Permanent and fixed-term opportunities available at the National Office - Wellington

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

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

Te whiwhinga mahi/The Opportunity

We have permanent and fixed-term opportunities in the Justice Policy Group at the Senior Policy Adviser level to work on policy projects that will lead to change in the justice system.

Mō te mahi / About the role

The roles available are in various Policy Group teams, including the Family Law, the Electoral and Constitutional, the Courts System, the Victims policy teams. As current projects finish, and new ones become available, the opportunity to work across multiple disciplinary teams within the policy group will be available.

The Family Law policy team is focused on improving policy and legislative settings to protect and support the well-being of children and families, and a family justice system that enables people to resolve disputes.

The Electoral and Constitutional policy team provides advice on our constitutional arrangements and our democratic structures, and the processes by which we choose our elected leaders and rights related to protecting the privacy of New Zealanders.

The Courts System policy team provides policy advice that supports the effective and efficient operation of our courts and coronial systems. This includes advising on key constitutional principles, such as judicial independence, procedural fairness, and open justice, and working closely with the judiciary, legal profession and other stakeholders.

The Victims Team is preparing advice on what it might take to shift to a victim-centric justice system, supporting other policy teams to bring victims justice needs to the centre of their advice, and coordinating the Ministry's victim-centric initiatives. The team is also working closely with the Justice Sector Directorate to deliver new ways of working for justice sector agencies with responsibilities to victims.

Successful candidates are appointed to the Policy Group but can express a preference for which team they are placed in.

He pūkenga tou / Skills and experience

Senior Policy Advisors in the Policy Group lead, coach and support others and drive strong relationships with key stakeholders.

To be successful in this role you will:

• Have strong relationship management skills and experience in engaging with diverse internal and external stakeholders, both learning from and influencing their perspectives
• Be able tothink analytically and critically, find complex problems interesting, and have a knack for solving them.
• Be an excellent communicator, able to write clearly and simplify complex information, and ask questions to improve your understanding
• Be able to apply a Te Tiriti framework to policy thinking
• Extensive knowledge and understanding of the machinery of Government and public policy

Experience with the legislative process or a legal background would be an advantage but is not essential.

For the Family Law roles, we would particularly welcome candidates who have experience in Family Law policy or practice.

Ko wai mātou/Who we are

At Te Tāhū o te Ture - the Ministry of Justice, we're committed to working together for a fair and safe Aotearoa.

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.

He aha ngā painga o tēnei mahi mōu/Why you will enjoy working here

We will:

• Provide you with the mentoring and support to help you grow your knowledge and develop your skills
• Be open to discussing flexible working options with you
• Prioritise your health and well-being within a supportive and inclusive work environment

Utu ā-tau/Salary

The appointing salary for a Senior Policy Advisor is between $103,540 - $135,211, based on skills and experience.

Tono mai/How to Apply

Apply now 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 23 March 2023. We will review CVs as they come in and may invite successful candidates to interview before the closing date. Please indicate in your cover letter whether you are seeking permanent or fixed-term employment.

For a confidential discussion about the role please get in touch with:

• Naomi Stephen-Smith, Policy Manager, Family Law (Naomi.Stephen-Smith@justice.govt.nz)
• Hayley Denoual, Policy Manager, Electoral and Constitutional (Hayley.Denoual@justice.govt.nz)
• Ben Sims, Policy Manager, Courts System (Ben.Sims@justice.govt.nz)
• Lison Harris, Policy Manager, Victims (Lison.Harris@justice.govt.nz)

If you have any recruitment related questions, please contact via email.