Practice Lead - Analysis and Design - Fixed-Term

Ministry of Social Development; Wellington; On-site; NZD 138,000 - 172,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Social Development in Wellington seeks a Practice Lead in Analysis & Design to lead a team of technology professionals and shape how we deliver major programmes.

You will set standards, develop capability, and ensure delivery excellence across the team, while growing people, and aligning with delivery priorities. This 18-month fixed-term role includes a salary up to NZD 171,889 and the chance to influence technology-enabled change for New Zealanders.

Qualifications

• Experienced technology professional who can lead people, build capability and deliver high-quality work in a complex environment.
• Proven experience in leading and developing people with performance management, coaching and career development.
• Experience establishing or improving professional practices, standards, and capability uplift initiatives.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills across technical and non-technical teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and develop direct reports, including performance management and career development.
• Maintain the quality and effectiveness of the Analysis & Design Practice with other leads.
• Ensure practitioners have the right skills, tools and support for delivery.
• Remain connected to delivery and help teams resolve analysis and design challenges.
• Encourage knowledge sharing, collaboration and continuous improvement across the practice.
• Align approaches with delivery stakeholders and build capability across Technology and MSD.

Skills

Business analysis

People leadership

Performance management

Coaching

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Team development

Tools

Salesforce

Adobe Experience Manager

Job description

• Lead and develop a team of Analysis & Design professionals working on major technology change
• Build the skills, standards and ways of working that support better delivery across MSD
• Help shape how technology is delivered across the programme while supporting and growing the people who make it happen
• 18 month fixed-term opportunity based in our Wellington office

About our team | Mō te tīma

New Zealand is changing, and so are we. MSD is transforming to build a smarter, simpler, more responsive welfare system.

This is a rare opportunity to help shape a once-in-a-generation transformation to deliver better outcomes for New Zealanders. Join a multidisciplinary team driving people-led, technology-enabled change at scale.

About the role | Mō te tūnga

As a Practice Lead in Analysis & Design, you'll play a critical role in developing and leading a team of technology professionals, ensuring the right skills, standards, and ways of working are in place to deliver meaningful outcomes for New Zealanders.

Working collaboratively with other Analysis and Design Practice Leads, you will equip members of the Practice with the skills, tools, and common methodologies to consistently deliver value, quality and functional excellence.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading, coach and develop direct reports, including performance management, wellbeing, and career development
• Working with the Practice Manager and other Practice Leads to maintain the quality and effectiveness of the Analysis & Design Practice
• Ensuring practitioners have the right skills, tools and support to contribute effectively to programme delivery
• Remaining connected to delivery, contributing professional expertise and helping teams resolve analysis and design challenges
• Encouraging knowledge sharing, collaboration and continuous improvement across the practice
• Working with delivery stakeholders and other Practice Leads to align approaches, support delivery priorities, and build capability across Technology and MSD.

What you bring | Ōu pūmanawatanga

We're looking for an experienced technology professional who can lead people, build capability and help a professional practice deliver consistently high-quality work in a complex environment. You’ll bring:

• Significant professional and technical experience in business analysis, and a strong understanding of relevant processes and tools
• Proven experience leading and developing people, including performance management, coaching, mentoring, career development, and building high-performing teams
• Experience establishing, embedding, or improving professional practices, standards, frameworks, communities of practice, or capability uplift initiatives
• Experience balancing people development and wellbeing with delivery priorities and organisational needs
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively across technical and non-technical teams
• The ability to identify capability gaps, support professional development, and improve the quality and consistency of work across a team or practice
• Strong judgement and the ability to navigate competing priorities, build trust, and work collaboratively with a range of stakeholders.
• Experience with Salesforce and/or Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) would be highly advantageous; however, we are equally interested in people who are eager to learn, develop new skills, and grow their expertise in these platforms.

Position Description | He Whakaahuatanga Tūnga

A copy of the position description can be found here. Practice Lead position description.

Salary | Utu-ā-tau: $138,125.00 - $171,889.00

We expect to appoint this position up to $153,472 however a salary offer will be based on the preferred candidates’ skills and experience and our team relativities.

Applications close | Ka kati ngā tono hei te: Sunday 1st November

About us | Mō mātou

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is a people-centred organisation. We’re in communities across the motu, working with partners to help New Zealanders be safe, strong and independent.

We provide social policy advice to government, and assistance including income, employment and housing support to people of all ages, families, whānau and communities.

As a Te Tiriti o Waitangi partner, we are committed to supporting and enabling Māori, whānau, hapū, Iwi and communities to realise their own potential and aspirations.

Our people are as diverse as the communities we serve. We care about the wellbeing and success of our people and provide a supportive and inclusive working environment where people can thrive and be who they are.

Joining us | Ko te hono mai

Joining MSD means being part of a whānau that celebrates the diversity each individual represents.

We show manaaki, we care about the wellbeing and success of people and want everyone to thrive and be who they are in a supportive and inclusive working environment. We work together to make a difference for communities while doing the right thing with integrity. You can find out more about our values here.

If you have any support or accessibility requirements, we encourage you to tell us when you apply so we can assist you through the recruitment process.