developing and maintaining key networks with other regulators and stakeholders both internal and external.
• Experience in leading, coaching and mentoring others to achieve results and personal growth.
• Good knowledge and practical application of management tools such as financial, monitoring and reporting systems.
• Demonstrated writing and report writing skills.
• Ability to plan and organise workflows.
• Ability to work as part of a high performing multidisciplinary team.
• Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.
• Police vetting (yes).

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Provide leadership that engages and motivates others to succeed and develop

• Establishes clear accountabilities, expectations and performance standards with direct reports and ensures regular performance and development conversations occur.
• Monitors individual, team and branch performance to ensure that performance targets are met.
• Anticipates future capability needs across the team, identifies gaps in capability and addresses these through targeted recruitment, development or other actions. Identifies and actively develops talent of key roles.
• Fosters an open, collaborative environment that encourages quality, innovation, ongoing learning and knowledge sharing.
• Coaches, mentors and develops staff to meet the needs of MBIE now and in the future.

Work collaboratively with others to support the achievement of MBIE outcomes

• Develops effective working relationships with other regulators, MBIE managers and staff in order to work in an integrated way, and transfer knowledge and learning from the Tenancy Compliance & Investigations team to the wider organisation.
• Builds strategic alliances with key government and non-government representatives to ensure MBIE’s views are influential in their decision-making.
• Builds and maintains effective relationships with key co-regulators, stakeholders and partners to identify and share best practice information and to promote the Ministry, its products and services.
• Tests the effectiveness of stakeholder relationships using a range of appropriate measures and processes (including stakeholder feedback).
• Represents whole-of-Ministry views and protects its reputation in external interactions.

Apply sound strategic management practices

• Works with the wider Tenancy Compliance & Investigations leadership team to effectively implement the Tenancy Compliance & Investigations national strategy and ensures that the strategy is regularly reviewed to ensure that it is fit-for-purpose, fits well with wider regulatory system strategies, and is informed by day-to-day operations.
• Ensures team members carry out investigative functions to a high standard and in accordance with agreed processes and procedures.
• Ensures the team members understand the overall goals of the business unit and their role in that; and the team actively contributes to that goal by meeting or exceeding objectives and targets set for them. 
• Ensures statutory and enforcement powers are used appropriately to undertake investigation activity and to ensure compliance with legislative requirements through use of appropriate compliance / enforcement action is taken in a timely manner.
• Responsible for planning, monitoring and other management functions for the Investigations team.
• Provides quality and timely strategic advice to the wider regulatory system on common themes or regulatory implications.
• Applies strong intellectual capability and judgement to analyse large, complex issues and readily grasps and synthesises ideas, analysis and advice produced by others.
• Monitors and adjusts work programmes to ensure that the team is playing an effective role as part of the wider building system and influences other actors in the wider system as appropriate.
• Regularly monitors and reports on progress towards achievement of plans and strategies.
• Manages expenditure and resources in line with approved guidelines, budget, deadlines and reporting requirements, with a focus on driving cost effectiveness for the Ministry.

Team leadership

• Establishes clear accountabilities, expectations and performance standards with direct reports and ensures regular performance management and development occurs.
• Monitors individual, team and branch performance to ensure that performance targets are met.
• Encourages, inspires and motivates the team.
• Provide fast relevant feedback to staff and management on team and individual performance.
• Motivates team members and gives them opportunities to contribute Assist the Leadership team to develop, work programmes and performance targets for the Compliance and Investigation team with supporting measurement, monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
• Monitors and adjusts work programmes through the agreed processes to enable Compliance and Investigation team to adapt to changing circumstances.
• Deliver services that accurately support and contribute to the achievement of the Ministry’s outcomes, and that deliver to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
• Regularly monitors and reports on progress towards achievement of plans and strategies.
• Builds continuous review and improvement throughout all elements of Compliance and Investigation team operations.
• Effectively and consistently identifies and manages risk.

Relationship management

• Participates as an active leadership team member and contributes knowledge and expertise needed to achieve MBIE’s outcomes.
• Develops effective working relationships with other MBIE managers and staff in order to provide collective impact and shared outcomes.
• Represents whole-of-Ministry views and protects its reputation in external interactions.
• Builds and maintains effective relationships and partnerships with other organisations to identify and share best practice information and to promote the Ministry, its products and services.

Wellbeing, health and 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 Operations Manager Investigations position reports into the National Manager, Compliance and Investigations within the Building & Tenancy branch. The branch sits within the Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery group.

More information about MBIE's structure

Ngā Kawenga Ārahitanga – Leadership Expectations

At MBIE our leadership expectations provide consistent language for how we expect our leaders to lead at MBIE. They are supported by our values, and the Public Sector leadership capabilities as described in the Leadership Success Profile (LSP).

Leadership Expectations - Ngā Kawenga Ārahitanga (MBIE)

Lead by example - Whakatinana hei tauira
Enable our people - Whakaāhei ō tātou tangata
Deliver what matters - Whakatutuki ngā manako

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 New Zealand for All.

To Grow 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