Principal Advisor Construction Procurement

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Principal Advisor is a highly skilled construction procurement and commercial specialist within the Accord who will play a key part in overseeing the delivery of initiatives within the Accord’s priority areas, which may span across policy, creation of technical guidance and tools, analysis, communications, service design and other skills as required in order to effectively execute the requirements of the Accord Transformation Plan. The role will also be responsible for providing quality advice and support to government agencies on their significant commercial infrastructure business cases and procurement strategies. The Principal Advisor will use their skills and technical experience to:

• Work in partnership with the wider Design and Delivery team to gather evidence, conduct options analysis for the development of policy options and intervention designs.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with partner organisations to enable collaborative solution design.
• Oversee a range of complex initiatives delivered by different parties in different ways, monitoring initiative progress to ensure they achieve their desired benefits and escalate risks appropriately.
• Provide advice to agencies on which ensure higher quality commercial results and agency priorities and outcomes (including broader outcomes are achieved.
• Enhancing the overall agency in-house procurement and commercial capability through guiding and mentoring the Senior Advisor plus others in NZGP.

The role will be fast paced, requiring an ability to manage a high volume of activity while managing to deadlines. It will require a flexible approach as the nature and content of the work will change depending on the requirements of the role and Accord initiatives over time.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Extensive experience and genuine expertise in Construction across a number of areas including Commercial, Strategy, Planning, Progranmme Management, Procurement, Construction Delivery.
• Has the intellectual capability to work with multiple complex ideas in parallel as well as being able to integrate multiple concepts and pathways and deal comfortably with ambiguity.
• Demonstrable experience leading and significantly contributing to the management of large-scale, high-profile and/or high-value commercial projects, implementing best practice and innovation.
• Ability and drive to deliver successful outcomes in demanding, fast-paced environments.
• A principled, yet pragmatic and solutions-focused, approach to commercial issues.
• A strong client service ethic and good relationship management skills.
• Effective oral and written communication skills for a variety of audiences, and ability to produce high quality commercial and guidance documentation clearly, articulately, and succinctly.
• Ability to work on and effectively balance multiple projects simultaneously.
• In-depth understanding of procurement principles and processes in area of infrastructure/construction and understanding of te ao Māori would be an advantage.
• Previous experience in project delivery and production of a variety of policy/communications materials.
• Excellent organisational and self-management skills.
• Able to think critically, analyse evidence and information and develop clear, well-reasoned advice.
• A team player who supports and adds value to work across the team and branch.
• Experience in influencing a wide range of stakeholders, including senior decision-makers and business owners.
• A track record of strategic thinking in a complex policy environment.
• Must be an NZ citizen or hold a residence class visa.

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Critical areas of success

Accord Initiatives:

• Develop initiative plans that set out the deliverables, outcomes and measures that will ensure the achievement of the Construction Sector Accord outcomes.
• Ensure that planning activity takes into account the wider strategic context of the Accord, through building connections and relationships with other relevant pieces of work across the sector.
• Engage effectively with industry stakeholders and those engaged in delivering other workstreams to ensure that deliverables meet stakeholder expectations and that the delivery approach and communications are coordinated. Produce timely and high-quality outputs and deliverables, which may include business/government agency guidance, policy option papers, Ministerial briefing papers, public-facing communications documents, events or briefing sessions and research/analysis.
• Apply a clear, concise, plain-English writing style that takes into account the target audience.
• Develop policy advice while taking into account the broader political, economic and strategic context, and conduct analysis within the medium and longer-term policy agenda.
• Applies advanced system, strategic and critical thinking, clear and logical reasoning and sound judgement to analyse issues
• Apply frameworks, principles, tools and approaches to the analysis of issues.
• Gather, analyse and assess key information and evidence from a variety of sources.
• Engage effectively with delivery agencies, stakeholders and other government agencies.
• Contribute to developing practical and effective policy options, communications, documentation or other outputs that will help to achieve the desired outcomes.
• Actively and independently plan and manage own projects and workload
• Lead ongoing engagement with relevant stakeholder groups across the construction sector

Commercial Advice:

• Engage independently with government agencies to understand their priorities and needs and develop a plan to assist them.
• Foster strong relationships be a trusted adviser and deliver sound commercial and procurement outcomes.
• ‘Test the thinking’ and add value by applying a commercial lens and specialist know-how and offering alternative solutions.

At times, deliver ‘hard messages’ to ensure that agencies are aware and adopt best practice and innovation, and remain compliant.

Relationship Management

• Proactively establishes and maintains constructive relationships with work colleagues and external stakeholders such as agencies and suppliers to enhance understanding and ensure a collaborative approach to achieve the desired results.
• Participates as an active team member and contributes knowledge and expertise needed to achieve the Construction Sector Accord’s outcomes.
• Identifies opportunities, commonalities, and synergies across government and the sector.
• Effectively influences` through engagement and communication with senior stakeholders.
• Transfer’s knowledge and learning within the Accord and supports the Commercial Pool and NZGP where required.

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 Advisor position reports into the Manager Strategic Policy and Partnerships within the Digital, Communications and Transformation branch. The 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