Principal Advisor Planning and Performance

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Principal Advisor Planning & Performance will lead coordinated group planning, reporting, and monitoring activities for Corporate and Digital Shared Services. They will bring both their business understanding and system perspective to work in partnership with their manager and other staff, to contribute to the leadership and operations of Planning, Risk & Assurance. They will ensure the quality and consistency of advice and practices.

This role has responsibility for the following key functions:

• Lead the development of Group strategy, business plans, monitoring, reporting, and continuous improvement activities
• Develop planning frameworks, tools, and associated reporting mechanisms.
• Establish business standards and processes that support effective and efficient delivery.
• Build and enhance the overall capability of the team to ensure quality and consistency of advice and practices
• Contribute to development of the Group operating model and strategic direction
• Identify issues and roadblocks, recommending potential opportunities and implementing practical solutions
• Develop key relationships and working closely with stakeholders and senior leaders within the organisation, including those with central planning, reporting, financial and strategy functions
• Provide business effectiveness and efficiency expertise
• Oversight of relevant ministerial correspondence and official information activities.

The role operates in a complex and evolving environment, where priorities, information and expectations may shift. The Principal Advisor is expected to work comfortably with ambiguity, take an iterative approach to planning and reporting, and progressively refine products as clarity emerges.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• In depth knowledge and experience in business planning and KPI/performance development
• Proven experience in the development of complex business planning and leading, managing and monitoring complex programmes of work
• A strategic and analytical thinker with the ability to connect strategy, planning and performance information (financial and non- financial) to support effective decision making
• Demonstrated ability to build deep, trusting working relationships quickly, including with senior leaders and peers, in order to deliver outcomes in complex and fast‑moving environments.
• Develops trust and engagement through personal advocacy and working collaboratively
• Proven ability to develop and maintain trust and credibility with senior stakeholders
• Highly skilled in influencing, shaping outcomes and achieving alignment without direct managerial authority, including across organisational boundaries.
• Comfortable working with ambiguity and incomplete information, using judgement to progress work iteratively while balancing pace, quality and risk.
• Demonstrated experience developing and refining plans, frameworks or reporting through multiple iterations in response to changing organisational needs
• Experienced in developing solutions to solve complex organisational problems, using in depth analysis and good judgement to select and apply/ recommend appropriate decisions
• Demonstrated experience in developing and maintaining an environment focussed on continuous improvement to enhance performance
• Excellent communication skills – both verbal and written particularly business writing and reporting
• Understanding of the Machinery of Government, including operating and decision-making procedures
• Knowledge and experience of governance and frameworks/models for planning and reporting
• Proven ability to proactively lead and build a sense of common purpose across the unit, actively looking for opportunities to build engagement and commitment within the group and across MBIE
• Strong ability to mentor and coach junior colleagues
• Excellent organisational and planning skills, with the ability to prioritise and deliver quality work

Prerequisites

• Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand
• Must consent to and satisfactorily complete a credit check
• Required to drive (no).
• Police vetting (yes).

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in a business or technology related discipline or equivalent experience

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Success in this role requires strong interpersonal judgement, comfort with uncertainty, and the ability to influence through trust and expertise rather than formal authority. The role demands openness to challenge, iterative delivery, and the confidence to adjust direction while maintaining strong stakeholder relationships.

Accountabilities and deliverables 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.

Coordinated planning, reporting, and monitoring

• Leads the development and maintenance of a framework for incorporating business strategy into Group and branch specific plans, ensuring that strategic outcomes are being delivered through effective planning and performance monitoring
• Leads the development of planning and reporting products that are fit‑for‑purpose at different stages of maturity, using iterative development and continuous improvement rather than one‑off ‘perfect’ solutions.
• Leads the development and maintenance of a calendar of internal and external planning, monitoring, and reporting activities
• Lead provision of advice, and coordinate completion of key planning activity
• Maintain a strategic overview of finances and investment, and provide advice to the Head of Office of the Deputy Secretary and Deputy Secretary
• Takes responsibility for projects that deliver Group input into central planning, performance, reporting, compliance, and continuous improvement processes
• Monitors the overall performance of the Group, working with managers to put in place business plans, Key Performance Indicators, and agree levels of service with other business groups
• Establishes and manages systems that allow the Group to prioritise demand, maintain an overview of all incoming work and ensure deadlines across the Branch are met
• Coordinates input into MBIE’s Statement Of Intent (SOI), Estimates, budget bids select committee hearings (Estimates examination and annual review), annual reports, Official Information Act (OIA) requests, Parliamentary Questions (PQs) and other external reporting requirements

Customer focus

• Delivers a customer-centric service to internal and external stakeholders
• Works to a high standard and always looks for ways to do things better
• Identifies the needs and expectations of customers
• Treats internal customers with the same courtesies they would extend to external customers
• Maintains professionalism

Relationship Management

• Builds and maintains constructive working relationships with others to enhance understanding and cooperation needed to achieve desired results and to identify and share best practice information
• Builds networks and works collaboratively with key internal and external stakeholders, acting as a representative of the Branch and Group where appropriate
• Assist the team in building of key relationships, facilitating information flows and understanding of issues
• Actively participates as a team member and contributes knowledge and expertise needed to achieve MBIE’s and Group outcomes
• Develops effective working relationships with other MBIE managers and teams, and agency partners to transfer knowledge and learning
• Represents whole-of-Ministry views and protects its reputation in any external interactions
• Reads the organisational context well and is able to pivot approach or direction while maintaining trust, momentum and stakeholder confidence.

Self-management

• Takes responsibility for own behaviour and is open to development
• Models positive behaviours, the values and culture of the organisation and the standards of Integrity and Conduct for the State Services
• Willingly shares knowledge, expertise and within the team and with others in the organisation.
• Acts with honesty and integrity
• Actively seeks out, receives and integrates robust feedback (written and verbal), including challenge from senior leaders and peers, to improve advice, planning products and ways of working.
• Demonstrates personal resilience and professional curiosity when receiving critical or conflicting feedback, and adapts approach accordingly without defensiveness
• Builds commitment to MBIE’s vision, mission, values and services
• Willingly undertakes any duty required within the context of the position
• Manages own personal health and safety, and takes appropriate action to deal with workplace hazards, accidents and incidents
• Complies with all legislative requirements
• Adheres to the Ministry’s and State Services Commission Codes of Conduct

Leadership

• Provides intellectual leadership by bringing new ideas and knowledge to discussions to provide sound, high quality, impartial options, and solutions
• Provides a sense of vision and leadership that motivates others to participate and make things happen
• Identifies opportunities and develops and implements approaches for the Branch to be more effective and efficient
• Supports the Group to operate effectively and efficiently, and delivers agreed outputs to support the achievement of MBIE outcomes
• Leads through credibility, relationships and quality of advice rather than positional authority, adjusting style and messaging to influence at pace in complex environments.
• Fosters an open, collaborative environment that encourages quality, innovation, ongoing learning and knowledge sharing.

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 Planning & Performance position reports into the Manager Group Planning & Performance within Corporate Shared Services branch. The branch sits within the Corporate and Digital Shared Services group.

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 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