Principal Advisor

Ministry of Justice (New Zealand); Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 130,000 - 179,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4.4 weeks annual leave

Flexible work arrangements

Online professional development portal

Inclusive employee-led networks

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Ministry of Justice (New Zealand) is seeking a Principal Advisor, Strategy & Performance to shape the future direction of the organisation and translate long-term ambitions into clear priorities and measurable outcomes. You will lead enterprise strategy, strategic foresight and performance reporting, partnering with senior leaders to deliver actionable delivery plans.

The role requires extensive experience in strategy, governance or organisational planning, and a strong ability to influence

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in strategy, performance, governance or organisational planning.
• Demonstrated critical thinking and sound judgement in complex environments.
• Ability to influence and engage senior leaders across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Solid understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori-Crown relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead enterprise-wide strategic planning and direction-setting.
• Provide expert advice on emerging trends, risks and opportunities.
• Drive strategic foresight to inform future investment and priorities.
• Lead development of organisational performance frameworks and reporting.
• Deliver key accountability products, including the Statement of Intent and Annual Report.
• Influence senior stakeholders and build alignment across complex portfolios.
• Coach and develop others through thought leadership and expertise.

Skills

Strategy

Performance

Governance

Organisational planning

Critical thinking

Stakeholder engagement

Te Tiriti knowledge

Thought leadership

Job description

Te Haeata/The Opportunity

Shape the future direction of the Ministry of Justice and influence decisions that impact justice outcomes across Aotearoa New Zealand.

As Principal Advisor, Strategy & Performance, you'll bring strategic leadership, thought leadership and expert advice to some of the Ministry's most important organisational priorities.

Working within Ātea a Rangi, Strategy, you'll lead enterprise strategy development, strategic foresight, organisational performance monitoring, and key accountability reporting.

You'll partner with senior leaders across the Ministry to translate long-term ambitions into clear priorities, measurable outcomes and practical delivery approaches.

In this role you will:

• Lead enterprise-wide strategic planning and direction-setting
• Provide expert advice on emerging trends, risks and opportunities
• Drive strategic foresight to inform future investment and priorities
• Lead development of organisational performance frameworks and reporting
• Deliver key accountability products, including the Statement of Intent and Annual Report
• Influence senior stakeholders and build alignment across complex portfolios
• Coach and mentor others, building strategic capability across the organisation

Ō pūkenga/Skills and Experience

No candidate will meet every single desired qualification. If your experience looks a little different from what we have outlined and you believe you can bring value to the role, we'd love to hear from you.

To be successful in this role, you will:

• Bring extensive experience in strategy, performance, governance or organisational planning
• Demonstrate exceptional critical thinking and sound judgement in complex environments
• Influence and engage senior leaders across diverse stakeholder groups
• Apply a strong understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori-Crown relationships
• Translate complexity into compelling, practical advice and action
• Coach and develop others through thought leadership and expertise

Mō mātou/About Us

At Te Tāhū o te Ture, the Ministry of Justice, we're committed to strengthening people's trust in the law of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Ātea a Rangi, Strategy provides enterprise leadership across strategy, performance, assurance, investment oversight and strategic partnerships.

We combine evidence, insight and future-focused thinking to support better decision-making and improve justice outcomes.

Our work helps ensure the Ministry remains focused on delivering an accessible, effective and trusted justice system for all New Zealanders.

Joining Te Tāhū o te Ture means you will become part of an organisation that welcomes and supports people of all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, disabilities and religions.

Ngā painga o tēnei wāhi mahi/What's Great About Working Here

We offer you a range of benefits to support your wellbeing and help make the Ministry a great place to be.

These include:

• 4.4 weeks (22 days) annual leave
• Flexible work arrangements where possible
• Access to an online professional development portal
• Inclusive employee-led networks
• Opportunities to grow your career across a large and diverse organisation
• See our full range of benefits https://www.justice.govt.nz/about/careers/benefits/

Utu ā-tau/Salary

The remuneration band for this role is $130,129 to $179,192. Appointments will be made based on skills and experience.

Tono Mai/Apply

Applications close on 09 September 2026.

If you have any questions, please contact [e-mail] and quote MOJ/1943960 in the subject line.