Principal Advisor

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Principal Advisor will bring expertise in fuel emergency management to the Energy and Resource Markets (ERM) Branch’s Compliance team, which is responsible for enforcing regulations applicable to the petroleum and minerals sectors. The team traditionally focused on compliance with the requirements under the Crown Minerals Act but is being expanded to implement fuel security measures, including:

• introducing a minimum onshore fuel stockholding obligation on fuel importers
• updating and operationalising the National Fuel Plan, which provides the framework for fuel emergency planning and response
• updating and investigating the financial and contractual options for government procurement of reserve diesel stocks to be held onshore in New Zealand.

The focus of the Principal Advisor role will be on operationalising and updating the National Fuel Plan, which provides the framework for fuel emergency planning and response. This includes:

• Updating the National Fuel Plan to ensure that the fuel emergency planning and response framework remains fit for purpose, taking into consideration international best practice and recent changes in fuel supply chains.
• Providing secretariat support to the Fuel Sector Coordinating Entity (SCE), a body consisting of government officials and industry representatives for coordinating fuel emergency planning and response.
• Acting as a technical lead in fuel emergency management, which involves developing the relevant operational procedures, disseminating guidance and operational policy in preparation of and during fuel emergencies, and playing a key role in an incident management team set up for managing fuel emergencies.
• Coordinating with other teams in MBIE and other government agencies during national emergencies wider than fuel emergencies.
• Leading or participating in fuel emergency simulation exercises.
• Engaging with fuel industry participants and government agencies to undertake contingency planning for fuel emergencies.
• Investigating and assessing business case for fuel resilience measures.
• Providing input from an operational perspective into developing policy measures for safeguarding fuel resilience, including the minimum onshore fuel stockholding obligation, and government procurement of reserve diesel stocks and oil tickets.

The Principal Advisor is expected work collaboratively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to manage and plan for fuel emergencies. Internal stakeholders include others within the ERM Branch and the Emergency Management and Business Continuity team within the Nga Pou o te Taumaru Group. External stakeholders include other government agencies involved in civil defence emergency management, and fuel industry participants and experts on fuel supply issues.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• A tertiary or post-graduate qualification in emergency management or related discipline OR an equivalent body of knowledge and experience.
• Knowledge of emergency management planning, and sound understanding of the emergency management frameworks in New Zealand or comparable countries.
• Strong network in the emergency management profession.
• Member of community of practise or professional body for emergency management or resilience is favourable.
• Training in Coordinated Incident Management System (CIMS) or comparable experience in managing emergencies.
• Knowledge of business continuity management.
• Understanding of the National Security System would be an advantage.
• Proven ability to understand relevant and apply it to operational arrangements.
• Some experience in managing logistics or procurement in the fuel or transport industry would be desirable.
• Experience in leading secretariat work for industry groups or government bodies would be advantageous.
• Some experience in managing procurement processes or managing supply chains in the fuel industry would be desirable.
• Understanding the machinery of government is highly desirable.
• Well-developed written and oral presentation.
• Experience in organising and facilitating workshops.
• Planning, organising and project management skills, including ability to maintain performance when under pressure, critical assessment of workflows, and appropriate prioritising of work.
• Strong relationship management skills; demonstrated by credibility, personal or collaborative influence, managing expectations and targeted persuasion.
• Considerable experience professionally representing an organisation to senior levels across government or the private sector.
• Considerable experience in dealing with ambiguity in a complex and dynamic environment.
• Experience working in complex, high-pressured, fast-paced environments.
• Mentoring staff.

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.

Critical areas of success

• Convenes regular Fuel Sector Coordinating Entity meetings, facilitating meaningful information exchange between government officials and the fuel industry regarding fuel supplies, and improving operational arrangements for industry-government coordination during fuel emergencies.
• Effectively and consistently identifies and manages fuel security risks, alerting manager to potential problems/risks in a timely manner and proposing practical and tactical solutions.
• Acts as a technical lead in fuel emergency management; provides timely and high-quality technical and operational advice on the implementation of the National Fuel Plan to external and key stakeholders, e.g. other government departments.
• Leads the dissemination of guidance and operational policy in preparation of and during fuel emergencies, playing a lead or key role in incident management team set up for managing fuel emergencies.
• Coordinates with other teams in MBIE and other government agencies during national emergencies wider than fuel emergencies.
• Leads de-briefs and reports on lessons learnt after fuel emergencies.
• Partners with the National Manager Compliance, Manager Monitoring, the wider Compliance team, and the Gas and Fuel Markets Policy team to develop, articulate and give effect to initiatives for improving New Zealand's fuel resilience, as well as providing robust advice to inform wider strategic work on national security.
• Exercises critical thinking and good judgement when assessing business case for fuel resilience initiatives.
• Demonstrates systems thinking when updating the National Fuel Plan.

Providing support to other related workstreams

• Support to Crown procurement of fuel stocks and oil tickets.
• Support to monitoring and enforcement of the stockholding regime.
• Support to fuel security policy development where required, alongside the Gas and Fuel Markets Policy team.

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

Personal leadership

• Provides leadership that engages and motivates others to succeed and develop, and proactively share experiences, knowledge, and ideas.
• Models exemplary leadership behaviours, MBIE values and State sector ethics and values.
• Creates a sense of vision, engages, and motivates people to participate, and makes things happen.
• Fosters an open, collaborative environment that encourages quality, innovation, ongoing learning, and knowledge sharing.

Relationship management

• 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 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, 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.
• Responds to Official Information Act and Privacy Act requests correctly and within legislated timeframes.

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 Fuel Resilience position reports into the National Manager Compliance within the Energy, Resources and Markets (ERM) 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