Manager – Immigration International and Humanitarian Policy

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Manager, Immigration (International and Humanitarian) Policy is a team leadership and management position in MBIE.  The Manager, Immigration (International and Humanitarian) Policy will bring their business understanding and perspective to work in partnership with other managers and team members.

The Policy Manager is responsible for:

• Setting strategy for the team, driving activity, allocating resources, cross-Ministry co-ordination and results to maximise the contribution that the team makes to MBIE outcomes and government goals.
• Leading the team’s policy domain, providing policy advice, applying judgement including identifying risks and opportunities.
• Effectively influencing, and contributing to an authorising environment, through building and maintaining enduring relationships with senior stakeholders (including articulating and communicating the purpose of the team and the policy domain.)
• Building and enhancing the overall capability of the team to ensure quality advice
• Maintaining a high-performing policy team through good recruitment and performance management, and by developing and maintaining a culture of learning and development, safety and wellbeing within the team.

Specifically, this position is to lead the provision of policy analysis and advice on immigration issues relating to: New Zealand’s refugee programme and asylum policy settings; Pacific immigration policy settings; immigration aspects of Free Trade Agreement negotiations; and policy and legislation immigration policy related to national security. This team will also lead policy engagement with the ‘Migration 5’ and ‘Border 5’.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Understands the strategic context, current policy agenda and priorities, and is able to apply foresight and judgement to shape the work programme and policy projects to anticipate needs and priorities of the Minister and Ministry.
• Is able to apply strong intellectual capability to analyse large, complex policy issues and readily grasp and synthesise the ideas, analysis and advice produced by others.
• Has the intellectual capability and judgement to manage multiple complex projects concurrently
• Demonstrates mastery of public policy processes and has an in-depth understand of the policy production process, including stakeholder consultation processes.
• Has the ability to use effective commissioning and policy management techniques including to identify and manage risks.
• Is able to communicate and persuade using a range of oral, written and visual mediums in diverse situations.
• Has the ability to establish connections with stakeholders within short periods of time, and maintain and deepen those relationships over time even in the face of differences.
• Is sensitive to how people and organisation function, deals comfortably with organisation politics and anticipates land mines and plans approach accordingly.
• A relevant tertiary qualification.
• Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.
• The ability to gain and maintain a national security clearance to LEVEL (Top Secret.)
• Must consent to and satisfactorily complete a credit check as the role holds financial delegations.
• Any other relevant background requirements.

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Policy activities

• Sets strategy for the team and drives delivery of high-quality policy advice and results to maximise the contribution that the team makes to MBIE outcomes and government goals.
• Applies advanced judgement in shaping direction and approach to policy advice and tasks, prioritising and integrating across projects.
• Shapes complex policy projects and manages the delivery and landing of advice and tasks with senior managers, ministers, and stakeholders.
• Provides high quality commissioning of policy projects to ensure delivery of high-quality policy advice and results.
• Manages the delivery and landing of advice and tasks with senior managers, ministers and stakeholders and presents frank advice even if that tests Ministers views and preferences.

General management

• Develops teamwork programme, priorities, and domain strategy.
• Manages multiple complex projects concurrently using planning and management techniques to effectively carry out the agreed policy work, with the resources available.
• Participates in, chairs, and leverages advisory groups and governance groups to drive the policy agenda and facilitate timely decision making.
• Manages expenditure and resources in line with approved guidelines, budget, deadlines, and reporting requirements, with a focus on driving cost effectiveness in the Ministry.
• Effectively and consistently identifies and manages risk.
• Aligns team’s work programmes with MBIE’s strategic direction and other Groups’ work programmes.
• Manages staff in the team including recruitment, performance, development, safety and well-being.

People leadership

• Leads the team and understands the utilise the capability of team members to deliver high quality project. Provides a sense of vision and leadership that engages and motivates other participation and make things happen.
• Establishes clear accountabilities, expectations and performance standards with direct reports and ensures regular performance management and development occurs.
• Monitors individual and team performance to ensure that performance targets are met (including pro-actively identifying and addressing any issues in a timely manner.)
• Anticipates future capability needs in resources, identifies gaps in capability and addresses these gaps through targeted recruitment and develop or other actions.
• Coaches, mentors, and development staff to meet the needs of MBIE now and in the future
• Models’ exemplary management and leadership behaviours, and State Sector ethics and values.
• Fosters an open, collaborative environment that encourages quality, innovation, on-going learning and knowledge sharing.

Capability development

• Takes responsibility for own professional development of core, transferable policy skills and seeks opportunities to learn.

Relationship management

• Effective influences, and contributes to an authorising environment, through building and maintaining enduring relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Represents whole-of-Ministry views and protects its reputation in external interactions.
• Build strategic alliances with key government and non-government representatives to ensure MBIE’s views are influential in their decision making.
• Builds and maintains 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.)

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 Manager, Immigration (International and Humanitarian) Policy reports into the General Manager, Employment, Skills, and Immigration Policy Branch (in the Labour, Science and Enterprise group).

More information about MBIE's structure

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