Senior Policy Advisor

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini

Success is not the work of one, but the work of many.

Te Haeata/The Opportunity

Do you want to work on inquiries of high public importance? Do you care about strengthening people's trust in the law of Aotearoa New Zealand?

We are seeking a proactive and experienced Senior Policy Advisor to work in our Inquiries Response Team here at Te Tāhū o te Ture - the Ministry of Justice.

The Inquiries Response Team sits within the Civil and Constitutional Unit, and manages the Ministry's response to three Inquiries:

• the Waitangi Tribunal's Te Rau o te Tika: The Justice System Inquiry
• the Waitangi Tribunal's Constitutional, Self-Government and Electoral System Inquiry
• the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19.

The Team also administers claimant funding on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

Senior Advisors are responsible for contributing and leading the development of high-quality work across the Inquiries Response Team to support the Ministry to deliver on its obligations to these Inquiries.

Successful candidates are appointed to the Policy Group.

Ō pūkenga/Skills and Experience

To be successful in this role you will:

• possess excellent verbal and written communication skills
• excel at relationship management
• have excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities
• be able to contribute to multiple pieces of work concurrently and actively
• independently plan and manage your workload
• have experience providing advice in a public sector organisation and demonstrable experience in a relevant field
• have an understanding of the Waitangi Tribunal's processes, particularly in relation to Kaupapa Inquiries, and other Inquiries' processes
• have an understanding of, and be committed to, the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi
• have an understanding of, and experience with, te Ao Māori and tikanga.

A tertiary degree in law and relevant experience working with the law would also be useful.

Mō mātou/About us

At Te Tāhū o te Ture - the Ministry of Justice, we're committed to strengthening people's trust in the law of Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The Policy Group is focused on making New Zealand a safe and just society. We are committed to honouring our commitments under te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Joining Te Tāhū o te Ture means you will become part of an organisation that welcomes and supports people of all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, disabilities and religions.

Ngā painga o tēnei wāhi mahi/What's great about working here

We offer you a range of benefits to support your wellbeing and help make the Ministry a great place to be. These include:

• 4.4 weeks holiday leave
• an online professional development portal
• access to a variety of inclusive and proactive networks

See our full range of benefits here.

With a wide range of jobs, you also get the chance to gain a variety of skills and experience while developing your career.

Utu ā-tau/Salary

The appointing salary for this role will be between $111,766 and $154,680 based on skills and experience.

Tono mai/Apply

To apply, click the Apply button below to be directed to our Careers Website. You can view a detailed position description here, as well as complete an online application form by attaching your CV and cover letter.

Applications close on Wednesday 4 June; however, we will be reviewing CVs as they come in and inviting successful candidates to interview before the close date.

The next stage of the recruitment process will involve a written policy-based exercise and a competency-based formal interview with a three-person panel. We expect to hold interviews in the week of 9 June 2025.

For a confidential discussion about the role please get in touch with Lauren Keenan, Policy Manager, Inquiries (lauren.keenan@justice.govt.nz)

If you have any recruitment related questions, please contact recruitment@justice.govt.nz

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