Manager, Service Design - Wellington

Kumara Vine; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 121,000 - 182,000; Full time

Job summary

Kumara Vine in Wellington, NZ, is seeking a Manager, Service Design to lead the design, integration and continuous improvement of education services.

You will work with the Ministry and partners to turn strategic direction into practical, sustainable outcomes, develop a high-performing team, and advance equitable, excellent learner outcomes.

Qualifications

• Strong background in system and service design, organisational improvement, and machinery of government knowledge.
• Experience leading and developing high-performing teams in complex environments.
• Ability to turn strategic direction into practical, sustainable outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, integration and continuous improvement of education provision services.
• Lead and develop a high-performing team, manage priorities and resources.
• Collaborate with the Ministry, education sector partners and external stakeholders.
• Use data, insights and user feedback to inform decisions and improve outcomes.
• Drive improvements across the education system to deliver equitable, excellent learner outcomes.

Skills

People leadership

Service design

Stakeholder management

Strategic thinking

Organisational change

Data insights

Communication

Planning & governance

MoG knowledge

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, Service design.

The Manager, Service Design, you'll lead the design, integration and continuous improvement of education provision services that help ensure all learners can achieve and succeed.

This role combines strategic leadership with practical delivery. You'll work closely with colleagues across the Ministry, education sector partners and external stakeholders to design and improve services, use insights and evidence to inform decision making, and drive positive change across the education system.

You'll also lead and develop a high-performing team, manage priorities and resources, and contribute to creating an education system that delivers better outcomes for learners throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.

Salary range: $121,139 - $181,709 per annum + KiwiSaver. The successful candidate will be appointed at a salary which reflects individual skills and experience.

We're looking for an experienced people leader with a strong background in system and service design, organisational improvement, and machinery of government knowledge.

You will be comfortable navigating complexity, bringing people together around a common purpose, and turning strategic direction into practical, sustainable outcomes. You'll be passionate about improving services and creating better experiences for those who rely on them.

You will also offer:

Proven experience leading and developing high-performing teams.

Experience leading organisational change and embedding new ways of working.

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

Strong relationship management skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across a range of internal and external stakeholders.

Experience using data, insights and user feedback to inform decisions and improve outcomes.

Knowledge of the education system, or related public sector environments.

Excellent communication, planning and management skills.

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.

You'll have the opportunity to influence services that make a meaningful difference for learners, whānau and educators, while working alongside passionate colleagues committed to achieving equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners.

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.