Principal Advisor Customer Experience

New Zealand Government; Wellington; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is seeking a hands-on Principal Advisor Customer Experience to turn insight into action. You will lead CX projects from discovery through delivery, talking to customers, uncovering problems, and designing practical solutions across websites, portals, chatbot, training programmes and support channels.

You'll work across digital, data, policy and operations to deliver meaningful improvements for learners and users, with a pragmatic, roll-up-your-sleeves

Qualifications

• 5+ years in CX/UX/product or service design roles, including public sector exposure.
• Proven end-to-end delivery of CX initiatives and translating research into actionable improvements.
• Strong user research, journey mapping and prototyping skills.
• Experience coaching, facilitation and stakeholder engagement, including gaining buy-in.

Responsibilities

• Lead CX projects from discovery to delivery across websites, portals, chatbots and channels.
• Develop customer journeys, personas and service blueprints to shape decisions.
• Facilitate workshops and storytelling to drive alignment and action.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams across digital, data, policy and operations.

Skills

CX strategy

UX design

Design thinking

Co-design

Stakeholder engagement

Figma

Miro

Adobe XD

Storytelling

Education

NZQA level 7 qualification or equivalent

Tools

Figma

Miro

Adobe XD

Job description

Location: WellingtonType: Full-time | PermanentSalary Band: M1

Ready to turn customer insight into real impact? NZQA is looking for a hands‑on Principal Advisor Customer Experience (CX) who turns insight into action and delivers improvements customers can see and feel. You'll lead CX projects from discovery through to delivery. You'll talk to customers, uncover problems, design practical solutions, build them and make sure they work across our websites, portals, chatbot, training programmes and support channels. Working across digital, data, policy and operations, you'll turn customer insight into solutions that are useful, achievable and built to last. You're pragmatic and comfortable choosing progress over perfection. You know when a polished prototype is needed and when a hand‑drawn wireframe will get the job done. Your work will improve experiences for thousands of New Zealanders across the education sector. Real problems. Practical solutions. Meaningful impact. Whakatairangatia ngā kete o te mātauranga ki te ao mārama! E te tai whakarunga, e te tai whakararo, nau piki mai, nau kake mai ki te Mana Tohu Mātauranga o Aotearoa. May the baskets of knowledge (education) be brought into the world of light. We welcome one and all to join us at the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

Mō te tūranga | About the role

• A proven track record of delivering products and services that create measurable improvements for customers.
• A practical, delivery focused CX mindset - you spot opportunities, make improvements and keep momentum moving. Progress over perfection is how you work.
• Hands-on experience in service design, design thinking, co-design and customer research. You've applied these approaches in the real world - not just read about them.
• A roll-up-your-sleeves attitude, with a focus on real outcomes rather than polished artefacts. You know when a quick sketch is enough to test an idea and move forward.
• The ability to create customer journey maps, personas and service blueprints - and use them to shape decisions and action.
• Strong storytelling and facilitation skills, with the ability to run engaging workshops and turn alignment into action.
• The curiosity and determination to uncover the root cause of customer problems and the drive to fix it.
• The confidence to work with everyone from frontline teams to executives, building trust and bringing people on the journey.
• Confidence using tools such as Figma, Miro and Adobe XD to prototype and bring ideas to life.
• A sound understanding of the public sector and how to get meaningful work delivered within it.

He āhei āu | What you'll bring to the role

• 5+ years in CX, UX, product/service design roles, ideally in private sector or consultancy combined with some time in public service.
• Proven experience in end-to-end delivery of CX initiatives and communicating research findings.
• Strong experience in customer/user research, journey mapping, and prototyping skills.
• Extensive experience in coaching, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement (including getting buy-in).
• Clear written and oral communication skills.
• Up-to-date knowledge of CX trends and technologies including AI and emerging design and research tools and platforms.
• Demonstratable experience with tools such as Adobe suite, Figma, Miro or Mural, including creating wireframes, customer journeys and service blueprints.
• Understanding of public sector context and government processes.
• Ability to establish and build strong working relationships across and with groups.
• Proven ability to develop trust and credibility with managers.
• Ability to deliver with a drive to finish what has been started.
• Demonstrable ability to facilitate co-design workshops.
• Demonstrated ability to work with the business, understand their requirements and translate these into practical solutions.
• Experience in team‑building techniques and use of relevant diagnostic tools.
• Experience operating in a consulting style environment at a senior level
• Sound research, planning and project management skills
• Experience or sound understanding of organisational change management

Qualifications

• Qualification at level 7 of the NZ Qualifications Framework in a discipline relevant to the work is desirable or equivalent work experience at a level commensurate with the position

Ngā Painga o NZQA | Why choose NZQA

Join NZQA and help lift quality and trust across Aotearoa New Zealand's education system through world‑class assessment, quality assurance and qualifications. We are passionate about ensuring learners' achievements are recognised, allowing people to fully participate in employment, society and their communities. NZQA is committed to lifelong learning and the diverse communities we serve. We welcome people from all backgrounds and provide a supportive environment for Māori and Pacific staff, including active networks that help guide and strengthen our strategic direction. Discover more about what we offer: NZQA Staff Benefits.

If you have any questions, please contact Dominic Doyle | [e-mail]

Applications close at 5pm Tuesday 10 November 2026. We will review applications as they are received and may interview suitable candidates or close the vacancy before the closing date. We encourage you to apply early. You must have the right to live and work in Aotearoa New Zealand to apply for this role