Principal Advisor Operational Policy (fixed term)

• Join the Te Amorangi Mātauranga Matua Operational Policy whanau during an exciting time of large scale and meaningful change taking place in the careers and education sector
• Bring policy and strategy to life through cooperative implementation design
• Have significant impact, building collaborative partnerships to lead work, and coach and mentor team members
• $118k - 138k+, depending on experience.

The TEC - Te Amorangi Mātauranga Matua is a small Crown agency with a big job to do - ensuring New Zealanders have the skills and the knowledge they need to build a great life, and ensure New Zealand thrives. We invest $3 billion annually across the tertiary education and careers system.

Our Operational Policy team designs operational policy to implement government strategies and priorities with impact across tertiary education, careers and the lives of New Zealanders.

We're seeking a Principal Advisor to join our collaborative and supportive team to take the lead on complex operational policy work, as well as the ongoing management of our detailed funding policy settings and conditions.

This is a fixed-term contract or secondment role until 05 May 2023.

What could you be doing?

As a Principal Advisor in the team, you will work closely with others, both contributing to and leading work. 

You will be involved in design and advice relating to the implementation of policy and strategies. Your mahi will be varied, including a mix of the following:

• Leading key operational policy work, including advice, design and implementation, across a range of projects and strategic priorities
• Guiding, coaching, and mentoring team members to deliver successfully as a team
• Project managing to plan and scope work, meet deadlines and identify risks and issues
• Developing and implementing service approaches, funding conditions and operational policy rules
• Developing technical guidelines and using effective communication to implement change
• Working across the business and with other agencies, collaborating and influencing to develop fit-for-purpose operational policy solutions

What can you bring to the role?

The skills and experience required to achieve these tasks successfully, including:

• Experience leading and managing  operational policy projects with significant impact and scale, with a focus on implementation
• Ability to coach and mentor advisors to build capability and achieve great outcomes
• Excellent relationship skills, including negotiation and influence
• Excellent written skills and experience of writing for a range of audiences
• Experience navigating ambiguity, and working across a business and with multiple organisations
• Political savvy, and a skill for finding simplicity within complexity
• An inquisitive and collaborative mind-set, always with the customer and outcomes in mind.
• Experience within a funding environment would be ideal  

What will you get in return?

• An opportunity to join a team that has a significant impact on our education and careers systems
• A supportive manager and team, keen to make the most of your skill set to achieve outcomes for New Zealand
• Collaborative and engaging culture with an active social club
• $118k - 138k+, depending on experience
• A wide range of benefits including flexible working options