Dispute Resolution Manager

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Dispute Resolution Manager is a leadership and management position in MBIE.

The role is responsible for the regional performance of the employment mediation services as well as supporting a nationally consistent approach. This involves a strong delivery, strategic and stakeholder management focus.

The role is responsible for managing a team of staff to deliver mediation services that support MBIE’s strategic direction.  The Manager will bring their business understanding and perspective to work in partnership with other managers and team members to ensure high levels of national service delivery.

Key relationships:

• Regular service users such as employment lawyers and advocates and union representatives.
• The Employment Relations Authority.
• Stakeholders including iwi, sector, community and cultural groups.
• Employment Services Senior Leadership team.
• Members of the Dispute Resolution Leadership team.
• Mediators, early resolution facilitators.
• Dispute Resolution Coordinators.
• Employment Relations and Standards policy teams.
• All managers and staff in MBIE.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• A proven track record of experience and achievement in managing, developing and operating service delivery functions in a large organisation.
• Proven leadership skills of specialists including demonstrated ability to engage and motivate staff.
• Knowledge of Te Ao Māori and how to give effect to Te Tiriti obligations.
• Ability to work with diverse communities and staff.
• Experience working at a strategic leadership level.
• Demonstrated strong stakeholder engagement experience at sector level.
• Sound knowledge of the employment relations environment or ability to quickly assimilate.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and maintaining an environment focused on continuous improvement to enhance organisational performance.
• Ability to quickly establish and build strong working relationships.
• Sound appreciation of corporate management disciplines and techniques.
• Qualification in a relevant field or extensive and comparable experience.

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Responsibilities of this position are expected to change over time as the Ministry responds to changing needs.  The incumbent will need the flexibility to adapt and develop as the environment evolves.

Taking a leadership role in delivering dispute resolution strategic objectives, leading and developing our people and driving operational excellence within the Employment Mediation Service

The Dispute Resolution Manager will be required to deliver results in the following areas:

• Actively contributing to achieving the Employment Mediation Service’s purpose of helping people resolve their employment disputes in the best way and at the best time for those involved.
• Actively promote and support the provision of the services by integrating te ao Maori in accordance with the Treaty of Waitangi
• Lead strategic projects and/or programmes of work to futureproof and enhance the ability of the service to meet evolving customer needs (both from a technological platform and dispute resolution service delivery perspective) to ensure best practice dispute resolution.
• Take a leadership role in engaging with regional stakeholders (in particular, regular service users such as, employment lawyers and advocates and union officials) and where appropriate, external third-party partner agencies and employer groups to apply and drive best practice of strategic, prevention focused work of the team
• Take a data-driven approach to managing the service to both enhance operational and regulatory system performance and identify opportunities for targeting preventative work externally. This may include research and trend analysis to inform best practice dispute resolution.
• Foster a culture that is customer focused, respectful and inclusive in its approach to managing client and staff diversity
• Work collaboratively with the national Dispute Resolution team to realise potential efficiencies and enhanced effectiveness in mediation and supporting resources and systems.
• Ensure that quality management techniques and disciplines underpin operational processes and enhancements

Delivery of Mediation Services

Providing leadership into the delivery of mediation services

• Manage the delivery of employment mediation services consistent with relevant statutes and best practice standards.
• Leading best practice in dispute resolution service delivery (within NZ and internationally) to lead and implement projects that contribute to the continuous improvement of the service.
• Taking a data-driven, evidenced based approach to delivering service improvements at both an operational and regulatory system level.
• Delivering dispute resolution mediation services consistently and seamlessly nation-wide.
• Integrating service delivery with practice leadership.
• Identify opportunities for the ongoing enhancement of business support systems and processes, including documentation and training programmes as required.
• Contribute to Employment Services Branch wide strategy and business development processes and implementation.

Team Management

Apply sound general management practices so that the team operates effectively and efficiently, and delivers agreed outputs to support achievement of MBIE outcomes.

• Provide strong leadership and effective management of the team of dispute resolution mediators ensuring they work effectively as a team to develop and deliver dispute resolution mediation services to a national standard.
• Actively manage individual people performance and development to bring out the best in staff to deliver high quality results for customers.
• Build and enhance the overall capability of the team to ensure quality and consistency in service delivery.
• Develop, maintain and enhance operational relationships between the dispute resolution mediators and the dispute resolution coordination team to ensure high level of service delivery.
• Manage employment mediation teams in compliance with MBIE’s HR and financial policies and procedures.
• Implement strategies, work programmes and performance targets for the team with supporting measurement, monitoring and reporting mechanisms and continually review and consider improvement to all elements of the team’s operations.
• Regularly monitors and reports on progress towards achievement of plans and strategies.
• Effectively and consistently identifies and manages risk.
• Manages expenditure and resources in line with approved delegations, guidelines, budget, deadlines and reporting requirements, with a focus on cost effectiveness in the Ministry.

Relationship Management

Manage constructive working relationships with work colleagues and external stakeholders to enhance understanding and co-operation needed to achieve desired results

• Participates as an active team member and contributes knowledge and expertise needed to achieve MBIE’s outcomes.
• Develops effective working relationships with other MBIE managers and staff in order to transfer knowledge and learning from the team to the wider organisation.
• Builds and maintains effective relationships and partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, as necessary, in order to identify and share best practice information and to promote the Ministry, its products and services.
• Represents whole-of-Ministry views and protects its reputation in any external interactions.

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 Dispute Resolution Manager position reports into the National Manager Dispute Resolution within the Employment Services branch. The branch sits within the Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery group.

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