Senior Business Advisor

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Senior Business Advisor is responsible for leading initiatives and engagement to support the strategic direction and operations of the Office of the Deputy Secretary. The role provides strategic and operational advice including on complex issues, which impact a range of agencies.

Strong interpersonal skills are crucial to this role, as the Senior Business Advisor will represent the office of the Deputy Secretary and rely on strong relationships and influencing skills to achieve desired outcomes.  The Senior Business Advisor will also bring their business understanding, risk management experience and perspective to work across Immigration New Zealand and MBIE to grow relationships and inform strategic and operational projects across INZ and with external agencies.

The role is also responsible for leading and delivering a range of business advisory services representing and supporting the office or wider INZ. This includes on key projects and initiatives, which work across the wider INZ system.

Specifically, the Senior Business Advisor is also responsible for ensuring quality and consistency of advice and practices in relation to their contribution to the office’s work, including:

• Providing accurate and timely advice and support to the Deputy Secretary, Immigration Leadership Team, Minister of Immigration and Associate Minister of Immigration concerning different operational aspects of our business.
• Contributing to planning, performance and reporting, risk management, business continuity planning, continuous improvement and assurance processes.
• Building and maintaining a series of constructive stakeholder relationships across INZ, MBIE and with Government and non-Government bodies.
• Identify ways of thinking about risks and issues and options to resolve these.
• Maintaining awareness of the work of other Immigration Group branches to be able to deliver a system wide approach to immigration issues.

The role may also include input into strategy and business policy and maintenance of various systems and tools.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Strong interpersonal skills, including building and maintaining relationships, influencing, diplomacy, empathy, teamwork and problem-solving.
• Excellent political awareness and sensitivity to anticipate areas of potential risk and inform decision-making.
• Knowledge of environmental issues outside the Ministry enabling early identification of potential risks and opportunities.
• A strong understanding of the processes that underpin the operations of the public sector environment, including policy development, Cabinet and parliamentary processes, and machinery of government.
• Proven experience in delivering outstanding quality service to internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to quickly assimilate new information at a high level, and come to an understanding of unfamiliar and complex issues.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, ability to craft written material for the Deputy Secretary’s approval.
• Ability to explore and evaluate new operational delivery practices and approaches.
• Proven ability to think strategically, develop frameworks and manage organisation wide systems and processes
• Experienced in working with and applying legislation to an operational context (e.g. the Immigration Act 2009, Official Information Act and Privacy Act).
• Ability to quickly identify ways of thinking about risks and issues and possible pathways forward. Ability to focus on both strategic and operational issues.
• Ability to quickly establish, build and maintain strong working relationships.
• Proven ability to develop trust and credibility with managers and staff, including an ability to work with senior managers on contentious, difficult and urgent issues.
• High integrity and ability in handling sensitive and confidential information.
• Demonstrated commitment to effective client servicing and the ability to liaise with all levels of staff within the ministry and with external agencies.
• Understanding of MBIE and where the team fits in delivering outcomes for the Ministry.
• Relevant qualification or equivalent experience.
• The ability to gain and maintain a national security clearance as required.
• Must have the legal right to work in New Zealand.

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. This includes performing any other reasonable duties as required.

Provides advice and support

The Senior Business Advisor will be required to take the lead to deliver and contribute to the day-to-day work of the branch.

• Provide quality and timely advice and support to the Deputy Secretary, Immigration Leadership Team, Minister and Associate Minister of Immigration.
• Contributing to planning, performance and reporting, risk management, business continuity planning, continuous improvement and assurance processes.
• Provide analytical and strategic support for the office and wider leadership team.
• Deliver and provide quality advice and support to contribute to the continuous improvement of services, systems and processes.
• Provide quality services to external clients through accurate and prompt advice about branch related matters.
• Maintain a well-developed awareness of branch issues, and provide, wherever appropriate, a branch perspective through support and advice, for inclusion into Immigration and MBIE projects, policies and procedures.
• Identify ways of thinking about risks and issues including options to resolve these.
• Monitor sensitive cases to ensure good outcomes for the branch and Immigration, providing support where required. Escalates issues and risks appropriately.
• Delivery of services, products and programmes that actively support and contribute to the achievement of the Ministry’s outcomes and that deliver to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.

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 Senior Business Advisor position reports into the Principal Advisor to the Deputy Secretary 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