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Seeking Senior Policy Advisor central government

Your briefing could be on a Minister's desk by Friday.

 Some policy roles are about keeping things moving. This one is about moving things forward.

We're looking for an experienced Senior Policy Advisor who can tackle complex problems, challenge the obvious answer and turn uncertainty into clear, practical advice for senior decision-makers.

You'll work where policy, legislation, evidence and competing interests collide — where good judgement matters as much as good analysis.

The role

You'll take ownership of significant policy work from problem definition through to recommendations and implementation.

You'll:

·         Lead complex, end-to-end policy projects and develop practical options and recommendations

·         Draft and review Cabinet papers, ministerial briefings and talking points

·         Interpret and contribute to legislative and regulatory frameworks, including statutory matters, advocacy, planning and permissions

·         Assess evidence, impacts, risks and trade-offs, providing independent review and challenge

·         Build effective relationships across government and with diverse stakeholders

·         Apply Te Ao Māori perspectives and Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles through collaborative policy development and consultation

This is policy at the sharp end.

 You'll be trusted with the difficult stuff — the messy problem, the incomplete information, the competing priorities and the piece of legislation that needs picking apart.

This is a role for someone who doesn't need every answer handed to them before they start. They know how to find the answer.

About you

You'll ideally bring 5+ years' experience in policy, with experience at Senior Policy Advisor or strong Policy Advisor level within central or local government.

 You'll bring:

• A sound understanding of legislative and regulatory frameworks, with experience interpreting and applying legislation

• Strong analytical and critical-thinking capability, with the ability to identify meaningful options, risks and trade-offs

• Experience in statutory matters, including advocacy, planning and permissions

• Exceptional written communication and confidence providing advice to senior decision-makers

• Strong stakeholder and relationship-management skills, including experience working with diverse stakeholders

• The ability to apply Te Ao Māori perspectives and Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles through policy development and consultation

• You must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.

Ready to make your policy work count?

If you want to do more than produce good policy papers — if you want your analysis and judgement to influence what happens next — we'd like to hear from you.

Apply with your CV.