General Manager
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Tēnei tūranga – About the role
The General Manager Science System Investment and Performance is a management and leadership position in MBIE. The General Manager Science System Investment and Performance will bring their business understanding and perspective to work in partnership with senior managers on all aspects of strategic organisational development, change leadership and people management.
The role is responsible for leading the Science System Investment and Performance branch, which makes and manages scientific investments to meet New Zealand’s economic, social and environmental goals.
The General Manager is responsible for building and enhancing the overall capability of the Science System Investment and Performance branch, including building capability in partnering with Māori, to ensure quality and consistency of advice and practices in relation to policy areas they are responsible for.
Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role
Personal specifications
- Extensive working knowledge of a broad range of processes related to the operations of the public sector and government
- A solid understanding of the key influences on the New Zealand economy and the role of science in improving New Zealand’s lasting prosperity and wellbeing.
- Experience of Crown responsibilities under te Tiriti o Waitangi / Treaty of Waitangi, and the aspirations and needs of Māori.
- Ability to lead complex programmes over a range of specialist areas taking into account both strategic and operational needs, including the design and delivery of performance monitoring systems.
- Ability to lead and develop diverse teams and different specialisations to deliver on the group’s expectations.
- Extensive experience at a senior level managing people, finances and resources.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with Ministers, senior public service officials, internal and external stakeholders.
- Credibility with the science sector based on knowledge, understanding and experience of the key issues, people and challenges.
- Ability to manoeuvre though complex political situations effectively and efficiently and to keep inquiring and learning under extreme pressure or in situations with high ambiguity.
- Experience working in a policy and service delivery agency where partnership with Māori communities, iwi, hapū and key Māori organisations are prioritised.
Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables
Strategy
- Develops the Science System Investment and Performance function as a centre of leadership and expertise for the Ministry, and an exemplar of best practice for both the public service and the wider New Zealand labour and business markets.
- Develops a customer focused culture across the branch.
Collective Leadership
- Participates collaboratively as a member of the Labour, Science, Enterprise Leadership Team to support the culture of LSE and ensure the development of sustainable organisational capability to deliver on strategic goals.
- Takes collective responsibility for the cohesion and performance of MBIE as a whole and provides peer support to other senior managers.
- Works with the Labour, Science, Enterprise leadership team to define the outcomes and outputs expected from the Group to deliver on MBIE’s strategic direction.
- Contributes beyond core functional area to enhance overall effectiveness of the Labour, Science, Enterprise Group and related work in MBIE.
- Ensures consistency and alignment between different teams in MBIE and promotes solution seeking where there are legitimate differences.
- Represents senior leadership team views to staff.
Personal Leadership
- Models exemplary management and leadership behaviours, and State sector ethics and values.
- Creates a sense of vision, communicates future direction, engages and motivates people to participate, and makes things happen.
- Fosters an open, collaborative environment that encourages quality, innovation, on-going learning and knowledge sharing.
General Management
- Develops strategies, work programmes and performance targets for Science System Investment and Performance, with supporting measurement, monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
- Manages the core functions of the branch:
- Planning from high level strategy and policy through to awarding contracts and requests for proposals;
- Selection; designing and running processes to select which proposals will be funded, e.g.peer review, recommendation papers, and Science Board decisions;
- Monitoring to ensure that research delivers contracted outputs, that they are of high quality and have impact.
- Processes include reviewing annual reports and contract reviews and managing third party relationships e.g. the Royal Society;
- Evaluating; understand the value created by the investment through sound information and analysis to inform future planning
- Aligns Science System Investment and Performance work programmes with MBIE’s strategic direction and other Groups’ work programmes.
- Leads the work needed to ensure the Crown is well positioned to deliver on its responsibilities under te Tiriti o Waitangi / Treaty of Waitangi in the research, science and innovation system.
- Monitors and adjusts work programmes through the agreed processes to enable the Science System Investment and Performance branch, to adapt to changing circumstances.
- Manages expenditure and resources in line with approved guidelines, budget, deadlines and reporting requirements, with a focus on driving cost effectiveness in the Ministry.
- Builds continuous review and improvement throughout all elements of Science Investments Branch operations and develops a customer focused culture across the branch.
- Effectively and consistently identifies and manages risk. Identifies and develops talent for key roles in the Science System Investment and Performance branch
Relationship Management
- Ensures the branch presents a visible and credible face to the sector, based in an understanding of science and the players in the science sector, and an ability to put the puzzle together at a strategic level.
- Drives communication and collaboration to ensure regular sharing of information, challenges and sector intelligence within the branch, across MBIE, and with users and research organisations.
- Supports the development of MBIE’s strategic alliances with Māori across the research, science and innovation system.
- Has the ability to build and strengthen strong relationships and knows how to navigate appropriately across iwi, hapū and Māori organisations.
- Participates as an active team member and contributes knowledge and expertise needed to achieve MBIE’s outcomes.
- Develops effective working relationships with other MBIE managers and staff in order to transfer knowledge and learning from Science Investments to the wider organisation.
- Represents whole-of-Ministry views and protects its reputation in external interactions.
- Achieves Ministerial confidence with Ministers and stakeholders actively seeking MBIE advice and support in times of difficulty.
- 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 build open and constructive information sharing and knowledge about the Science System 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).
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 General Manager Science System Investment and Performance position reports into the Deputy Secretary Labour, Science and Enterprise within the Labour, Science and Enterprise group.
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
