DevOps Engineer

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

Reporting to the Software Engineer Team Lead this position is a specialist role with the purpose of delivering solutions for MBIE. The DevOps Engineer will take ownership of the development, implementation, and delivery of complex custom projects. They will take a strategic view and uses leading-edge thinking and tools to develop and deliver solutions for the development and delivery of solutions while working with peers and internal customers to ensure successful outcomes. It will also involve developing a framework that can be utilised in a manner agnostic of the project or team involved, but deliver consistency across how we structure our repos, deploy our CI/CD pipelines or integrate our tools.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Experience as a DevOps Engineer or similar cloud or software engineering role.
• Agile and DevOps delivery methodology/experience is required.
• Can comfortably discuss quality engineering practices, critical concepts of DevOps and best practices regarding system security & quality measures.
• Professional experience and a high-level understanding of working with various operating systems, cloud service and their implications.
• Working knowledge of various tools, open-source technologies and modern development practices using but not limited to, .Net Core, Microservices, CI/CD pipelines, git, gitFlow.
• Demonstrated experience in building infrastructure as code.
• Demonstrated experience and understanding with Plugins, Web Services, Logic Apps, and Azure Functions, API integration.
• Experience using Azure DevOps and Azure services, or similar and demonstrated experience in working and integrating with SaaS products. 
• Demonstrated project development and leadership skills, experience working with teams from several departments to facilitate the orderly execution of a proposed project plan.
• A curious mind and a desire to learn about technical innovations and how they may be applied to the MBIE environment. 
• A willingness to learn skills in new technology in order to achieve a common goal.
• Strong presentation skills with the ability to effectively present and point of view to a variety of audiences. 
• An analytical mind who can make connections between various aspects of the organisation and can contribute to a cohesive approach across all aspects of a technology-enabled business.
• Ability to quickly establish and build strong working relationships and develop trust, credibility, buy-in and collaboration with managers, staff, vendors and other stakeholders. 
• Ability to work under pressure and with deadlines while taking ownership of a task and seeing it through.  
• Ability to multitask and prioritise workload. 

Qualifications 

• A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent knowledge, skills, and experience.
• Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand and gain national security clearance. 

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Technology outcomes

• Design, plan and maintain highly usable solutions focussed on high levels of efficiency, reliability and security, using DevOps principles. 
• Analyze current technology utilized within MBIE and develop steps and processes to improve and expand upon them, selecting and deploying appropriate practices and tools to facilitate.
• Work alongside MBIE teams through the lifecycle of existing programs to successfully monitor progress and change, actively identifying areas for improvement and modification.
• Building and improving automated processes wherever possible, striving for continuous improvement and development, constant integration and deployment.
• Identifies and drives owns programmes of work.
• Identify and deploy quality and security measures. Ensuring development from a risk-based approach and delivery of secure systems and services to MBIE.
• Recognise changes in technology, relate the business value and how it may be applied at MBIE.
• Produce value by building the right thing to provide the right business outcomes.
• Building and Setting-up new development tools and infrastructure.
• Gauge operational feasibility by evaluating analysis, problem definition, requirements, solution development and proposed solutions. 
• Actively seek out opportunities to improve the overall service provided by the Software Engineering Team, in defining development, test, release, update and support processes for DevOps operations.
• Works with the Engineering Practice Lead to define best-practice standards around development, DevOps practices and quality assurance procedures for MBIE. 
• Coach and mentor other engineers throughout the company in DevOps principles. 
• Collaborate with software engineers and external software vendors, product owners, lead architects and vendors to build capabilities and compliance in establish development process and DevOps principle internally at MBIE.
• Work closely with other engineering professionals within MBIE to maintain services and systems needed for projects to be completed efficiently.
• Ensure you and the wider team are adding value to the wider Ministry by genuinely taking ownership of the systems it designs and delivers.
• Deliver Proof of Concept solutions that clearly demonstrate the value to the customer. 
• Work in partnership with internal customers advising them on how to use the platform enabling them to meet their business needs, resolve problems, and help them understand technical concepts as needed. 
• Produce detailed design documentation as required. 
• Collaborate with external software vendors, product owners, lead architects and vendors to build out the capabilities on development and DevOps internally at MBIE. 
• Leverage technology to produce effective ways to improve the responsiveness and flexibility of solutions which empowers our business users and the wider MBIE. 
• Advocates and provides leadership support to the team to deliver complex and uncertain programs of work.
• Ensure you and the wider team are adding value to the wider Ministry by taking ownership of the systems, its design and delivery. 
• Leads the capability and technical expertise within their specialist area coordinating the coaching and mentoring necessary to ensure standards are maintained and, where appropriate, career progression is supported. 

Stakeholder management

• Ensure relationships with your peers, your stakeholders and your leaders are productive, communication is professional, clear and timely. Your conversations are robust, and trust is created. 
• Drives and translates business requirements into defined operational objectives, aligning specialist approach and advice to the business strategic direction.
• Build networks and work collaboratively with key internal and external stakeholders, acting as a representative of the branch where appropriate. 
• Assist the Engineering Team Lead to manage key relationships, facilitating information flows and understanding of issues. 
• Adapts communication style to build consensus and influence outcomes, while maintaining professional judgement.
• Build and maintain effective relationships and partnerships with national and international organisations to identify and share best practice information and to promote the Ministry, its products and services. 
• Tests the effectiveness of stakeholder relationships using a range of appropriate measures and processes (including stakeholder feedback). 
• Play a key role in leading software engineering quality assurance practices in workshops. 

Action orientated

• Takes responsibility for own work. 
• Drives the delivery of engineering solutions through to completion. 
• Self-starter. 
• Be a persistent, creative problem solver.
• Seeks input if required. 
• Recognises and acts on opportunities. 

Self-management

• Models' positive behaviours. 
• Models the desired values and culture of the organisation. 
• Willingly shares knowledge, expertise and within the team and with others in the organisation. 
• Acts with honesty and integrity. 
• Welcomes feedback and is receptive to input from others.  

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 DevOps Engineer position reports into the Capability Lead – Software Engineering within the Digital Solution Delivery branch. The branch sits within the Digital Data and Insights group.

More information about MBIE’s structure(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).

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