Chief People Officer

Ministry of Justice - New Zealand; Wellington; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Ministry of Justice - New Zealand seeks an accomplished executive to set the strategic direction for People Experience and lead the development, delivery and review of the ministry's people and workforce strategies. You will translate enterprise strategy into workforce priorities and provide trusted guidance to senior leaders.

Leading a modern People Experience function, you will drive workforce insight, transformation and evidence-based decisions to strengthen organisational performance and

Qualifications

• Strategic, enterprise-wide people and workforce strategy experience.
• Ability to translate organisational strategy into clear workforce, leadership and capability priorities.
• Proven track record leading a broad people function with strategic influence and operational delivery.

Responsibilities

• Set the strategic direction for People Experience and lead the development and delivery of workforce strategies.
• Provide trusted, evidence-informed advice on organisational performance and workforce risks.
• Lead an integrated, modern People Experience function focused on proactive workforce insights and high-quality services.
• Influence chief executives and senior leaders with sound, data-driven enterprise decisions.
• Build a high-performing leadership team and foster accountability, inclusion and continuous improvement.

Skills

Enterprise strategy

Workforce capability

Leadership

Employment relations

Organisational change

Data insights

Public sector experience

Job description

Job Description

Shape the workforce behind the future of justice.

Te Haeata | The opportunity

Reporting to the Deputy Secretary Corporate Services, you'll set the strategic direction for People Experience and lead the development, delivery and review of the Ministry's people and workforce strategies. You'll ensure our workforce priorities anticipate future needs and enable technology-led and operating-model change, including Te Au Reka and Te Pae Tāwhiti.

Working with the Chief Executive, Strategic Leadership Team and senior leaders, you'll provide strategic challenge and trusted, evidence-informed advice on organisational performance, workforce opportunities and emerging people risks.

You'll lead an integrated, modern and trusted People Experience function to:

• anticipate future workforce, leadership and capability needs
• shape the workforce response to transformation and new ways of working
• embed workforce insight, forecasting and evidence in enterprise decisions
• deliver connected, responsive and high-quality people services
• provide authoritative leadership on employment relations, organisational change and complex people matters
• build a high-performing leadership team and a culture of accountability, inclusion and continuous improvement.

Your leadership will strengthen organisational performance, enable successful transformation and help deliver better justice outcomes for New Zealanders.

Ō pūkenga | Skills and experience

We're looking for an accomplished executive who has shaped enterprise strategy and built workforce capability, culture and performance in a large, complex and changing environment.

You’ll Bring

• a strong record of setting and delivering enterprise people and workforce strategies
• experience translating organisational strategy into clear workforce, leadership and capability priorities
• success leading a broad people function that combines strategic influence with trusted operational delivery
• deep expertise in employment relations, organisational change and contemporary people practice
• the ability to turn workforce data and insight into sound enterprise decisions
• a strong understanding of the machinery of government and the wider public sector environment
• the judgement, courage and credibility to influence chief executives, executive teams and senior leaders
• a record of building high-performing leadership teams and achieving results through others.

You’ll be a strategic and systems thinker who sees across the enterprise, anticipates what is coming and converts ambition into action. Collaborative and courageous, you’ll lead confidently through ambiguity while balancing immediate delivery with long-term transformation.

You’ll also bring a genuine commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, strengthening cultural capability and inclusion, and creating an environment where our people can thrive.

Mō mātou | About us

At Te Tāhū o te Ture—the Ministry of Justice—we work to strengthen people's trust in the law of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Our People Experience team builds the systems, leadership and workplace practices that enable our people to deliver accessible, effective justice services.

We welcome and support people of all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, disabilities and religions.

Applications close on Sunday 15 November 2026

We'll review applications as they arrive and may invite candidates to interview before the closing date.

For a confidential discussion, contact [e-mail].

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