Principal Analyst Research and Data

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

MBIE’s Principal Analysts Research and Data are responsible for:

• Analysis - they are technical experts that use their extensive knowledge and experience to provide clear, accurate, well-reasoned and insightful analysis to support the products and services MBIE provides data system.
• Leadership - They partner with their manager to shape the team's strategic agenda, and they lead and manage portfolios and projects to solve system-wide challenges.
• Strategy - They work with a wide range of internal and external people to help build a shared strategic vision for the future and respond to complex challenges.

Work and projects may vary depending on the team you are in.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Role specific competencies

Professionally expert in one or more of the following professional areas:

• Data management and analysis including solving complex problems with efficient and reproducible analytics, statistical/econometric modelling, data visualisation.
• Research methods including qualitative and quantitative methods, ethics, survey management, managing outsourced experts, using the New Zealand Integrated Data Infrastructure.
• Evaluation including design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation frameworks and projects, and selection of appropriate approaches and methods.
• Proven knowledge of project methodologies and experience working in project environments.
• Understanding of the current government context, policy agenda and priorities and demonstrates flexibility, adaptability and strategic agility as the needs and priorities of Ministers and the Ministry change.
• Effectively influences and shapes the thinking of key stakeholders in order to produce robust advice and strategic decisions.

Analysis and strategic thinking / deep domain knowledge, including:

• Extensive knowledge of a range of frameworks and methods.
• Ability to apply appropriate approaches to complex, emerging issues.
• Advanced ability to select, adapt and use up-to-date frameworks, principles, tools, and methods.
• Significant experience in different domains to apply them appropriately to given issues.

Personal specifications

• A proactive, can-do attitude with great initiative, judgement, and discretion.
• Ability to perceive, communicate and adopt new ways of looking at problems.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills to build relationships with team members and diverse stakeholders.
• Communicates effectively to diverse team members, clients and stakeholders.
• Understanding of Crown responsibilities under te Tiriti o Waitangi, knowledge of te reo Māori and Māori Data Sovereignty principles.
• Understands MBIE’s role and a strong understanding of how government works.
• Demonstrated in-depth experience in using a range of research methodologies and latest developments in techniques and practices.
• Strong quantitative and qualitative skills.
• Proven ability to lead, coach and mentor others.
• Has areas of subject matter, domain depth or professional practise expertise.

Qualification

• Relevant tertiary qualification in a related area (desirable).

Requirements

• Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Core activities and tasks

• Leads, scopes, shapes, plans and manages complex analytical projects to deliver high quality strategic research, analysis or evaluation services in risky, complex, ambiguous or sensitive areas.
• Leads innovative, practical, effective and durable analytical approaches and research and evaluation findings solutions that will help to achieve desired outcomes.
• Develops and applies advanced concepts, frameworks and methods of analysis to identify  problems, analyse the issues, and identify and assess strategies to advance knowledge and understanding.
• Actively supports the development of policy advice and the provision of briefings (oral or written) on policy and research issues for internal clients, Ministers, Cabinet, Parliamentary Select Committees and other stakeholders.
• Applies advanced system, strategic and critical thinking, clear and logical reasoning and sound judgement to analyse evidence and issues.
• Critically synthesises information from a wide variety of domains and uses in-depth knowledge of the subject area and advanced technical skills to draw sound conclusions based on the judicious use of the available evidence.
• Develops innovative, practical, effective and durable analytical approaches and research and evaluation findings solutions that will help to achieve the desired outcomes.
• Produces clear, accurate, well-reasoned, insightful analysis products and clearly and succinctly communicates issues and concepts.
• Proactively collaborates with clients/users to develop a strategic view of medium and long term needs and analyses issues in a strategic and system context.
• Leads engagement with delivery agencies, stakeholders and government agencies to ensure the advice provided is practical and effective.
• Contributes to developing a strategic view of the information needs and research and evaluation agendas in the medium- to long-term in a strategic and system context.
• Effectively influences and shapes the thinking of key stakeholders in order to produce robust advice and strategic decisions.

Work management

• Uses sophisticated project planning and management techniques to effectively to carry out agreed work programmes, using initiative to resolve most conflicts, manage risks and coordinate work with others.
• Actively leads multiple and/or complex pieces of work concurrently and actively and independently plans and manages workload.
• Takes a leadership role in cross-MBIE and cross-government projects.
• Chairs and contributes to meetings, including where matters are complex or sensitive, require negotiation or solutions.
• Works in partnership with manager to deliver on work programme, within the resources available and provides timely reports on progress.
• Effectively and consistently identifies and manages risk, alerting manager to potential problems/risks well in advance and proposing solutions.

Relationship management

• Plans, develops and maintains strategic relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Draws upon multiple relationships to exchange ideas, resources and know how.
• Actively fosters a network of contacts to enable delivery on objectives and maintain knowledge of current developments.
• Lives the MBIE values through embracing diversity and supporting others.

Emerging leadership

• Leads project teams and understands and utilises the capability of team members to deliver high quality project outputs.
• Contributes to the performance of the team through providing in-depth peer review and quality control, including on projects and tasks that the Principal Analyst is not leading.
• Provides intellectual leadership by bringing new ideas, techniques and knowledge to discussions, and lead strategic conversations across the organisation.
• Provides supervision, guidance, coaching and mentoring and on-the-job training to team members.
• Fosters an open, collaborative environment that encourages quality, innovation, on-going learning and knowledge sharing within the team and across MBIE.
• Leads a quality assurance culture to ensure the integrity and robustness of research, monitoring and evaluation deliverables.

Capability development

• Takes responsibility for own professional development, working with their people leader to seek and select learning opportunities.
• Provides professional peer review to ensure quality, validity, accuracy and consistency of methodologies and results, and considering whether analysis appropriately takes account of relevant political and institutional contexts.
• Supports managers in the development of other staff by transferring skills and knowledge through training, coaching, and leadership on all stages of the project lifecycle.

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 Principal Analyst Research and Data position reports into manager within the Data, Insights and Intelligence branch. The branch sits within the Digital, Data and Insights business 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