Practice Lead – Internal Assurance

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

Effectively managing risk and providing the appropriate assurance is imperative to MBIE and Internal Assurance is a key component of an effective three lines of defence risk management model.

The Practice Lead, Internal Assurance is a senior position in the team that is responsible for the development, implementation and maturing of Internal Assurance services for MBIE. These services include:

• Providing assurance over the design and operating effectiveness of MBIE’s Risk, Policy and Compliance frameworks.
• Delivering independent assurance reviews and advice to MBIE’s Chief Executive, Senior Leadership and Governance Committee’s.
• Development of a multi-year dynamic and flexible internal assurance programme that is aligned to MBIE’s strategic direction.
• Development of a single view of assurance across MBIE utilising the three lines of defence risk management model.
• Enhancing assurance capabilities across MBIE by providing advice, guidance and tools to other assurance and monitoring functions.
• Building organisation awareness understanding and maturity of what good control looks like and supporting the business to develop and implement self-assurance approaches.

The position will work closely alongside the GM Internal Assurance to develop and execute the internal assurance strategy and is accountable for providing strategic direction, intellectual leadership and senior level assurance advice and support for the Internal Assurance team and to the Ministry as a whole.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• A strategic thinker who is able to make the connections between various aspects of the organisation and implications for their business unit.
• Experience leading internal assurance in a large, complex environment.
• Excellent understanding of, and experience in, best practice risk and assurance practices, frameworks and tools including the Institute of Internal Auditor’s Professional Standards.
• Experience supporting behavioural change and lifting organisational capability.
• Proven ability to develop trust and credibility with senior managers and build strong working relationships.
• Demonstrated ability in making complex business decisions that maintain momentum on strategic goals.
• Understanding of Government decision-making and operating procedures would be advantageous.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and maintaining an environment focused on continuous improvement to enhance organisational performance.
• Emotional intelligence, demonstrated through sound judgement, an even temperament and the ability to influence and motivate others.
• Ability to coach and upskill other team members.
• Ability to deliver training to a range of stakeholders.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, demonstrated through experience in successfully leading assurance reviews and producing high quality and engaging reports.

Qualifications

• A relevant tertiary qualification (preferably Chartered Accountant or Certified Internal Auditor) and/or comparable relevant experience in internal auditing.

Other

• Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.
• Any other relevant background requirements.

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Indicators of success

The Practice Lead will be required to deliver results in the following areas:

• Partners with the GM Internal Assurance to develop and implement an internal assurance strategy for MBIE that supports maturity of the function and is underpinned by an assurance framework and supporting policies and procedures that are in line with recognised internal audit practices and industry standards.
• Supports development of the Ministry’s internal assurance programme in consultation with the GM Internal Assurance, the Chief Executive, SLT and MBIE’s Risk and Advisory Committee. The programme will be risk based, dynamic, flexible, span multi-year periods and aligned to MBIE’s strategic objectives.
• Leads delivery of internal assurance reviews ensuring they are risk based; create value and insights; provide appropriate levels of assurance to our stakeholders and provide balanced and pragmatic views.
• Supports development of a single integrated view of assurance across MBIE enabled by the ‘lines of defence’ model.
• Provides exceptional technical advice and leads development of guidance and tools to support other assurance and monitoring functions.
• Ensures that recommendations identified through internal assurance activities are pragmatic and actionable; and supported by monitoring activities to ensure action taken effectively addresses the associated risk.
• Builds effective relationships with the Enterprise Risk and Compliance Branch ensuring risk, compliance and assurance frameworks are aligned and collaborate on shared deliverables as required.
• Builds trust and credibility with senior stakeholders across MBIE.
• Works collaboratively to build organisational awareness, understanding and maturity of what good control looks like and supports development of self-assurance approaches.
• Coach, mentor and provide feedback to other staff in the team enabling them to perform to their maximum potential and supporting their career development.

Personal leadership

• Models exemplary management and leadership behaviours 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 key stakeholders including the DCEs, Chair of the Risk and Audit Committee and General Managers.
• Develops effective working relationships with other MBIE managers and staff in order to transfer knowledge and learning from team to the wider organisation.
• Represents whole-of-Ministry views and protects its reputation in external interactions.
• Builds 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).

People leadership

• Leads assurance activities and understands and utilises the capability of team members to deliver high quality assurance outputs.
• Provides intellectual leadership by bringing new ideas and knowledge to discussions and leads strategic conversations.
• Provide supervision, guidance, coaching and mentoring and on-the-job training to team members.
• Contributes to the performance of the team through providing peer review and quality control including assurance reviews and tasks that the Practice Lead is not leading.

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 Practice Lead position reports into the General Manager Internal Assurance within the Finance and Performance 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