Graduate Policy Advisor
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Tēnei tūranga – About the role
The Graduate Policy Advisor is a team member position with a growth and development focus. This position is designed to provide learning opportunities to build understanding of policy frameworks, theory, and principles as foundations to a policy career.
The Graduate Policy Advisor assists with gathering evidence, analysing policy issues, developing policy options, and preparing policy advice through contributing to smaller, well-defined pieces of policy work or assisting in larger projects where others have the accountability for the delivery of outputs.
Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role
Personal specifications
- Must have the ability to legally live and work in New Zealand.
Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables
Policy activities and tasks
- Reflects government priorities in policy advice.
- Applies basic frameworks, principles, tools, and approaches to the analysis of policy issues.
- Applies clear logic and objective reasoning to analyse policy issues.
- Assists in gathering, interpreting, and summarising relevant information and evidence.
- Stars to build a base of content knowledge.
- Supports engagement with delivery agencies and internal and external stakeholders and other government agencies.
- Helps to develop policy options.
- Assists with preparing policy advice papers that are clear, accurate, well-reasoned and are targeted to the audience.
Policy knowledge and skills
- Can see connections within the policy area in the medium term and can understand policy issues in the wider context and policy system.
- Can use basic frameworks and tools of policy analysis.
- Can apply clear logic and objective reasoning to draw inferences and come to conclusions based on available evidence.
- Can draw on knowledge of the policy area, and information from multiple and diverse sources.
- Can seek and understand different perspectives.
- Can identify the pros and cons of policy options.
- Understands and applies basic policy project management processes.
- Has basic understanding of and ability to follow policy and machinery of government processes.
- Can communicate effectively.
Work management
- Works with close guidance and supervision.
- Assists project leaders with project planning and project management by contributing deliverables on time and keeping abreast of project milestones and interdependencies.
- Manages own workload with assistance from Manager or more senior Policy Advisor.
Capability development
- Takes responsibility for own professional development and seeks opportunities to learn.
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
It is a requirement that MBIE Graduate Policy Advisors work across different specialty areas to support their development and to meet MBIE’s needs, and therefore your reporting Manager may change from time to time.
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
