Manager Strategic Assessment & Prioritisation

WorkSafe New Zealand; Wellington; On-site; NZD 153,000 - 169,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Life insurance

5 weeks leave

15 days sick leave

Recognition framework

Diversity networks

Job summary

WorkSafe New Zealand is seeking a Manager of Strategic Assessment & Prioritisation to lead a team that assesses risks and intervention options across New Zealand's health and safety system. You will shape regulatory focus and articulate intervention cases, informing future design and delivery.

You will guide evidence-based insights, lead a high-performing analytics team, and collaborate across WorkSafe to build confidence in assessment outputs, while aligning with organisational priorities.

Qualifications

• Experience leading intelligence, assessment or analytical functions.
• Strong ability to synthesize complex information into clear insights.
• Experience assessing risks, trade-offs and system-level impacts.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
• Proven experience leading and developing high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the team responsible for assessing risks, harms and intervention options across New Zealand's health and safety system.
• Guide evidence, intelligence and system insights to inform regulatory priorities.
• Develop clear assessment narratives to support organisational decision-making.
• Define risks, trade-offs and expected impacts and communicate them across WorkSafe.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical thinking

Strategic leadership

Risk assessment

Team leadership

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Manager Strategic Assessment & Prioritisation

• Lead WorkSafe's assessment of risk, harm and intervention priorities
• Shape where regulatory effort can have the greatest impact
• Permanent role, Wellington preferred; other locations may be considered

About Us

WorkSafe New Zealand | Mahi Haumaru Aotearoa is the primary workplace health and safety regulator. Our vision is that everyone who goes to mahi comes home healthy and safe. We live by our values:

• Whakakotahi– we are united in a strong purpose
• Tiakina mai – we are entrusted with a duty of care

Regulatory Effectiveness is a new group established at WorkSafe to strengthen regulatory focus and improve how WorkSafe understands risk, designs interventions, and evaluates impact.

The Strategic Assessment and Prioritisation team sits within WorkSafe's newly established Regulatory Effectiveness group. The team plays a critical role in understanding where harm is occurring across the system, identifying where regulatory intervention can have the greatest impact, and providing the evidence and insights that inform organisational priorities and decision-making.

About the role / Ō te tūranga

As Manager, Strategic Assessment and Prioritisation, you will lead the team responsible for assessing risks, harms and intervention options across New Zealand's health and safety system. You will guide the team as they bring together evidence, intelligence and system insights to help WorkSafe understand where to focus its efforts, articulate the case for intervention, and provide a strong foundation for future intervention design and delivery.

What You'll Do/ Ko tōu ake mahi

• Lead the assessment of risks, harms and intervention opportunities
• Develop evidence-based insights that inform regulatory decision-making
• Build clear assessment narratives that support organisational priorities
• Define and communicate risks, trade-offs and expected impacts
• Work across WorkSafe to build confidence in assessment outputs
• Lead and develop a high-performing analytical team
• Experience leading intelligence, assessment or analytical functions
• Strong ability to synthesise complex information into clear insights
• Experience assessing risks, trade-offs and system-level impacts
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and influencing skills
• Strong critical thinking and evidence-based decision-making capability
• Proven experience leading and developing high-performing teams

Salary range / Awhe utu

The expected appointment base salary range for this role is $152,761 - $168,932. KiwiSaver or SSRSS employer contributions are additional. From 1 April 2026, our KiwiSaver employer contribution increased to 3.5%.

We offer a range of benefits including:

• Free life insurance for the duration of your employment
• 5 weeks annual leave
• 15 days sick leave
• A Reward and Recognition Framework that celebrates the impact our kaimahi make – your mahi matters
• Employee-led networks to promote the goals and needs of our diverse communities (Rainbow, Pacific, Women's and Tū Rangatira Māori Network)

WorkSafe Mahi Haumaru is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and actively welcome applicants from all backgrounds, including people with disabilities and those who are neurodivergent. We believe different perspectives strengthen our mahi and help create an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

If you encounter accessibility barriers in completing the application or require adjustments or support to ensure the recruitment process is accessible to you, contact ********@inside.co.nz for a confidential kōrero.

This vacancy has been established as part of changes to WorkSafe's organisational structure after a review of WorkSafe's operating model identified opportunities to improve role clarity, ways of working and organisational effectiveness. As part of these changes, WorkSafe has established a number of new roles to ensure we are well placed to meet expectations now and in the future.