Manager, Policy Project

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 170,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) in Wellington is seeking a senior Leader to manage the Policy Project, a multi-year initiative to elevate policy capability across the Public Service. You will lead a small team, shape strategy and engage senior leaders and international partners to deliver high-quality policy advice.

This fixed-term role requires robust governance, strategic thinking and a strong track record in people leadership, with the ability to operate across

Qualifications

• Experience leading policies at system level and across organisations.
• Ability to set direction and translate priorities into delivery.
• Proven ability to engage senior leaders and ministers with credibility.
• Strong people leadership and team development capabilities.
• Demonstrated sound judgment, adaptability and integrity.
• Knowledge of government processes and cross-agency collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Policy Project's multi-year programme to strengthen policy capability, delivery and quality across government agencies.
• Set strategic direction, oversee the work programme, priorities and budget.
• Lead a small, high-performing team and build relationships across the Public Service and international partners.
• Engage with Ministers and senior policy leaders to communicate progress and direction.
• Represent the Policy Project credibly and influence system-wide priorities.

Skills

Strategic policy

Public Service leadership

Programme delivery

Senior stakeholder engagement

People leadership

Autonomy & judgment

Education

Tertiary qualification or equivalent

Job description

Wellington-based | Fixed-term until June 2029, Full-time

Lead work that strengthens policy capability across the Public Service

This senior leadership role will influence how high-quality policy is developed and delivered across New Zealand's Public Service.

As Manager, Policy Project, you will lead a multi-year programme to strengthen policy capability, delivery and quality across government agencies. You will lead a small, highly engaged team, build relationships and influence with senior leaders across the Public Service and international partners. This role suits an experienced leader who can set direction, bring people together across organisational boundaries and enable a capable team.

The Policy Project is hosted by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet on behalf of the Public Service. Its purpose is to support agencies to improve their policy capability, delivery and quality. This is a fixed-term opportunity because the Policy Project Team is funded for a three-year period. Any continuation of the role beyond the fixed term would be subject to confirmation of ongoing funding.

As Manager, you will set direction for the Policy Project, enable the team to perform at its best, and connect its work to wider Public Service priorities. This visible role combines system leadership with practical delivery, engaging across the Public Service with senior policy leaders, chief executives, senior leadership teams and other relevant networks and communities of interest both domestically and internationally. You will move between strategic thinking, senior engagement, people leadership and programme oversight. You will have significant autonomy for day-to-day leadership and delivery, reporting to a Director who is engaged and will support you by providing strategic context, challenge and other leadership support.

You will work closely with the Head of Policy Profession (Secretary/CE of DPMC), the DPMC Deputy Chief Executive Policy, the Policy Advisory Group (PAG), and Delivery Unit. The Policy Project reports regularly to the Policy Profession Board (made up of CEs from across the Public Service) which is the Governance body for the Policy Project.

What you'll be doing

In this role, you will:

• lead the Policy Project's multi-year programme to strengthen policy capability, delivery and quality across government agencies
• support the Head of Policy Profession and the Policy Profession Board to progress profession-wide priorities
• set strategic direction and translate system priorities into practical, deliverable work
• represent the Policy Project credibly and visibly, communicating its purpose, direction and progress
• build trusted relationships with senior leaders and stakeholders across the Public Service
• bring together perspectives and organisations to progress issues requiring collective action
• engage with Ministers as required, navigating the interface between Government and the Public Service with sound judgement
• lead and develop a small, highly engaged team, setting clear expectations and giving people space to use their expertise
• oversee the team's work programme, quality, priorities and budget
• adapt priorities and approaches as Public Service needs and the operating environment evolve.

We are looking for an experienced and ambitious policy leader who knows what good policy advice looks like, who can operate credibly at a system level, set and articulate a vision, while maintaining a strong focus on people leadership and work programme delivery.

The areas most important to success in this role are:

• Strategic policy and Public Service leadership You understand public policy, public administration and how government operates. You think beyond individual agencies, identify system implications and set direction others can support.
• Leadership of complex programmes and delivery You have senior-level experience leading programmes or projects with multiple stakeholders in a changing environment. You move between strategy and implementation, set priorities, remove obstacles and maintain quality and momentum.
• Influence and senior stakeholder engagement You have a strong track record with senior executives and influential stakeholders. You build credibility through sound judgement, clear communication and constructive relationships, and find common ground across organisational boundaries.
• People leadership and development You have demonstrated experience leading and developing teams. You set direction, create conditions for high performance, delegate well and maintain proportionate oversight.
• Judgement, adaptability and personal leadership You are comfortable with autonomy and shifting priorities. You exercise sound judgement, adapt to different situations, make considered decisions and maintain high standards of integrity and discretion.

You will also bring:

• detailed knowledge of government processes, systems and structures
• clear, persuasive communication of strategic advice and complex information
• collaborative working across organisational boundaries
• a relevant tertiary qualification, or an equivalent body of knowledge.

The salary for this role is band 20 with a midpoint of $199,239 Total Remuneration (including KiwiSaver), salary will be dependent on skills and experience.

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a national security clearance at Confidential level. You will also be required to satisfactorily complete relevant DPMC pre-employment checks.

Working arrangements

This role is based in Wellington and requires you to work from the city office a minimum of four days each week.

The nature of the role means regular face‑to‑face connection is important. You will be leading a closely connected team and building relationships across DPMC and the wider Public Service, so being present and accessible is an important part of how the role operates.

About the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | Te Tari o te Pirimia me te Rūnanga Kāwanatanga

The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) supports the government of the day by leading, advising, stewarding and delivering activities across the public sector, and by providing dedicated advice and support to the Governor‑General, Prime Minister and portfolio Ministers. Our purpose is to advance an ambitious, resilient and well‑governed Aotearoa New Zealand.

This role combines system influence, people leadership and autonomy.

You will have the opportunity to:

• influence work across the Public Service, not just one agency
• strengthen the capability and quality of the policy profession
• work alongside senior policy leaders across the system
• lead a highly engaged, committed team
• shape priorities, approach and delivery
• work with an engaged Director who provides strategic support, challenge and space to lead
• connect with policy profession partners and networks in New Zealand and internationally.

Our values guide how we work:

Kia māia Courageous: Do what matters most
Kia honohono Connected: Unite our mahi and kaimahi
Kia manawanui Committed: Uphold our shared kaupapa
Kia taute Respect: Enhance the mana of others

The closing date for this role is Sunday 11 October.

Please note that we are only able to consider applicants who have the current right to work in New Zealand.