Principal Engagement Advisor
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Tēnei Tūranga – About the role
The Principal Engagement Advisor delivers high-level strategic stakeholder engagement advice and services for the Partnerships and Engagement Team within Workplace, Safety and Security. Working alongside key stakeholders and other specialists such as Change Managers and Project Managers, the Principal Engagement Advisor is accountable for the development and delivery of relevant engagement and communication plans. This may include team leadership, business case development, strategic development, stakeholder engagement and communications delivery planning, scheduling and monitoring. They also need to adhere to relevant MBIE-specific project management disciplines including governance, reporting and documentation.
This Principal role requires an experienced stakeholder engagement and communications professional able to think on their feet, manage effectively and show leadership. The role demands that the Principal Engagement Advisor achieves and maintains a high level of credibility and trust across their client group all while displaying good judgement, consistency, strategic thinking and expertise in all communications and engagement matters.
The Principal Engagement Advisor is expected to fully understand their client Business Group needs while providing strong linkages back into the Partnerships and Engagement Team to create a seamless client service.
Ngā Herenga – Requirements of the role
Experience
- A proven track record of experience and achievement in the strategic management of significant and complex issues and opportunities.
- Extensive experience in communications strategy development, and in the design and delivery of various communication media channels.
- Demonstrated experience in controlling, monitoring and evaluating the content of communication products to ensure quality, consistency and accessibility of messages.
- Proven ability to use, and provide advice on, a mix of engagement, digital and marketing systems and tools to provide effective engagement solutions.
- Proven ability to work closely with project delivery staff to ensure that the customer experience is understood and reflected.
- Proven ability to help define engagement needs and advise on most effective communication strategy, methods and channels.
Knowledge
- Wide ranging knowledge of media, communications and stakeholder engagement disciplines and processes including latest development in communications practices.
- Understanding of Government decision-making and operating procedures.
- Knows how to measure the effectiveness of messages and can assess the costs and benefits of different channels and media.
- A high level of understanding and appreciation of the political landscape and wider Government communication priorities.
- An understanding of how to map customers/stakeholders by using appropriate analysis tools.
Skills
- A demonstrated ability to take a strategic approach to media management and internal communications practices for Property related projects.
- Can identify key media trends and their impact on customers and the Partnerships and Engagement Teams engagement strategies.
- Displays authoritative, clear and sensitive spokesmanship.
- Able to have robust and resilient conversations when needed.
- A tertiary qualification, preferably in a related area (PR, communications, journalism) and/or extensive and comparable relevant experience.
- Must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.
Takohanga Tuhinga o mua – Key accountabilities and deliverables
Delivers quality results
- Provide strategic advice and high level input into project planning and strategies.
- Undertake proactive internal communications planning; and risk and issues management for the Partnerships and Engagement Team.
- Work with other members of the Partnerships and Engagement Team to develop and deliver specific internal customer engagement strategies and tools.
Relationship Management.
- Facilitate cross- MBIE strategic integration of business communication activity. Support integration and strategic alignment of the planning and prioritization of the business communication activity through phasing and bundling of release
- Proactively manage engagement and relationships with key internal and external stakeholders (including differing Iwi and mana whenua).
- Participates as an active team member and contributes knowledge and expertise needed to achieve MBIE’s outcomes.
- Develops effective working relationships with senior MBIE managers and staff in order to transfer knowledge and learning from the team to the wider organisation.
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.
Contributing to team capability
- Assist with development of a high-functioning team with a reputation for conceiving and delivering user needs.
- Help develop a culture and behaviours that encourage discovery, innovation, cross-team collaboration and learning, and dependable delivery.
- Identifies gaps in the team and advises on options for addressing these.
- Supports and adopts best practice change initiatives.
- Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and innovation and offer suggestions for improving current systems and procedures.
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 Engagement Advisor reports into the Director Partnerships and Engagement in the Workplace branch.
The Partnerships and Engagement team provides property related advice based on key engagement with the business and works closely with the Government Property Office for effective management, delivery and planning/ analytics of MBIE projects. The MBIE property portfolio includes office accommodation, MBIE owned property, and sub-leased (co-located) premises from / with other Crown agencies.
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
