Head of the Office of the Deputy Secretary

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Head of the Office of Deputy Secretary’s is a senior management and leadership position in Corporate and Digital Shared Services Group and is a member of the Group’s Leadership team. The key purpose of the role is to support the Deputy Secretary, Leadership Team and Group, to ensure the effective functioning of the group and as a result the effective functioning of MBIE.

The Head of Office will use their strategic abilities, operational understanding, political nous and ability to work in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders to assist the Deputy Secretary to effectively and efficiently lead the Group.

The position will provide high quality and timely support to the Deputy Secretary.  It will provide thought leadership on complex issues with significant sensitivity and risk and will help shape and drive MBIE priorities. The position will be expected to work closely with General Managers and Chief of roles across Corporate and Digital Shared Services as well as with key Business Partners and other support providers.

The Head of Office is the key relationship manager between Corporate and Digital Shared Services and the rest of MBIE including the Corporate Functions and business partners.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Proven experience leading, writing and providing strategic advice to ministers and senior leaders in a medium – large organisation.
• Strong knowledge of the Government’s direction, policy priorities, planning and budgeting processes.
• Proven record of working in a complex environment with multiple objectives running simultaneously.
• Proven ability to build and maintain a wide range of positive and effective relationships at a senior level, including with Ministers and their offices.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Strong analytical mind set and ability to take a system view.
• Calm under pressure.
• Strong relationship management skills with the demonstrated experience of successfully managing relationships at a senior level.
• Experience working with senior management, processes and systems.
• Demonstrated financial acumen and understanding of public sector planning and budgeting processes.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver high quality work, including under tight time constraints.
• Strong understanding of the machinery of government.
• Experience with business continuity planning and execution within a medium – large organisation.
• Knowledge of business improvement and organisational effectiveness models.
• Proven senior governance, leadership and people management experience.
• Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.
• The ability to gain and maintain a top-secret security clearance.
• Must consent to and satisfactorily complete a credit check as the role holds financial delegations.

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Support to the Deputy Secretary

• Support the Deputy Secretary to execute their responsibilities in leading MBIE and in their wider system leadership role through the provision of high quality strategic and business advice and support.
• Managing selected key projects (either Group specific or MBIE-wide) for which the Deputy Secretary has responsibility.
• Provide a sounding board, insight, judgement and/or advice where appropriate to enable the Deputy Secretary to successfully deal with critical issues as they arise.
• Lead special projects as required.
• Provide thought leadership and assurance to the Deputy Secretary in relation to the functional responsibilities of the Office of the Deputy Secretary.
• Work with the Corporate and Digital Shared Services LT to provide the Deputy Secretary with high quality and timely briefings and advice as needed.
• Manage the quality assurance of advice and reporting for Ministers and other official information activity.
• As required, participate in and lead Corporate and Digital Shared Services’ input into wider MBIE leadership matters on behalf of the Deputy Secretary.
• Provide strategic review, assessment and advice against material provided to MBIE’s Senior Leadership Team and the Chief Executive.
• Manage the Deputy Secretary cost centre.

Provide strategic and operational leadership to the Group

• Provide leadership and oversight of all aspects of Corporate and Digital Shared Services business management and ministerial servicing for the Group.
• In conjunction with the Head of Finance, lead the Group’s accountability and budgeting activities.
• Ensure the provision of high-quality support for Corporate and Digital Shared Services ministers.
• Leadership and/or oversight of organisational and operational change programmes across the Group.
• Leadership and/or oversight of evaluation and provision of advice to assess and lift the Group’s performance, for example advising on the development and maintenance of governance frameworks, people engagement and cross-branch projects.
• Co-ordinate business continuity planning, incident management and emergency preparedness, including acting as the business liaison for the Group on MBIE’s Incident Management Team.
• Responsible for leading Group LT organisational and development direction alongside the Deputy Secretary.
• Maintain a high-level oversight of the Group’s ministerial services performance, and support GMs to address systemic issues.
• Stay up to date of relevant issues, emerging trends, risks and developments which may impact the Ministry and Group; alerting and advising the Deputy Secretary on responses and what and when to escalate issues.
• Managing complaints ensuring key insights are fed back to the relevant GM for improvement purposes.

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables continued

Stakeholder Management

• Build networks and work collaboratively with key internal and external stakeholders, acting as a representative of the Group and of the Ministry where appropriate.
• Assist Deputy Secretary to manage key relationships, facilitating information flows and understanding of issues.
• Work with the Deputy Secretary and senior managers and colleagues to support effective liaison and integration across the Group’s and the Ministry including where issues relate to external relationships.

General Management

• Develops strategies, team-work programmes, performance targets and priorities, with supporting measurement, monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
• Manages multiple complex projects concurrently using planning and management techniques to effectively carry out the agreed secretariat work, within the resources available.
• Manages expenditure and resources in line with approved guidelines, budget, deadlines and reporting requirements, with a focus on driving cost effectiveness in the Ministry.
• Regularly monitors and reports on progress towards achievement of plans and strategies.
• Effectively and consistently identifies and manages risk.
• Manages staff in the team including recruitment, performance, development, safety and well-being.

Team Leadership

• Leads staff in the Office of the Deputy Secretary. Understands and utilises the capability of team members to deliver high quality outputs.
• Provides a sense of vision and leadership that engages and motivates others to participate and make things happen.
• Establishes clear accountabilities, expectations and performance standards with direct reports and ensures regular performance management and development occurs.
• Monitors individual and team performance to ensure that performance targets are met (including pro-actively identifying and addressing any issues in a timely manner).
• Anticipates future capability needs in the business unit, identifies gaps in capability and addresses these gaps through targeted recruitment and development or other actions.
• Coaches, mentors and develops staff to meet the needs of MBIE now and in the future.
• Fosters an open, collaborative environment that encourages quality, innovation, on-going learning and knowledge sharing.

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 Head of the Office of the Deputy Secretary position reports into the Deputy Secretary within the Corporate and Digital Shared Services 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