Principal Commercial Specialist AoG

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Principal Commercial Specialist All-of-Government (AoG) is a special position in the New Zealand Government Procurement (NZGP) branch. Each year, the New Zealand Government spends more than $50 billion on goods and services that are essential for the delivery of public services and infrastructure, economic growth, and the wellbeing of New Zealanders. The Government and the New Zealand public expect this spend to deliver value. NZGP is tasked with leading the settings, outcomes, and performance of the procurement system managing this expenditure.

The Principal Commercial Specialist AoG brings their considerable sourcing expertise, business acumen and perspective, and provides strategic procurement advice and subject matter direction on complex procurement and commercial matters. The role holder ensures that NZGP takes a holistic and informed approach to strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management and achieves the best possible commercial outcomes for government, while enhancing the implementation of procurement functional leadership. They provide high-quality technical advice and support to NZGP and agencies to ensure the procurement system delivers the best public value for New Zealand.

The Principal Commercial Specialist AoG is a source of knowledge and guidance, especially for the Commercial Specialists AoG and Senior Commercial Specialists AoG. The role holder actively and regularly engages in coaching and mentoring of other team members and across NZGP.

The Principal Commercial Specialist AoG has expert knowledge and understanding of all components of the procurement lifecycle and is actively engaged in its delivery. The role holder provides expert, considered, pragmatic advice on approach-to-market options based on in-depth analysis and experience, developing and supporting commercial strategies that consider both current and future market trends and policy influences. They provide a range of specialist procurement/commercial support to both agencies and NZGP to facilitate specific commercial activities. They have the ability to develop and communicate a ‘clear line of sight’ between wider strategic requirements - including policy directives - and daily operational delivery.

The role holder is committed to continuous improvement and promotes effective integration, planning and co- ordination of procurement activity across NZGP. They will be a role model for MBIE values and pro-actively work with stakeholders to design, plan and deliver solutions.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Considerable procurement and/or commercial experience within government, a regulatory environment or the private sector, with a proven track record of pragmatic problem solving.
• Superior ability to critically analyse complex commercial and procurement situations and to recommend and design robust strategies and solutions.
• Considerable experience in project management and delivering major/significant procurement projects to scope, time and budget, whilst achieving successful procurement outcomes.
• Demonstrable experience of managing significant programmes of work.
• Proven capability to design effective commercial strategies, to plan and deliver timely solutions, and to manage contracts that maintain and deliver value throughout their lifecycle.
• Superior communication skills, both written and oral.
• Excellent relationship management skills – able to establish, build and maintain effective working relationships with senior leaders and other key stakeholders.
• High degree of political nous, with a working knowledge of the machinery of government.
• Considerable experience in developing, mentoring and coaching staff to achieve their potential.
• Significant experience in influencing and negotiating with key stakeholders, suppliers and senior managers to drive innovation, value and benefit realisation.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills: demonstrated by credibility, personal or collaborative influence, targeted persuasion and the effective management of expectations.
• Considerable experience in dealing with change in a complex and dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• MCIPS, tertiary qualification (Business, Law, Accounting, Commerce) or related procurement/commercial experience in the public or private sectors.

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Delivery of quality solutions that contribute to the goals of NZGP

• Provides strategic procurement advice and subject matter direction on complex procurement and commercial matters.
• Takes a holistic and informed approach to strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management and procurement capability development which achieves the best possible procurement and commercial outcomes for government while enhancing the implementation of procurement functional leadership.
• Builds cogent business cases and applies a value-proposition lens to commercial strategies and initiatives.
• Meaningfully influences the early-stage planning of procurement initiatives.
• Demonstrates expert knowledge and business acumen in all components of the procurement lifecycle - strategic sourcing, supplier relationship management and building procurement capability.
• Provides expert, considered and pragmatic advice on approach-to-market options based on in-depth analysis and experience.
• ‘Tests the thinking’ of proposed procurement or commercial approaches and adds value by applying a commercial lens and offering alternative solutions.
• Undertakes holistic strategic category reviews, which consider both current and future market direction.
• Provides NZGP with insights about market trends to deliver a future-focused, comprehensive, consolidated approach to supplier relationship management.
• Promotes continuous improvement and the effective integration, planning and co-ordination of procurement activity across NZGP.

Share extensive commercial and procurement expertise with internal and external stakeholders

• Stakeholders proactively engage with the role holder who is respected and acknowledged for the expert advice, direction and support they provide. The role holder is viewed as a senior trusted advisor.
• Takes active steps to support the development and enhancement of commercial acumen and procurement capability across government including building the skills of team members.
• Intreprets complex and challenging commercial or procurement situations, identifies solutions and implements appropriate actions.
• Actively engages across NZGP and MBIE, building and maintaining effective working relationships to transfer knowledge and learning to the wider organization.
• Demonstrates commitment to building capability within the procurement profession.

Effective stakeholder and relationship management

• Develops and maintains cooperative, partnering relationships with NZGP’s key stakeholders using highly developed influencing, negotiation and collaboration skills and experience.
• Effectively manages conflicts by focusing on meeting customers’ needs and identifying opportunities for resolution.
• Provides expert advice and guidance to enable the resolution of complex procurement and commercial matters.
• Engages stakeholders, including Ministers and senior managers in government agencies, in a pragmatic and professional manner, which provides a strong level of confidence in both the role holder and NZGP.
• Represents NZGP and whole-of-Ministry views, and protects the reputation of NZGP and the Ministry in all external interactions.

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.
• Participates in the promotion of strong health and safety culture and practices.

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

The Principal Commercial Specialist AoG position reports into the AoG Portfolio Manager in the Collaborative Procurement unit of the NZGP branch. The NZGP branch sits within the Building Resources and Markets group.

More information about MBIE’s structure

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).

Ngā matatau – Our competencies

Cultivates innovation We create new and better ways for the organisation to be successful by challenging the status quo generating new and creative ideas and translating them into workable solutions.

Nimble learning We are curious and actively learn through experimentation when tackling new problems by learning as we go when facing new situations and challenges.

Customer focus We build strong customer relationships and deliver customer-centric solutions by listening and gaining insights into the needs of the communities we serve and actively seeking and responding to feedback.

Decision quality We make quality and timely decisions that shape the future for our communities and keep the organisation moving forward by relying on an appropriate mix of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgement to make valid and reliable decisions.

Action oriented We step up, taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with purpose, urgency and discipline by taking responsibility, ownership and action on challenges, and being accountable for the results.

Collaborates We connect, working together to build partnerships with our communities, working collaboratively to meet shared objectives by gaining trust and support of others; actively seeking the views, experiences, and opinions of others and by working co-operatively with others across MBIE, the public sector and external stakeholder groups.

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