Manager, Māori Outcomes - Wellington

Kumara Vine; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Ministry of Education NZ, Te Mahau, is seeking a senior leader to drive Mäori outcomes and equitable education provision across Te Mahau Education Services. Based in National Office, the role coordinates high-priority work programmes, collaborates with Treaty partners and government agencies, and shapes service standards that improve outcomes for ākonga nationwide.

You will lead strategic and operational plans, manage budgets, and work with regional teams to ensure Mäori learner outcomes are

Responsibilities

• Develop a strategic plan to assess and address issues up to ministerial level
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders across government to improve quality education for all ākonga
• Provide practical, easy-to-operationalise advice across the organisation
• Lead implementation, monitoring and improvement of organisational systems and processes
• Use data and insights to identify trends, risks and opportunities for system-level decisions
• Build trusted relationships with colleagues, stakeholders and Ministers

Job description

We work to shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes

Our organisation is made up of talented and committed people around Aotearoa, from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. While we work in different groups and on different things, we all strive every day to make the biggest difference we can for our students in our education system.

This position is a newly established Permanent opportunity within Te Mahau Business Management for a Manager, Māori Outcomes.

The Manager, Māori Outcomes provides operational leadership to strengthen the delivery of equitable outcomes for Māori learners and Māori education provision across Te Mahau | Education Services as the Ministry's operational delivery business group.

The role acts as a key operational connection between Te Pou Tuarongo | Māori Education national Māori education leadership and Te Mahau | Education Services regional delivery functions, ensuring that Māori education priorities, practice guidance, and system expectations are effectively implemented, monitored, and continuously improved.

The role will have responsibility for the coordination of critical and high-priority work programmes. You will be based in National Office and work across the business to drive the delivery of strategic results. The work programmes will range across the country and may involve some travel nationally.

The Manager, Māori Outcomes will work across and alongside Ministry Staff to progress the current work programme, including designing and developing service standards that will lead to better outcomes for Māori learners and Māori education.

The Manager, Māori Outcomes contributes to the collective leadership of Business Management and the wider Te Mahau Leadership team, helping to deliver our purpose and embed the strategic vision. You will be responsible for strengthening Māori operational outcomes, visibility and trust by ensuring Māori learner outcomes, investment decisions and partnerships are aligned, transparent and continuously improving.

To deliver successfully in the role, you will:

develop a strategic plan to assess and address the issues that have been raised, up to and including at ministerial level

work with all internal and external stakeholders across government agencies to assess and support the provision of quality education to all ākonga

contribute thought leadership and expertise to strategies, work programmes and complex system issues

draw on experience working with sector partners in an operational environment to review, and recommend improvements

provide advice that is practical and easy to understand and operationalise.

Salary range: The successful candidate will be appointed at a salary which reflects individual skills and experience.

You will work closely with regional colleagues to define Māori learner outcomes areas for continuous improvement. You will work closely with the other functions within the Business Management division including but not limited to the service design function and the strategy, insights and performance to ensure that Māori ākonga outcomes are considered and built into the frameworks design to deliver services and supports across all schooling, and kura.

You are a senior leader with strong strategic, analytical and conceptual thinking, with an understanding of Māori te reo, tikanga and mātauranga Māori, alongside an understanding of the current education system and supports.

You will bring:

Experience in a senior role with a high level of strategic, analytical and conceptual thinking in a complex environment

Respected leader with an understanding of te reo, tikanga and mātauranga Māori

Practitioner who possesses the ability and experience of operating through an ao Māori lens

Experience developing and delivering integrated strategic and operational plans and budgets

Experience leading the implementation, monitoring and improvement of organisational systems, frameworks and processes

Proven ability to use data and insights to identify trends, risks and opportunities, and to inform system-level decision making

A proven track record of building and maintaining trusted relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, and Ministers

Sound machinery of government knowledge, with a proven ability to navigate ambiguity in a complex environment.

Build capability in others through coaching, quality assurance, and proactively sharing knowledge and expertise.

The Education Services Group provides well-designed, integrated education services that support the impactful and effective operation of education settings to support student achievement and participation. The services help to remove barriers to participation and learning and provide regulatory advice, support and oversight to early learning providers, schools and kura.

The Group has three key priorities for Education Services:

• Practice and Guidance: Managing practice and guidance to improve national coordination and consistency, whilst enabling regional autonomy for education service delivery.
• Integration and Delivery: Providing education support directly to education settings via integrated regional and national services. This includes intervening when necessary to ensure a high standard of operation to support student outcomes and owning key stakeholder relationships to support schooling improvement and stronger outcomes for learners.
• Monitoring and Improvement: Monitoring and advising on improvements to the effectiveness, efficiency and equity of services for achievement and progression, and attendance and participation. This includes monitoring education provider performance against regulations and intervening as required.

Applications close Midnight Wednesday 11 November 2026.

We want our people to feel valued for their unique qualities and have a sense of belonging. If you require assistance or adjustments to fully participate in the recruitment process, please let us know.