Private Secretary

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Private Secretary is responsible for the delivery of effective and efficient service to the Minister, the Senior Private Secretary, other Ministerial office staff and wider Parliamentary staff as required, as well as MBIE and other Agencies for which the Minister has portfolio responsibility and their officials. The role is a challenging one; however, it also offers a unique opportunity to work at the most senior level of government alongside Ministers, their staff and senior agency officials.

The private secretary has a thorough understanding about the ministerial portfolio and helps to initiate and drive the flow of work. The role is pitched at a range of levels, depending on the ministerial portfolio and the Minister’s expectations, and it may comprise:

• A senior position which plays a key role in providing support to the Minister and managing the relationship between the Minister’s office and MBIE.
• An administrative, coordination role responsible for administrative support to the Minister and provides a link with MBIE.
• A technical position that provides technical advice about an area of expertise to the Minister and provides a link with MBIE.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Able to manage workflow on behalf of MBIE and the Minister with flexibility and sound judgement to respond to changing and evolving priorities and ensure deadlines are met
• Able to react quickly to assess situations, synthesise information and make judgement calls in order to deliver at short notice
• Excellent relationship management skills and ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders and influence without authority
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and can represent the portfolio confidently and competently
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated teamwork approach to ensure continuity and quality of systems and processes
• Strong commitment to "make a difference" through the provision of effective and appropriate support and advice
• Able to work autonomously, demonstrates self-motivation and is calm, focussed and resilient under pressure

Qualifications and other requirements

• A tertiary qualification in a relevant discipline (e.g. economics, law, public policy)
• Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand
• Ability to gain and maintain a “Confidential” security clearance

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Critical areas of success

The Private Secretary will be required to deliver results in the following areas:

• Direct support to the Minister through the provision of advice and related executive support services, and by fostering the relationship between the Ministry and the Minister
• Working to the Minister on a day-to-day basis by anticipating the Minister’s needs and act to prevent any problems arising. This includes ensuring “no surprises”
• Is responsible for clearly communicating the Minister's views and decisions back to the Ministry and other relevant stakeholders
• Managing the workflow between the Minister’s office and the Ministry by having oversight of Ministerial requests and directives, arranging meetings and briefings with Ministry and other Agencies, and ensuring all relevant correspondence is efficiently managed including parliamentary questions and Official Information Act requests
• Seeks opportunities to streamline processes relating to the management of the portfolio and implements efficiencies as required
• Participates effectively in discussions with other team members in the Minister’s office on relevant issues

Managing assigned tasks and projects and working with Ministry and other Agency officials and/or stakeholders

• Takes responsibility for all issues and tasks within portfolio area
• Collaborates and fosters trust within the Ministry (and relevant agencies) and keeps relevant stakeholders informed
• Undertakes horizon scanning to identify potential problems and/or risks well in advance. Is able to make judgement calls as to the potential scale and impact of those problems/risks and proposes solutions to officials
• Actively seeks opportunities to transfer relevant knowledge and information within the Minister’s office area and to other staff across the Branch and Ministry. Plans and manages a range of complex issues
• Knows when to work alone and when to seek advice or collaborate on issues.

Relationship management

• Builds strong and effective relationships with the Minister, Senior Private Secretary and staff in the Minister’s office
• Influences relevant people in the Minister’s office or MBIE when there is a need for changes in direction and/or approach
• Actively builds and manages a network of contacts within Parliament, MBIE, other Agencies and other external portfolio stakeholders
• Establishes and maintains a position of confidence and trust for staff in Cabinet Office and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Policy Advisory Group, and can confidently relate the views of the Minister and/or the Ministry as required
• Builds strong relationships with Ministers and staff in other offices, particularly where there is a need for close co-ordination due to common or overlapping portfolio interests
• Develops strong working relationships with private secretaries whose role it is to provide services for Crown Entities connected with the portfolio, including those where MBIE is not the monitoring agency
• Demonstrates and encourages others to display MBIE values when communicating with stakeholders.
• Engages well, is credible, knowledgeable and can communicate effectively with all stakeholders, and is responsive to their needs.

Undertaking robust policy research and analysis

• Takes a forward looking and proactive strategic approach
• Understands wider environment in which Ministry operates and makes linkages to other areas within the Ministry and Branch where possible
• Understands and follows standard policy development protocols and Cabinet requirements
• Communicates effectively with clarity, authority and in a way that is appropriate to audience
• Rapidly and accurately interprets complex information and identifies key issues and opportunities to provide advice to the Minister, in consultation with the Ministry if required
• Seeks opportunities to implement new ideas and approaches – and in particular, provides feedback to the Ministry on how advice could be improved to better meet the Minister’s needs and expectations
• Development of expertise in subject matter and knowledge of institutional practice.

Self-management

• Actively participates in discussions on own performance and career development
• Models the desired values and culture of the organisation
• Willingly shares knowledge and expertise within the team and with others in the organisation
• Acts with honesty and integrity
• Welcomes feedback and is receptive to input from others

Technical advice and/or administrative support

• Provides technical advice as required concerning a specific area of expertise.
• Provide administrative coordination and support.

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 Ministerial Private Secretary position reports to the manager responsible for the portfolio that sits within the Building, Resources and Markets 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