Director Security Services

CGR Services; Wellington; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

NZSIS — New Zealand Security Intelligence Service — seeks a Director Security Services to lead the NZIC Security Services Group. The role blends strategy, people leadership, service delivery and security governance to uplift protective security maturity across government.

You will also serve as NZSIS Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). The role requires extensive intelligence leadership experience, governance capability and the ability to build high-performing teams in high-pressure

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in intelligence or related senior leadership role with a comprehensive understanding of the changing threat environment.
• Strong leadership and management (leader of leader) experience, including demonstrated success in building and maintaining highly performing teams, delivering results through diverse teams, building capability in teams, and ensuring that decisions and actions are consistent with vision and strategic direction.
• Strong relationship management skills with domestic and international stakeholders.
• Strong experience leading service delivery and engagement functions in a complex and changing environment.
• Proven governance experience.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Governance: Lead the strategic direction of the SSG and contribute to NZIC-wide policy and governance to uplift protective security maturity.
• People Leadership: Foster a high-performing, positive, engaged, inclusive, customer-focused and collaborative culture within the SSG, with a focus on talent development.
• Partnership & Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain critical relationships with domestic and international partners across the NZIC and wider sector. Supports the Government Protective Security Lead (GPSL).
• Delivery Management: Oversee the delivery of the security functions for the NZIC and wider government to include: physical security, operational security, personnel security, insider threat and other enabling security services. Successfully discharge all NZSIS CISO duties.
• Organisational Influence: Serve as a key member of the Protective Security Directorate Leadership Team, contributing to agency-wide strategy and deputising for the Deputy Director-General.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Governance

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Security operations

Job description

Join our diverse and talented people and work at the heart of national security, providing essential intelligence to the NZ government to protect New Zealand and its people. At the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) | Te Pá Whakamarumaru, we are dedicated to our mission of keeping Aotearoa New Zealand and our people safe and secure. We collect, analyse and assess intelligence to protect New Zealand from threats such as foreign interference, espionage and terrorism.

Director Security Services – Are you ready to lead the frontline of the New Zealand Intelligence Community’s protective security? The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) is looking for a strategic and high‑calibre leader to become the next Director Security Services. This is a Tier 3 leadership role of national security significance, blending strategy, people leadership, service delivery, and security governance in order to help keep New Zealand and New Zealanders safe and secure.

Mo te turanga mahi – about the role

As the Director Security Services, you will lead the New Zealand Intelligence Community (NZIC) Security Services Group (SSG). You will provide strategic direction and risk management across physical security, operational security, personnel security, as well as insider threat management and security governance. This is a dual‑impact role: you will drive the protective security resilience of the NZIC while simultaneously delivering a range of protective security services to other government departments. Additionally, you will hold the role of Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for the NZSIS.

Your Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Governance: Lead the strategic direction of the SSG and contribute to NZIC‑wide policy and governance to uplift protective security maturity.
• People Leadership: Foster a high‑performing, positive, engaged, inclusive, customer‑focused and collaborative culture within the SSG, with a focus on talent development.
• Partnership & Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain critical relationships with domestic and international partners across the NZIC and wider sector. Supports the Government Protective Security Lead (GPSL).
• Delivery Management: Oversee the delivery of the security functions for the NZIC and wider government to include: physical security, operational security, personnel security, insider threat and other enabling security services. Successfully discharge all NZSIS CISO duties.
• Organisational Influence: Serve as a key member of the Protective Security Directorate Leadership Team, contributing to agency‑wide strategy and deputising for the Deputy Director‑General.

Ko wai koe – about you

We are looking for an experienced senior leader with extensive experience in intelligence or a related senior leadership role, with a comprehensive understanding and ability to thrive in high‑pressure, complex environments.

Essential Experience

• Extensive experience in intelligence or related senior leadership role with a comprehensive understanding of the changing threat environment.
• Strong leadership and management (leader of leader) experience, including demonstrated success in building and maintaining highly performing teams, delivering results through diverse teams, building capability in teams, and ensuring that decisions and actions are consistent with vision and strategic direction.
• Strong relationship management skills with domestic and international stakeholders.
• Strong experience leading service delivery and engagement functions in a complex and changing environment.
• Proven governance experience.

Note: We are also advertising for our next Director Mission Delivery within the NZSIS Intelligence Directorate. This is a critical Tier 3 leadership position responsible for the effective execution of our integrated intelligence missions.

If you are interested in applying, take a look at the advert: Director Mission Delivery - NZSIS

Before you apply

Working within our unique environment means we have to ensure you’re eligible for employment. You must:

• Have been a New Zealand Citizen for at least 10 years or hold a current NZ Residency Class Visa and ideally have been a citizen of the UK, USA, Canada or Australia for at least 10 years
• Be eligible to obtain a Top Secret Special (TSS) security clearance
• Ordinarily, this means you’ll have a 15 year checkable background in countries NZSIS Vetting can make meaningful and reliable checks.

Still unsure? Use this online tool to self‑check your eligibility for a TSS security clearance: http://www.protectivesecurity.govt.nz/eligibility-tool

The NZIC treats all applications for employment in the strictest confidence and we expect that you maintain a similar level of confidentiality during the recruitment process and throughout your career.

We’ll provide you with information and tips throughout the recruitment process, but in the meantime check out some of our Security FAQs here: The security clearance process | Beyond Ordinary Careers

You can also learn more about our work and understand our areas of focus by reading New Zealand’s Security Threat Environment | New Zealand Security Intelligence Service