Researcher – Immigration New Zealand
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Tēnei tūranga – About the role
The Researcher role is a team member position in MBIE. The team is located partly in Wellington and partly in Auckland. The Researcher will bring their knowledge, skills and perspective to work in partnership with their manager and other staff across locations.
The Researcher contributes to the operations of the Country Research Unit (CRU). The key role of the Researcher - Risk (Auckland based) is to provide accurate and timely country research and information services to assist decision making across the immigration system on immigration risk related matters. Research needs may range from working on individual case-focused research, to broader inquiry into world-wide trends.
CRU provide information on, and respond to research requests relating to, foreign countries and foreign nationals in respect to the following areas:
- Country backgrounders and current situation updates.
- Culture, customs and religion.
- Migration policies and procedures.
- Identity documents.
- Human rights abuses and War Crimes.
- Armed forces, Military Service.
- People smuggling, human trafficking and migrant exploitation.
- Political parties and political histories.
- Refugees and asylum seekers.
- Foreign legal systems and customary law.
- Counter-proliferation.
- Border risk and security.
- Plus much more…
The Researcher may also be required to assist with delivery of Country of Origin Information (COI) to support refugee decision-making processes and those staff working in the Refugee Status Unit, the Refugee Quota Programme and the Immigration and Protection Tribunal.
While the role is primarily desktop research focused, other tasks may include; provision of training on open source and social media search methods, current awareness services, country or topic seminar delivery and other Branch projects.
The Researcher is responsible for ensuring quality and consistency of information provided and adherence to specified research guidelines and standards as developed by the Country Research Unit in accordance with international best practice. The Researcher is also required to actively participate in supporting the wider team at associated annual planning days and regular meetings.
Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role
Personal specifications
- Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.
- Experience in a library or research unit or agency is preferred.
- Ability to quickly establish and build strong working relationships.
- Clear and concise written and oral communication.
- An interest in, and knowledge of, international current affairs and human rights issues.
- Ability to quickly assimilate new information or areas of work.
- Excellent time management skills.
- Presentation development and delivery experience.
- Experience in delivering current awareness services.
- A very high level of information literacy and professionalism.
- A commitment to quality, customer service, and confidentiality.
- Understanding of MBIE and where the team fits in delivering outcomes for the Ministry.
- A degree and post-graduate (NZQA approved) professional library qualification, or a post-graduate qualification in social sciences, human rights or development studies.
- The ability to gain and maintain a national security clearance to LEVEL “ Top Secret” if required.
Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables
Quality outcomes
The Researcher will be required to deliver results in the following areas:
- Country of Origin Information (COI) and research responses provided are timely, relevant, accurate, and balanced.
- Customer expectations are met or exceeded.
- Flexibility is demonstrated coping with the fluctuations of demand-driven work and on-going tasks.
- Research is benchmarked against peers and international counterparts.
Connectedness
- CRU staff actively support other MBIE branches in achieving departmental objectives.
- Collaborative and supportive approach to work e.g. giving and taking of responsibility according to individual workloads and overall workflow.
- Attendance at relevant seminars, events and training.
- Developing contacts to source information.
- All team members listen to, respect and value others’ input.
Innovation and initiative
- Building resources: identify and share new sources of information to continuously improve the capacity to provide quality research.
- Open to trying different ways of achieving outcomes.
- Initiate/suggest changes to improve CRU performance and systems.
- A range of solutions is considered to specific problems.
- Responsibility for updating personal awareness on relevant subjects is demonstrated.
Information capture and technology
- Maintain high level search, source evaluation and retrieval skills ensuring the most relevant, authoritative and current information is available to users.
- Understand and effectively use available information technology.
- Efficient content management ensures that databases and Intranet pages are accurate and up-to-date.
- Content and usability are consistent with agreed guidelines.
- New technologies are identified and assessed for improving the delivery of information.
- An understanding of and openness to new media as a potential research source.
User education & information dissemination
- News alerts and bulletins are disseminated regularly.
- New initiatives are identified, developed, and promoted.
- Delivery of online search training, including evaluation of information retrieved, and training on use of databases.
- Country & thematic presentations as required.
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 Researcher position reports into the Manager, Intelligence within the Intelligence Data and Insights branch. The branch sits within the Immigration New Zealand group.
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
