Policy Analyst

NZ Customs; Wellington; On-site; NZD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discounted health insurance

Free on-site gym (Wellington)

Service holidays

4 weeks annual leave

Job summary

New Zealand Customs Service | Te Mana Ārai o Aotearoa seeks a Policy Analyst to join the Revenue Policy team at Wellington Customhouse. This permanent, full-time role offers hands-on policy experience and the chance to contribute to significant projects in a supportive, high-performing group.

The successful candidate will combine strong communication, analytic, and strategic thinking with legal qualifications and an interest in policy and economics.

Qualifications

• Good communication, analysis and strategic thinking skills.
• Has legal qualifications and an interest in policy and economics.
• Understanding the machinery of government and the ability to work under pressure.
• Team player with collaborative mindset.

Responsibilities

• Provide policy advice to Customs’ senior management and the Minister of Customs.
• Work collaboratively across the organisation and with external stakeholders to solve problems.
• Contribute to shaping a modern customs environment and ensure regulatory systems are fit for purpose.
• Role rotates across Policy teams to support development opportunities.

Skills

Communication

Analysis

Strategic thinking

Policy understanding

Education

Legal qualifications

Job description

Join the Customs Policy and Strategy Group

We are seeking a Policy Analyst to join our Revenue Policy team, based at Wellington Customhouse. This is a permanent, full-time position.

Are you a recent graduate looking to start a career in policy? This could be the opportunity for you. You’ll gain hands‑on experience and contribute to significant, meaningful projects.

The work undertaken by Customs’ Policy Group is vital to enabling international trade, supporting revenue collection, facilitating travel to and from New Zealand, and protecting the security of New Zealand’s border. This is an intellectually stimulating environment where you will provide policy advice and support to help deliver important outcomes.

This role will suit someone who can demonstrate good communication, analysis and strategic thinking skills, who has both legal qualifications and an interest in policy and economics. You will understand the machinery of government, be able to work under pressure and be a good team player.

In this role, you will be expected to work collaboratively across the organisation and externally to provide quality advice to Customs’ senior management and the Minister of Customs. You will have to work collaboratively with a range of internal and external stakeholders to solve problems and address complex issues. You will contribute to shaping a modern customs environment and ensure our regulatory systems are fit for purpose, both now and in the future.

Working as part of a supportive, engaged, and high-performing Group that is committed to encouraging career development, you will work to achieve excellent results and enjoy using your initiative, judgement, and wider public sector experience.

There are several Policy teams within the Policy Group. While the successful applicant will initially be appointed into the Revenue Policy team, the Group operates a rotation model to provide development opportunities for staff and to ensure that business needs are met. This will mean that a Policy Analyst could be asked to move between teams over time.

At Customs, we aim to create a great place to work, where our people have a sense of belonging and the capability and desire to meet our future challenges. We are an organisation that is clear about our mission, and this is underpinned by Te Pou Tokomanawa (the Foundations) and our Whanonga Pono (Values). Our work really matters to the safety and success of New Zealand.

We care about well-being, personal growth, and job satisfaction, which is supported through:

• offering on‑job training, formal courses and leadership programmes, and the chance to move across diverse roles.
• fostering inclusive and supportive team environment with vibrant social and cultural groups.
• supporting flexible working - talk to us about how we can help you achieve your flexible working goals, within our operational requirements.
• providing discounted health insurance, and free on‑site gyms (Wellington).
• three days of service holidays, in addition to four weeks of annual leave.

To work for Customs, you must be able to meet the following requirements:

• Be a New Zealand Citizen or New Zealand Permanent Resident
• Residing in New Zealand at the time of application
• Be able to pass Customs’ security vetting and a drugs test?
• Have resided continuously in New Zealand for the last five years. Any exceptions to this will need to be discussed with recruitment to assess whether you will still be eligible to meet the Organisation's Security Clearance application criteria.

To express your interest online, please apply now by submitting a CV and cover letter that demonstrates your ability to meet the competencies required for the role as outlined in the position description. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Paula Strickson (Manager Revenue Policy) at p [e-mail].

New Zealand Customs Service | Te Mana Ārai o Aotearoa is a member of Diversity Works New Zealand and is committed to developing a diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities and welcome applications from everyone who can meet the requirements of the role.