Technical Lead

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Customer Service Delivery Branch is MBIE’s front door, ensuring people and businesses can easily access the support and information they need. By integrating customer service channels, digital engagement, products and marketing channels, and frontline advisory services, the branch delivers efficient, customer-focused services that improve compliance and optimise regulatory systems.

As part of Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery, the branch enhances service delivery, leverages customer insights, and drives innovation to ensure a best practice approach to MBIE’s customer communications. Through smarter service design and engagement, it strengthens public trust and enables better regulatory outcomes.

The Online Channels team is responsible for driving positive change in how our customers experience our channels across our portfolios and works with colleagues across the Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery group and wider MBIE to ensure a future focused, integrated approach based on best practice.

The Technical Lead, reporting to the Manager, Channel Projects, is a senior digital generalist with extensive experience guiding the technical direction of digital projects. They demonstrate a deep understanding of digital content design, user experience (UX), information architecture, data and analytics, and content management systems. The Technical Lead collaborates with business partners, project managers, vendors, digital teams, and subject matter experts to ensure technical solutions align with project outcomes, strategic objectives, and technical standards.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Demonstrated deep knowledge of New Zealand Government standards for accessibility and usability, including the Accessibility Charter, digital service design principles, web best practices, and emerging digital trends.
• Proven experience in applying UX design best practices, using specific design tools and software, and employing common research methods and analytics to understand and improve user experience. Strong ability to quickly gain insights into customer needs and behaviours.
• Strong ability to communicate design processes, ideas, and solutions clearly to diverse audiences including senior leaders, internal and external partners, and stakeholders. Demonstrated success in building professional relationships and navigating complex, multi-vendor environments.
• Proven success in coaching others in technical competencies and contributing to a collaborative, people-centred team culture. Experience in leading with self-awareness and adapting approaches to optimise team effectiveness.
• Extensive experience delivering in digital-based project environments, overcoming roadblocks, and keeping business partner experience central to service design. Demonstrated achievement and delivery-focus to drive ambitious outcomes.
• Solution-agnostic, with a proven track record in understanding and applying emerging technologies to effectively support customer and business partner outcomes.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and enhancing organisational performance. Demonstrated experience in applying tikanga Māori in day-to-day team practices and adopting models underpinned by a kaupapa Māori paradigm.
• Significant experience working with vendors and suppliers, including contract negotiation and performance management.
• Must have the legal right to work in New Zealand.

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Technical Lead Deliverables

• Provide expert technical guidance on projects and initiatives impacting Online Channels.
• Ensure UX research and design are embedded early in development, with usability testing integrated into project timelines.
• Translate complex business challenges into elegant, user-centred technical solutions aligned with MBIE’s IT frameworks and Online Channels’ strategic direction.
• Represent a cross-team perspective on initiatives, identifying synergies across MBIE.
• Work closely with stakeholders, subject matter experts, and vendors to align on solution direction.
• Support the Online Channels leadership team in scoping, sizing, and prioritising project work.
• Champion improved user experiences that empower customers to self-serve, reducing reliance on higher-cost channels (e.g., service centres).
• Integrate customer data from multiple sources (including the MBIE Customer Service Centre) to identify strategic opportunities.
• Contribute to the development, implementation, and review of MBIE’s digital roadmaps, standards, policies, and processes.
• Assist in establishing and applying quality standards to monitor, report, and resolve issues across websites and digital tools.
• Champion the value of UX and accessibility, ensuring work meets web standards and demonstrates how inclusive design enhances public interaction with government.
• Advocate to senior leaders on the strategic value and cost-effectiveness of UX research and accessibility in achieving business and Ministry goals.
• Act as a trusted advisor and sounding board to the Online Channels leadership team and wider team members.
• Support the establishment of clear expectations, strategic standards, and consistent decision-making.
• Actively contribute to the successful delivery of branch and group strategic and tactical work programmes.

Collective Leadership

• Develops collaborative, collegial relationships with Online Channels Practice Leads and Principal Advisors to effectively implement the Online Channels work programme.
• Contributes to overarching Online Channels strategies and frameworks, ensuring alignment of business plans, activities, and key messaging.
• Works collaboratively with members of the Online Channels leadership team to support the achievement of MBIE outcomes and strategic priorities.
• Participates actively as a member of Online Channels to ensure successful delivery of team, branch, and group priorities.
• Supports the design, maintenance, and compliance with agreed processes and standards for triaging work requests and managing sensitive or embargoed content.

Personal Leadership

• Proactively identifies areas for improvement in personal approach and adapts to strengthen performance, modelling exemplary behaviour for others.
• Effectively manages up by building strong relationships with senior leaders, providing proactive support and communication, and taking a “no surprises” approach.
• Demonstrates initiative by anticipating leadership needs and taking action without waiting for direction.
• Models exemplary leadership behaviours and consistently upholds MBIE values.
• Creates a compelling vision, engages and motivates others to participate, and drives action.
• Fosters an open, collaborative environment that encourages quality, innovation, continuous learning, and knowledge sharing.
• Exercises sound judgement, integrity, and discretion, particularly in managing strategic risks.
• Shows self-motivation and persistence in challenging frameworks and addressing difficult issues, while applying good judgement in knowing when to escalate or step back.

General Management

• Develops strategies, work programmes, and performance targets, supported by effective measurement, monitoring, and reporting mechanisms.
• Monitors and adjusts work programmes through agreed processes to ensure adaptability to changing circumstances.
• Manages expenditure and resources in line with approved guidelines, budgets, deadlines, and reporting requirements, with a strong focus on cost-effectiveness.
• Identifies and manages risk effectively and consistently, balancing risk with opportunity and innovation.
• Leads strategically complex projects that span multiple issues over extended timeframes.
• Maintains an integrated view of team performance, ensuring a cohesive approach across Online Channels and Regulatory Systems.

Relationship management including Māori Crown relations

• Works collaboratively as a member of the Channel Projects team, with the Channel Development Team to ensure consistency in UX, accessibility, content, stack management and other digital services across MBIE.
• Partners with MBIE business groups to deliver accessible digital services, content, and advice.
• Collaborates across the Online Channels team to support the development and maintenance of online and offline channels, ensuring a multi-channel, customer-centred, cross-regulatory system approach to public information programmes.
• Develops effective working relationships with other managers and staff to facilitate knowledge transfer and learning across the organisation.
• Demonstrates political savvy and builds trusted, influential relationships with key internal and external business partners, delivery partners, and stakeholders.
• Commits to learning and continuous improvement in partnering with Māori and strengthening cross-cultural capability.
• Represents Online Channels, the Customer Service Delivery branch, and whole-of-Ministry perspectives, safeguarding their reputation in external interactions.
• Builds strategic alliances with key government and non-government representatives and influencers to ensure MBIE’s views are considered in their decision-making.

Coaching and Mentoring

• Supports managers in developing Senior Advisors and Advisors across the wider Online Channels team.
• Provides intellectual support and coaches others to build expertise and deepen knowledge of institutional practice.
• Actively seeks opportunities to grow the capability of others within the team.
• Proactively explores opportunities to develop personal professional capability and increase self-awareness for future growth.
• Demonstrates excellent communication and coaching skills to embed a culture of excellence within the team.

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 Technical Lead position reports into the Manager Channel Projects within the Online Channels team of the Customer Service Delivery branch. The branch sits within the Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery 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