Risk and Verification Manager (Offshore)

Tēnei tūranga – About the role

The Risk and Verification Manager is accountable for providing quality risk and verification intelligence and information to inform quality visa decision making. The Risk and Verification Manager leads a team of verification officers and is responsible for improving consistency and quality of risk and verification activity.

The Risk and Verification Manager will work closely with CRIS and SPA, as well as with our Migration Five Partners, in each location, and onshore risk and verification analysts and senior advisors.

A key focus of the role will be on leading and driving the risk and verification processes, practices, tools and activity in the region.

• Providing assurance to the Assistant General Managers, Head of Operations, and other Offshore Risk and Verification Managers on the overall 'health' of systems.
• Inputting into system design for wider INZ risk-related systems and tools
• Leading implementation of new risk-related systems and tools
• Driving quality performance and consistent practices across the verification network and wider business
• Overseeing the relationship and interaction with the Visa Application Centre (VAC).

Ngā herenga – Requirements of the role

Personal specifications

• Good understanding of the operations of Immigration New Zealand Visa Services
• An ability to establish best practice risk and verification systems, processes, tools and practices
• Experience and understanding of New Zealand Visa Services and Intelligence Operations and relevant legislation, policies and procedures and the ability to apply this knowledge in international contexts
• Good understanding of Immigrants New Zealand and Visa Services roles in NZ Inc
• High-level experience in working with other agencies to achieve Immigrations New Zealand outcomes
• An ability to assimilate key information, identity issues, represent and articulate Visa Services and Immigration New Zealand interests at high levels in a range of settings from one on one to formal international meetings
• Knowledge of the Immigration business environment, Immigration policy, the context in which INZ operates and the operations, objectives and philosophies of INZ
• Sound understanding of the intelligence cycle and its practical application in an operational environment
• A working knowledge of security in the government sector and management of classified information
• Proven ability to manage immigration risk at strategic levels
• Ability to quickly assimilate new information or areas of work
• Can-do attitude
• Ability to quickly establish and build strong working relationships
• Good communication skills
• Understanding of MBIE and where the team fits in delivering outcomes for the Ministry
• A working knowledge of security in the government sector and management of classified information
• Having the managerial courage to speak up
• Positive and constitutive disposition
• Bringing a broader perspective and horizon to build business leadership
• Relevant tertiary qualification is preferred and/or extensive and comparable experience immigration, law enforcement or risk management
• Must hold or gain Immigration Designation (Immigration "Warrant")
• The ability to gain and maintain a national security clearance as required
• Must be a NZ citizen or hold a residence class visa (if the role is located in New Zealand)
• Must have the legal right to live and work in the country in which this position resides (if the role is located outside of New Zealand).

Takohanga tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables

Intelligence and Information

• Support and drive the system and champion risk leadership
• Identify intelligence/information analysis requirements for the region
• Provide input into development of INZ Strategic Intelligence Assessment (SIA) to support CRIS/wider business
• Lead collection plan design, planning and processes for the region
• Manager stakeholder relationships to contribute to INZ collection priorities
• Collect and report information/data (aligned with INZ priorities) using appropriate forms and reporting mechanisms
• Disseminate information effectively
• Manage information sensitively in accordance with appropriate security requirements
• Develop an intelligence culture within the business – includes ensuring verification staff understand their role in the collection, dissemination and use of information
• Proactively identify areas of risk.

Environmental Scanning

• Maintain accurate risk and value environmental awareness for region – which is current and future focused
• Gather and provide information and business intelligence, market risk and integrity issues
• Identify opportunities to improve service delivery and quality decision-making
• Proactively develop and maintain the market environmental scans for the region
• Identify and analyse region related risk, integrity issues and emerging trends
• Provide monthly risk updates to the reporting manager.

External Assurance

• Maintain independent oversight of design and health of external risk management and third-party audit systems for the region
• Ensure external systems and controls are robust e.g. third party information sharing arrangements
• Provide assurance to the Assistant General Manager (Risk & Verification) that local external assurance systems are operating as intended
• Maintain oversight of assurance checks for some identified third party providers, particularly for potential high risk areas e.g. third party verification providers or industry partners
• Overseeing the relationship and interaction with the VAC.

Internal Capability Building

• Input into development/design of tools to enhance decision-making for region and wider business
• Build capability of verification officers.

Risk Assessment and Management

• Act as key interface for risk profiling triage and business rules for the region
• Lead implementation of any new risk profiling or triage systems
• Monitor regional risk management and internal control activities
• Oversee market verification.

Technical Specialist/Leadership

• Act as specialist lead on all risk-related matters for region
• Represent wider INZ interests – both externally and internally
• Develops and oversees best practice verification systems, processes, practice and tools for the region – and manage 'verification officers' at local offices
• Manage immigration risk and verification at both operational and strategic levels.

Visa Application Centre Management

• Provide day-to-day management of operations including:
  • Reconciliation of payments
  • Providing feedback of Visa Application Centres in regard to data entry, format of paper file, management of queries and complaints.

Market Analysis and Reporting

• Monitor and escalate emerging trends in relation to markets and risks (e.g. risk profile development)
• Liaise with representatives from key sectors, immigration agents and local partners (e.g. Migration Five and airlines) to capture relevant intelligence/information – within their local market area
• Provide key inputs and insights for analysis of trends and strategy development – for their processing site
• Be responsible for the site’s risk register.

Relationship Management

• Represent Visa Services as required e.g. in relation to project initiatives
• Play a critical role working across Visa Services and Immigration New Zealand, supporting NZ Inc. in markets
• Build contacts for day-to-day operational support requirements e.g. to support local verification (capture information centrally/build databases of relevant information)
• Act as brand ambassador for Visa Services in markets representing INZ with international partners
• Establish key external relationships e.g. with local and Migration Five partners; third party providers and other government agencies to:
  • Contribute to the development of co-operation with host government
  • Proactively access information, trends, intelligence in region – that is relevant to Collection Plans
  • Share information with other partners and promote New Zealand's role as a Migration Five partner
  • Leverage their information to support Immigration New Zealand decision making.

Staff Management

• Accountable for staff management of verification roles in their location, including recruitment, induction, performance management, staff development, disciplinary and administrative functions
• Establish clear accountabilities, expectations and performance standards with direct reports and ensure regular performance management and development occurs
• Monitors and manages on-going performance of their team
• Actively manages poor performance
• Create and supports a team culture that is customer focused, proactive and consistent with the values of the Ministry and inspire staff and teams to deliver high level performance.

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 Risk and Verification Manager position reports into the Manager Onshore Risk and Verification within the Verification and Compliance branch. The branch sits within the Immigration New Zealand group.

More information about MBIE's structure

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