Project Coordinator

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Our Future Services programme will deliver a more cost-effective immigration system that is more productive, more effective at managing immigration risk, and provides a better experience for our customers and staff. The Programme will be delivered through five primary workstreams over three stages.

The Project Coordinator plays a key role in supporting the successful delivery of the Our Future Services programme by providing high-quality coordination, planning, and administrative support across a diverse mix of projects and programme initiatives, including both technology and non-technology work.

You will work closely with the Senior Programme Manager, workstream leads and delivery teams to ensure initiatives are well organised, clearly documented, and progressing as planned. This includes maintaining project schedules, supporting resource planning, preparing project documentation, and coordinating meetings, reporting, and governance activities.

The role also provides coordination and administrative support to the wider programme team, helping ensure programme level planning, reporting, governance and operational activities run smoothly.

The role is critical in helping teams operate efficiently by managing logistics, monitoring progress, identifying emerging issues, and ensuring project information is accurate, up to date, and stored appropriately.

As a key connection point across the programme, you will build strong relationships with stakeholders and contribute to a consistent, high quality approach to project delivery across the Our Future Services programme.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• At least five years’ experience in a support/administrative/coordinator role, including specific experience providing support to projects or programmes.
• Working knowledge of project and process disciplines.
• Proven ability to develop trust and credibility with peers.
• Proven ability to manage stakeholder relationship within a matrixed working environment.
• Well organised with excellent planning skills.
• Experience in raising purchase orders, coding invoices and contract management.
• Ability to work with people across all levels of an organisation.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Prerequisites

• Must be a NZ citizen or hold a permanent residence class visa.
• SFIA Competency Level 3.

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Delivers quality results which contribute to the Ministry’s outcome

• Contributing to the day-to-day work of the team.
• Assist the team with planning and implementation of projects.
• Help define project scope, goals and deliverables.
• Assist with definition tasks and required resources.
• Coordinate project team.
• Track performance to budget and help allocate project resources.
• Create schedules and project timelines.
• Track deliverables.
• Maintain the resource plan and engage with project leads and other stakeholders to manage resources.
• Assist with resource utilisation planning and reporting.
• Assist with preparation of governance reports to stakeholders on progress as well as problems and solutions.
• Implement and manage change when necessary to meet project outputs.
• Evaluate and assess result of projects.
• Support the Programme to implement branch projects, programmes and portfolios that actively support and contribute to the achievement of the Ministry’s outcomes and that deliver to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.

Project management and coordination

• Coordinate project management activities, resources, equipment, and information.
• Take a lead role in the mechanics of project organisation, resources, methodology, processes, tools and disciplines for project teams.
• Support project management role(s) consistently.
• Attend project meetings, preparing minutes and follow up to ensure all actions are completed.
• Ensure that conflicts of interest are managed appropriately.
• Ensure that all legal and HR requirements are met for the project.
• Provide administrative support to projects or processes as necessary.
• Identify and escalate where needed risks and issues and maintain the associated registers.
• Maintain the list of project stakeholders and their interests.
• Contribute to the optimisation of the templates used in project planning and project management.

Information and process management

• Follow best practice project management documentation processes.
• Identify and action process improvements.
• Hold master copies of all project information in the appropriate templates.
• Implement project information management, both physical and electronic.
• Keeps process information up to date.
• Maintain the links and alignment between key project documents.
• Generate all necessary quality and assurance management documentation for a full audit trail.
• Maintain, control and update project documentation.

Planning, tracking, quality, change control and reporting

• Advise on and provide project planning, tracking and reporting services.
• Analyse interfaces and critical dependencies between projects and recommend appropriate actions to the project process owner.
• Support meetings – organising agendas, minutes and meeting papers for Management and Governance meetings, as required.
• Contribute to the improvements in consistent practices and standards to monitor and report on compliance with project governance arrangements, with a particular focus on project authorisation, planning, reporting, change control and risk management.

Wellbeing, health and 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.

SFIA Capability Level

The Project Coordinator requires SFIA Competency Level 3, indicating a sound of organisational understanding is required to deliver the effective outcomes of this role within the wider business.

Autonomy

Works under general direction. Uses discretion in identifying and responding to complex issues and assignments. Receives specific direction, accepts guidance and has work reviewed at agreed milestones. Determines when issues should be escalated to a higher level.

Influence

Interacts with and influences colleagues. Has working level contact with customers, suppliers and partners. May supervise others or make decisions which impact the work assigned to individuals or phases of projects.

Understands and collaborates on the analysis of user/customer needs and represents this in their work.

Complexity

Performs a range of work, sometimes complex and non-routine, in a variety of environments. Applies methodical approach to issue definition and resolution.

Knowledge

Has a sound generic, domain and specialist knowledge necessary to perform effectively in the organisation typically gained from recognised bodies of knowledge and organisational information. Demonstrates effective application of knowledge. Has an appreciation of the wider business context.

Takes action to develop own knowledge.

Business skill

Demonstrates effective communication skills. Plans, schedules and monitors own work (and that of others where applicable) competently within limited deadlines and according to relevant legislation, standards and procedures. Contributes fully to the work of teams. Appreciates how own role relates to other roles and to the business of the employer or client. Demonstrates an analytical and systematic approach to issue resolution. Takes the initiative in identifying and negotiating appropriate personal development opportunities. Understands how own role impacts security and demonstrates routine security practice and knowledge required for own work.

SFIA competencies and SFIA skill level

Technical competency

Portfolio, Programme and Project Support - PROF

• The provision of support and guidance on portfolio, programme and project management processes, procedures, tools and techniques. Support includes definition of portfolios, programmes, and projects; advice on the development, production and maintenance of business cases; time, resource, cost and exception plans, and the use of related software tools. Tracking and reporting of programme/project progress and performance are also covered, as is the capability to facilitate all aspects of portfolio/ programme/ project meetings, workshops and documentation.

Level 3

• Uses recommended portfolio, programme and project control solutions for planning, scheduling and tracking. Sets up project files, compiles and distributes reports. Provides administrative services to project boards, project assurance teams and quality review meetings. Provides guidance on project management software, procedures, processes, tools and techniques.

Information Content Authoring – INCA

• The management and application of the principles and practices of designing, creation and presentation of textual information, supported where necessary by graphical content for interactive and digital uses. The adoption of workflow principles and definition of user roles and engagement and training of content providers. This material may be delivered electronically (for example, as collections of web pages) or otherwise. This skill includes managing the quality assurance and authoring processes for the material being produced.

Level 2

• Develops a broad understanding of technical publication concepts, tools and methods and the way in which these are implemented. Develops an understanding of content development support activities, such as information gathering, user task analysis, creating draft content, illustration, printing and publishing. Works with colleagues and clients to understand audience needs and to assimilate source material. Presents information clearly, concisely and accurately in appropriate plain language, which meets the needs of the user as clearly, simply and quickly as possible.

Tō tūranga i roto i te Manatū – Your place in the Ministry

The Project Coordinator position reports into the Programme Director, Future Services within the Future Services branch. The branch sits within the Immigration New Zealand group. NB: Role will report to GM Future Services in the interim until Programme Director role is established.

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 New Zealand for All.

To Grow New Zealand for All, we put people at the heart of our mahi (work). 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