Development Adviser

New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 109,000 - 128,000; Full time

Job summary

New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade seeks a Development Adviser in the MERL division to strengthen the evidence base for accountability and learning across NZ's IDC Programme. You will lead strategic evaluation and learning activities, advise on frameworks and methodologies, and help design evidence-informed business cases to influence policy and investment decisions.

The role is based in Wellington, fixed-term until June 2027, with responsibilities spanning concept design, project

Qualifications

• Experience in international development, policy and/or programme design.
• Experience undertaking monitoring, evaluation, research and learning, applying evidence to policy and programme decision-making.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships and influence across diverse audiences.
• Understanding of The Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti, Te Reo Māori and Māori customs and protocols would be beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Managing and delivering a portfolio of strategic evaluation and research projects.
• Providing advice and support on monitoring, evaluation, research and learning frameworks, approaches and methodologies.
• Supporting the design of evidence-informed business cases, including problem analysis and intervention logic.
• Coordinating and supporting activity and project-level evaluations across the IDC Programme.
• Promoting the use of evidence and evaluation findings to inform decision-making, policy development and programme improvement.

Skills

Policy design

M&E in development

Stakeholder engagement

Te Tiriti awareness

Job description

Development Adviser - Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL)

• Strengthen development outcomes across the Pacific
• Lead strategic research and evaluation initiatives
• Help shape policy and investment decisions through evidence-based insights
• Fixed-term opportunity based in Wellington until June 2027

Join a team at the centre of New Zealand's International Development Cooperation (IDC) Programme, using evidence and learning to influence decisions and improve development outcomes across the Pacific and beyond.

As a Development Adviser, in the Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) division, you will play a key role in strengthening the evidence base that supports accountability, learning and development effectiveness across New Zealand's IDC Programme. This is an opportunity to directly influence how evidence informs policy, programme design and investment decisions.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing and delivering a portfolio of strategic evaluation and research projects.
• Providing advice and support on monitoring, evaluation, research and learning frameworks, approaches and methodologies.
• Supporting the design of evidence-informed business cases, including problem analysis and intervention logic.
• Coordinating and supporting activity and project-level evaluations across the IDC Programme.
• Promoting the use of evidence and evaluation findings to inform decision-making, policy development and programme improvement.

The salary range for this role is $109,112 to $128,367 total remuneration, inclusive of our 3% KiwiSaver employer contribution.

We’d like to hear from you if you are an experienced adviser with the following skills and experience:

• Experience in international development, policy and/or programme design.
• Experience undertaking monitoring, evaluation, research and learning, applying evidence to policy and programme decision-making.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships and influence across diverse audiences.
• Understanding of The Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti, Te Reo Māori and Māori customs and protocols would be beneficial.

We are committed to a focus on leadership, talent, training and development, and flexible work options consistent with guidance from the Public Service Commission. Check out our benefits page to find out more about why we love working here.

MFAT is Rainbow Tick accredited. We value diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive culture where everyone feels supported, valued, and a sense of belonging. We welcome applications from people from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Our people represent New Zealand on and offshore, and in doing so make New Zealanders safer and more prosperous. By building connections with and influencing other countries and international institutions, we advance NewZealand’s interests and pursue NewZealand's values. We provide advice to the Government on the implications for NewZealand of what is happening in the world.

To be considered for this position at Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade you must be a NZ citizen, or Permanent Resident.

You must be able to obtain and maintain a Confidential security clearance. Ordinarily, to obtain this level of clearance candidates must have sufficient checkable background in countries where meaningful and reliable checks can be undertaken. Where requisite checks are unable to be made, the candidate application may not be able to be progressed.

Please let us know if you need any support or have any access requirements that will help you through the recruitment process.

Applications close at 9pm on Sunday 27th September 2026

Please note: This is not a Foreign Policy/diplomatic role. This is a ‘Corporate’ role (known here as a Specialist role) based in central Wellington, NZ.

While it is not usual for specialist staff to be ‘posted’ outside of NZ, from time to time a specialist role overseas becomes available at one of our embassies, high commissions, missions or consulates. To be considered for one of these positions you would need to apply and be considered via a competitive recruitment process.