Senior Advisor

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

Reporting to the Manager Strategy, Performance and Operations, the Senior Advisor is responsible for providing advice and supporting the system across all ministerial and parliamentary services.

In particular the Senior Advisor will assist in both managing and coordinating the Parliamentary accountability processes (Estimates Examination and Annual Review) for the Ministry which includes preparation of responses to written questions and support for Ministers and officials attending hearings, as well as contributing to the provision of advice to help support the operation of ministerial services throughout MBIE.  This includes supporting business groups to respond to ministerial service requests (e.g. Official Information Act requests).

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Experience and Knowledge

• Proven knowledge and wide experience across the Parliamentary and Select Committee accountability processes, and ministerial services systems, including a deep knowledge of the Official Information Act and Ombudsman guidelines.
• A strong understanding of the processes that underpin the operations of the public sector environment, including policy development, Cabinet and parliamentary processes, accountability, and reporting.
• A strategic analytical thinker who can make connections between various aspects of the organisation and is able to prepare a cohesive approach across the organisation.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and lead work through others to get to the best outcomes where direct reporting relationships do not exist.
• Understanding of Government decision-making and operating procedures.
• Proven ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of individuals and groups both internal and external to an organisation.
• Expertise and experience in project management.

Skills

• Displays authoritative, clear and sensitive spokesmanship.
• Able to have robust and resilient conversations when needed.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Coaching, mentoring and training experience.
• The ability to gain and maintain a national security clearance to Confidential level.
• Tertiary level education or equivalent work experience.
• Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Parliamentary and Ministerial Services processes and activities

• Supports the Principal Advisor, Parliamentary & Ministerial Services, in managing the Parliamentary and Select Committee accountability processes for Ministers and MBIE.
• Works as part of Ministerial Servicing in the development and maintenance of MBIE’s Ministerial correspondence, OIA and PQ frameworks and standards.
• Provides expert advice and guidance to business groups on official information requests, ombudsman complaint processes and Parliamentary and Select Committee accountability processes.
• Provide support to private secretaries as they move into minister’s office with aspects such as providing relevant training and gaining security clearance and passes.
• Preparing and running regular, targeted training for Ministry staff on dealing with OIAs and PQs (SMEs; decentralised writers) in order to increase quality of response and ensure consistency.

Quality and continuous improvement

• Demonstrates a commitment to excellence, supporting the Principal Advisors to create and drive monitoring systems, and reviewing and continuously improving Ministerial Servicing, select committee accountability and parliamentary processes in order to achieve efficient processes and customer satisfaction and buy-in.
• Implements quality assurance and peer review processes to make sure quality and time standards are met across work planning, monitoring, reporting and improving (“what do the reports tell us and how and where could this be improved”).
• Supports continuous improvement within the Branch and across MBIE.
• Supporting and facilitating the ministerial coordinator and writers’ community of practice for all MBIE ministerial servicing staff. This includes developing written guidelines and preparing and delivering training in high quality ministerial writing (online and face to face).

Work management

• Supports the development of ministerial and parliamentary services online training modules.
• Uses project planning and management techniques to effectively carry out the agreed work, using initiative to resolve most conflicts, manage risks and coordinate work with others.
• Works with some guidance on the overall objectives, within the resources available and provides timely reports on progress.
• Leads multiple pieces of work concurrently and actively and independently plans and manages work load.
• Chairs and contributes to meetings, including where matters are complex or sensitive, require negotiation or working towards solutions.

Relationship management

• Maintains relationships across a variety of functions and locations. Draws upon multiple relationships to exchange ideas, resources, and know how. Actively seeks to build and maintain a network of contacts.
• Develops strong relationships with business groups and Ministers’ offices in order to ensure consistency of approach.

Takes responsibility for own behaviour and is open to development

• Models positive behaviours.
• Models the desired values and culture of the organisation.
• Willingly shares knowledge, expertise and within the team and with others in the organisation.
• Acts with honesty and integrity.

Tō tūranga i roto i te Manatū – Your place in the Ministry

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 Senior Advisor, Parliamentary and Ministerial Services position reports to the Manager, Strategy, Performance and Operations.

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