Lead Adviser Technical Facilities

New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade; Wellington; On-site; NZD 130,000 - 153,000; Full time

Job summary

The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade seeks a senior facilities management specialist to set technical direction across its global property portfolio of 350+ properties. Based in Wellington, you will lead maintenance planning, asset lifecycle management and supplier performance, coordinating with specialised providers and posts worldwide.

You will balance operational requirements, technical risk and long-term asset performance while influencing across diverse stakeholders,

Qualifications

• Significant experience in facilities management, building services, asset management or property operations in complex environments.
• Expertise in asset lifecycle planning, maintenance strategy, resilience and critical building systems.
• Experience providing strategic technical advice on facilities management, asset performance and risk.
• Strong commercial capability including supplier performance management and service delivery oversight.
• Excellent relationship management and influencing skills across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Understanding of The Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti, Te Reo Māori and Māori customs would be beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical direction across facilities management practice, maintenance planning and asset lifecycle management.
• Lead a network of service providers and specialists to achieve critical asset outcomes across 350+ properties.
• Balance operational needs with technical risk and long-term asset performance while guiding stakeholders.

Skills

Facilities management

Asset lifecycle

Maintenance strategy

Strategic technical advice

Supplier performance

Te Tiriti knowledge

Job description

• Set technical direction across the global portfolio
• Strengthen asset resilience and performance
• Influence complex asset outcomes
• Wellington based, permanent full time

Lead technical direction across a diverse global property portfolio, helping ensure MFAT's assets remain safe, resilient and high performing. Working through a network of specialist service providers and technical experts, you'll tackle complex facilities management demands and influence critical asset outcomes across more than 350 properties worldwide

This is MFAT's most senior facilities management specialist, providing technical leadership across facilities management, building services, operational resilience and critical infrastructure for a global network of more than 350 properties.

Reporting to the Portfolio Manager, you will provide technical direction across facilities management practice, maintenance planning, asset lifecycle management and supplier performance. Success in this role will depend on your ability to balance operational requirements, technical risk and long-term asset performance while influencing across a diverse range of stakeholders.

Working closely with Property Managers, Contract Managers, Capital Programme teams, Posts and specialist service providers, you will provide expert advice on some of the portfolio's most complex facilities management demands. While you may not always be the technical expert in every discipline, you will know how to bring together and influence highly specialised advisors, consultants and contractors to achieve the right outcomes for the Ministry. Through this leadership, you will strengthen organisational capability and drive consistently high standards across the global network.

This is a rare opportunity to combine technical expertise, strategic influence and global impact, helping protect and enhance the assets that support New Zealand's international presence around the world.

The salary range for this role is $129,965 to midpoint $152,900 total remuneration, inclusive of our KiwiSaver employer contribution. We expect to appoint depending on your level of skills and experience.

You're a recognised technical leader who can provide direction on complex facilities management challenges, influence decision-making and improve asset outcomes across a globally dispersed portfolio. You bring:

• Significant experience in facilities management, building services, asset management or property operations across complex environments.
• Deep expertise in asset lifecycle planning, maintenance strategy, operational resilience and critical building systems.
• Experience providing strategic technical advice on complex facilities management, asset performance operational risk issues.
• Strong commercial capability, including supplier performance management and service delivery oversight.
• Exceptional relationship management and influencing skills, with a track record of building capability and promoting best practice across diverse stakeholder groups.
• 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 New Zealand’s interests and pursue New Zealand's values. We provide advice to the Government on the implications for New Zealand 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.

You must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret 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.

Use this online tool to self-check your eligibility for a Top Secret clearance. Please note that this tool is not part of the formal security clearance process: http://www.protectivesecurity.govt.nz/eligibility-tool

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 midnight on Friday, 6 October 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.