Principal Advisor to the General Manager
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Tēnei tūranga – About the role
The Principal Advisor will provide strategic and intellectual leadership to guide and influence the Partnerships and Programmes strategic direction, planning and reporting systems and processes. The role will be responsible for:
- Providing strategic and thought leadership across the Partnerships and Programmes Branch and DDI Group, including connecting DDI to MBIE frameworks and outcomes.
- Providing a consolidated view of all large-scale change initiatives underway or in the pipeline for the branch.
- Identifying and leading on key issues for the Group that need thought leadership and relationship management to provide solutions that enable the branch to deliver on its strategic, planning and reporting outcomes.
- Actively works with and supports the General Manager and the leadership team to champion and promote the vision, strategy, and operating model for the branch to support achievement of the Ministry’s strategic objectives.
The position brings business understanding, strategic capability, operational experience and the ability to work closely in partnership with the General Manager, the DDI leadership team and the Partnerships and Programmes Branch to gather information, build relationships, undertake high level analysis, and develop thinking on a range of issues and activities.
Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role
Personal specifications
- Proven experience working with senior leadership teams and providing high level strategic and operational advice.
- Proven understanding of developing and managing organisation-wide systems and processes.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and implement plans in a complex environment with an ability to translate business strategies and objectives into delivery and operational plans.
- Demonstrated understanding of medium to long-term technology trends.
- Detailed knowledge of ICT environments, business practice and systems.
- Ideally NZ private sector and commercial experience with a working knowledge of the NZ public sector environment.
- Can comfortably develop and maintain effective working relationships with external stakeholders.
- In-depth knowledge of processes at the centre of government as well as wider governmental processes and protocols.
- An ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing with a wide range of people at all levels, both internal and external to MBIE.
- Self-starter and proven ability to deliver successful outcomes in a demanding environment.
- The ability to influence, lead and facilitate others to achieve outcomes.
- Strategic thinker who can identify and assess organisational risk, long term potential outcomes and anticipate consequences and trends.
- An ability to think strategically and translate ideas and concepts into concrete actions.
- Makes quality decisions by using sound, well-rounded, informed and inclusive approaches.
- Must have the ability to work in New Zealand.
- The ability to gain and maintain a national security clearance as required.
- Must consent to relevant credit checks.
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.
Advice and leadership
- Support the General Manager, through high quality advice, to execute their responsibilities in leading Partnerships and Programmes for DDI and in their wider MBIE system leadership role.
- Critically synthesises information from a wide variety of domains and applies expert judgement to draw conclusions.
- Provides effective insight, judgement and/or advice where appropriate to enable the General Manager to successfully deal with critical issues as they arise.
- Drawing upon extensive experience across ICT disciplines and in-depth understanding of contemporary best practice principles, identifies emerging trends, risks and developments which may impact Partnerships and Programmes, and DDI; alerting and advising the General Manager on responses and what and when to escalate issues.
- Leads engagement across the DDI Group on strategic issues, to ensure the advice provided has buy-in and is practical and effective, establishing credibility through deep knowledge of ICT functions and by being a thought leader in the industry.
- Lead the promotion of consistent communication of the strategic direction and performance of Partnerships and Programmes through key contact points within DDI and wider MBIE.
- Lead and contribute to projects as required on behalf of the Partnerships and Programmes Branch.
Relationship Management
Manage constructive working relationships with work colleagues and external stakeholders to enhance understanding and cooperation needed to achieve desired results.
- Participates as an active team member and contributes knowledge and expertise needed to achieve MBIE’s outcomes.
- Develops effective working relationships with others in the Ministry 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, in order 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.
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 position reports into the General Manager within the Partnerships and Programmes branch. The branch sits within the Digital, Data & Insights 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
