Kaitohutohu Matua | Senior Advisor Policy - Te Piringa | Flexible

Job Description

2 roles – Fixed term or Secondment until 30 June 2026

The roles are fixed term position in response to increased demand within our high priority work programmes. We are surging in people and resources in response to these priorities.

Mō te tūranga mahi | About the role   

Te Piringa (the Treaty Commitments team) is responsible for negotiating Treaty settlement redress and co-ordinating the Ministry's participation in Treaty-related claims in the Waitangi Tribunal and Courts. Te Piringa also leads and supports engagement with Māori, including the National Iwi Chairs Forum, Te Tai Kaha and Post-Settlement Governance Entities.

These roles will support the team's work programme which includes:

• • Negotiating Treaty settlement redress with mandated groups
  • Implementing Treaty settlement commitments, including natural resource arrangements, accords and relationship agreements
  • Co-ordinating the Ministry's participation in Waitangi Tribunal inquiries and Court hearings
  • Fronting and supporting the Ministry's Treaty partner relationships   
  • Co-ordinating pan-iwi input to the Ministry's policy and legislative development.

Please note these are not standard Senior Advisor policy roles (as described in the Position Description).  They are unique positions that involve partnership working with Māori, providing strategic advice and operational support to Ministers and across the Ministry, and implementing Treaty settlement commitments.

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience   

• In-depth understanding of te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi
• Highly developed knowledge in:
  • the Treaty settlement process and Treaty settlement redress
  • the Waitangi Tribunal process and kaupapa inquiries
  • Māori Crown relations
  • te ao Māori perspectives, Māori rights and interests, and how they apply in policy design and
• Strong experience writing high-quality briefing papers and other material to support Ministers / senior-leaders, including co-ordinating and working through feedback from different sources
• Proficient leading and supporting complex cross-government policy development and implementation
• Experience conducting effective and timely engagement with Māori
• Solid understanding of the Government's priorities and the relevant political context that shapes decision-making
• Able to deliver a varied workload with competing priorities and join the dots across multiple workstreams.

Whānuitanga Utu ā-Tau | Salary range  

Salary range for the role is $110,501 to $134,128 pa.  Appointment within this range will be based on skills and experience.  

Ngā hua ka puta i te mahi ki MfE | Benefits of working at MfE  

• a flexible working approach to embrace a healthy work-life blend 
• agile ways of working, allowing you variety and challenges across the organisation as we work as ‘One MfE' 
• active employee networks including Māori Rōpū, Asian Network, Neurodivergent and Disability Networks, Women's Network, Tagata Moana (Pacific Peoples' Network), and Rainbow Network 
• opportunities for development and education.           

Check out other benefits of joining us and hear what our people say about Working at MfE | Ministry for the Environment.  

Tono ināianei | Apply now  

Apply directly by completing the online application form and submit your CV and cover letter.  Note: your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process, so please highlight how your experience relates to the key skills required for this role.     

If you require further information about this position please contact Ngaire Howes at Ngaire.howes@mfe.govt.nz .  The position description is available via our careers centre www.mfe.govt.nz/jobs.  

The location for this role is flexible which means you can work anywhere in New Zealand and there is an option to work from home.  As a flexible friendly employer, we are happy to discuss solutions that may work for you and the business.  We value and care about enabling our people to work in a way that means they can work at their best.   

We are committed to providing equal opportunities and actively strive to be a diverse organisation with an inclusive culture.  We actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply.  We are proud to be a Rainbow Tick and Gender Tick certified organisation and are committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for everyone.   

We want to ensure any accessibility needs you may have are well supported, so the recruitment process is fair and equitable for all.  Therefore, please let us know if there are any adjustments or support we can offer to make the recruitment process more accessible to you.  Please contact us at vacancy@mfe.govt.nz if you would like to discuss any accessibility needs you may have.  

You must have the right to live and work in New Zealand to apply for this role.  

Rā Katinga | Applications close:   Sunday, 31 August 2025