Principal Strategy Advisor

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Strategy, Performance and Design (SPD) branch enables and empowers the functions of Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery (TWSD) to ensure that work is planned and prioritised in a way that will deliver on our strategic outcomes and in alignment to financial obligations. The SPD Branch is a centre of expertise, delivering a variety of specialised functions across TWSD. It brings clarity and robust advice to the way work is commissioned and governed.

Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery has 10 key priorities that they are seeking to deliver over the next three years. The Principal Strategy Advisor provides high quality, specialist strategic advice and support to the Senior Management Team in developing and shaping their strategic priorities and associated work programmes.

The Principal Strategy Advisor is responsible for:

• Partnering with the business to explore opportunities that will support attainment of strategic outcomes.
• Provides innovative and critical thought leadership in the development of future strategies and supporting scenarios and options planning, other key priority work programmes, action and business plans, recognised centre of excellence disciplines and best practice strategy frameworks.
• Identifies and advises the Senior Management Team on potential global matters of relevance or interest, new or emerging trends, best practice, innovative solutions, research, pilots or prototypes as they pertain to opportunities for inclusion in regulatory system strategy design.

We lead our work by setting ourselves up for success, so leading project management, applying sound engagement practices, developing content, and leading with design thinking principles contribute to the foundation of that success and these attributes are critical to the role. 

The Principal Strategy Advisor works closely with the Strategy and Planning teams to provide a vital link between several complex agendas by designing and delivering innovative ways to bring our work programme to life.

As the Strategy Team matures, the Principal Strategy Advisor will also contribute to identifying opportunities to play a key role in reviews of other project concept processes enhancing our reputation and optimising the wider value we deliver to the SPD branch.

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Proven ability to think strategically, develop frameworks and manage organisation wide systems and processes.
• A strong understanding of planning, performance and reporting, risk management, business continuity planning, continuous improvement, and assurance processes.
• A confident and active participant as an expert strategic advisor and influencer.
• Proactive, both as a leader and mentor.
• Strong Project or Programme Management experience.
• Pragmatic, solution focused, comfortable with ambiguity and change.
• Excellent political awareness and sensitivity to anticipate areas of potential risk and inform decision-making.
• A strong understanding of the machinery of government processes that underpin the operations of the public sector environment, accountability, and the performance, reporting and financial management regime.
• A strong comprehension of the Treaty of Waitangi and how the work we do in Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery intersects with te ao Māori.
• Excellent relationship management skills, with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels.
• Must have a tertiary qualification in a relevant subject or work experience equivalent.
• Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Business outcomes

• Acts as a key partner and connector/translator in strategy development for business units or division.
• Partners with responsible leads across TWSD to translate strategy development and alignment with strategic priorities for business units or division.
• Thinks holistically, to see the business as a whole and the key initiatives needed to guide the decisions people make in attainment of strategic outcomes.
• Provides advice and guidance to the team to ensure that strategy design methodologies and implementation frameworks are operationally sound, compliant and are proportionate and appropriate to enable success from the outset.
• Builds capability across the group and branch, both its strategic and technical capabilities, ensuring Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery maintains its reputation as a high performing team.

Strategy development and management

Plays an active role in the development of a fit for purpose approach to strategic advice, strategy development and ongoing management that includes:

• Ensures a thorough understanding of MBIE and TWSD Strategies and priorities, interpreting and confidently communicating this at a practical level to people leaders and their teams to ensure a shared understanding.
• Supports the Manager Strategy in the review of TWSD priorities and strategies, with the aim to obtain alignment and clarity across the Group.
• Plays an integral role in working closely with key stakeholders to understand challenges, opportunities and developments to better position advice, recommendations and develop achievable solutions.
• Leads the development of relevant strategies and plans in conjunction with key stakeholders, including senior leadership team.
• Works closely with responsible senior owners to ensure that strategic implications are fully understood, scoped and developed into recommendations for decision making, aligning key initiatives and interventions at an operational level.
• Ensures shared alignment of engagement activity to progress strategic objectives.
• Provides input into education and information requirements for the branch (and group).
• Ensures end-to-end implementation planning is robust and all phases of execution (including resourcing and capability) are positioned for successful delivery.

Relationship Management

• Recognised as a SME within the Ministry and the wider government community.
• Builds and maintains constructive working relationships with work colleagues, general managers, business managers, national managers, and other business advisors across TWSD to enhance understanding and co-operation needed to achieve desired results.
• Represents whole-of-Ministry views and protects its reputation in external interactions.
• 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 organisations/agencies to identify and share best practice information and to promote the Ministry, its products, and services.
• Maintains productive and enduring relationships with peers, stakeholders, and leaders ensuring communication is professional, clear, timely and built on trust.
• Participates as an active team member and contributes knowledge and expertise to business processes and decision-making.

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 Strategy Advisor position reports into the Manager Strategy within the Strategy, Performance and Design branch. The branch sits within the Te Whakatairanga Service Delivery 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