Assistant Comptroller, National Security and Operational Readiness

NZ Customs; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 273,000 - 314,000; Full time

Job summary

The New Zealand Customs Service is seeking a senior operational leader to join its Operations Management Team as Assistant Comptroller, National Security and Operational Readiness. Based in Wellington, this role shapes readiness to meet national security threats and to modernise border capability.

You will lead engagement with national security partners, direct investment and capability development, and ensure the workforce, technology and data support frontline operations.

Qualifications

• Top Secret security clearance required.
• Wellington-based role with senior leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead Customs’ contribution to New Zealand’s national security system, including engagement, operational response and emergency management preparedness.
• Maintain effective relationships and alignment with central agencies and national security partners.
• Provide direction and assurance across innovation, investment, and capability development initiatives, ensuring proposals are evidence-based, well scoped and deliverable in frontline environments.
• Ensure response teams can rapidly support operational pressures, and that Customs has the operational workforce required.

Skills

Top Secret clearance

Job description

Assistant Comptroller, National Security and Operational Readiness

Wellington-based | Senior operational leadership | National security, workforce capability and transformation

Help shape the future readiness of New Zealand Customs

The New Zealand Customs Service is seeking an accomplished senior operational leader to join its Operations Management Team as Assistant Comptroller, National Security and Operational Readiness.

This critical role ensures Customs is well-positioned to meet current and emerging security threats in an increasingly dynamic and complex operating environment. The role has two key responsibilities:

• Ensure Customs’ capabilities can support the national security system, and the border is able to respond to threats and emerging national security risks.
• Ensure Customs has the operational capabilities – workforce, technology and data - so that New Zealand has a modern, world class border fit for a rapidly changing world.

Reporting to the Deputy Comptroller, Operations, and as part of the Operations Management Team, the role is based in Wellington.

The salary range for this role is $272,650- $313,548.

The opportunity

This is a broad and strategically important leadership position with the opportunity to make a significant contribution to Customs’ operational readiness.

In this role, you will:

• Lead Customs’ contribution to New Zealand’s national security system, including engagement, operational response and emergency management preparedness.
• Maintain effective relationships and alignment with central agencies and national security partners.
• Provide direction and assurance across innovation, investment, and capability development initiatives, ensuring proposals are evidence-based, well scoped and deliverable in frontline environments.
• Ensure response teams can rapidly support operational pressures, and that Customs has the operational workforce required.
• Partner with People and Capability and other operational leaders across Customs to strengthen workforce learning, training delivery, operational practice and future capability needs.

As part of the Operational Management Team there are clear development pathways available through rotation across other leadership pillars.

About you | Ko wai koe

You will be an experienced senior leader with a strong understanding of the national security system and related risk management and intelligence considerations. With a background in complex operational environments, you have gained a comprehensive understanding of the changing threat environment and are credible as a senior national security leader.

This is complimented by your proven leadership capability at a senior level to modernize and transform operational capabilities.

You will have experience leading medium to large operational teams and have demonstrated experience building effective relationships across the national security, other border or similar operating agencies.

Leveraging data, insights, and your existing experience, knowledge and networks ideally gained in intelligence or security environments you will establish clear priorities, support disciplined investment, and identify opportunities for technology and innovation to help shape a capable and deployable workforce, and maintain strong alignment with New Zealand’s national security system.

You will bring:

• Senior leadership experience in a complex operational environment with a comprehensive understanding of changing threat environments.
• Experience in risk management, intelligence or security operations, with familiarity with, or sound awareness of, ODESC and/or the national Emergency Management System.
• Strong experience building organisational capability across multidisciplinary functions, including workforce training, data insights and new technology.
• The ability to translate strategy into practical implementation, embed sustainable change and create alignment across diverse teams and stakeholders.
• The credibility, communication skills and financial literacy to brief and influence senior stakeholders and support robust investment and business cases.
• An innovative, curious and future-focused approach, with confidence using data and analytics and sound knowledge of government conventions, structures and functions.

We recognise that valuable experience can be gained through different career pathways. If you meet most of the requirements and believe your skills and experience could contribute to the success of this role, we encourage you to apply.

Requirements

To be considered for this role, you must:

• Be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.
• Be able to work from Wellington.

Why this role matters

This is an opportunity to influence how Customs prepares for emerging threats, invests in operational capability, strengthens workforce readiness, and uses technology and insights to support the delivery of world-class border services.

If you are an experienced operational leader who combines national security expertise with sound judgement, technological curiosity and a commitment to building a future-ready organisation, we welcome your application.

Applications close: 11pm 27 September 2026
For further information: Juliet Casey, Manager Recruitment and Training Operations, [e-mail]