Principal Advisor - Digital Services

New Zealand Government; Wellington; On-site; NZD 122,000 - 149,000; Full time

Job summary

Parliamentary Counsel Office in Wellington seeks a Principal Advisor to shape digital services, lead AI governance, and turn ideas into trusted, user‑centric solutions across web, data and Gen AI.

This senior, hands‑on role combines strategy with delivery, working with decision‑makers and vendors to advance open access to New Zealand law.

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading or advising on digital products, services, projects or programmes in complex environments.
• Ability to translate strategy into practical plans, governance, and delivery.
• Curiosity about emerging technology balanced by sound judgement of value and risk.

Responsibilities

• Shape Digital Services: identify and develop opportunities across web, data and Gen AI.
• Lead Responsible AI Adoption: chair AI Working Group and govern its programme.
• Turn Ideas into Action: advance explorations into proposals, business cases, and deliverables.
• Support Digital Delivery: lead teams improving legislative systems and data services.
• Create Momentum: align priorities and maintain forward progress in Access & Digital Services.

Skills

Digital breadth

Strategic thinking

Good judgement

Delivery capability

Influence

AI adoption experience

Job description

# Principal Advisor - Digital Services at Parliamentary Counsel Office, Wellington - Wairarapa## Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this roleShape the future of digital access to New Zealand lawAre you an experienced digital professional who can turn emerging opportunities into practical, well-designed services?The Parliamentary Counsel Office | Te Tari Tohutohu Pāremata is looking for a Principal Advisor to help shape the future of our digital services. You will work across web, data, and Gen AI solutions, helping us identify opportunities, bring the right people together and turn promising ideas into trusted services and better ways of working.And not to worry if you've never thought twice about how legislation gets produced. If you have the right skills and a can-do attitude, we'll be interested in talking with you. And if you love open access information and open government... even better!**Your role**This is a senior, hands-on role spanning strategy, innovation and delivery.About half your time will initially be focused on coordinating PCO's approach to AI. As Chair of the Te Ata Tuhi AI Working Group, you will help develop a joined-up programme of work, support teams to identify and assess use cases, coordinate practical guidance, and progress advice and recommendations to our AI Governance Board. The aim is to encourage valuable experimentation while supporting responsible and sustainable adoption.You will also support innovation across our wider digital portfolio, including the systems used to draft, publish, and make legislation available. You could be shaping a strategic opportunity one day and helping move an initiative through planning, procurement, delivery, evaluation or transition the next.**What we do**At the PCO, we work with government agencies to draft and publish legislation for New Zealand. We provide New Zealanders with trusted, central access to legislation and work to make the law easy to find, use and understand.Our digital services sit at an unusual intersection of law, democracy, public information, and technology. The work is nationally significant, but our size means you can work closely with decision-makers, specialists and delivery teams and see the impact of what you do.**What you'll do**· Shape Digital Services: Identify and develop opportunities across web, data, and Gen AI, that will meet organisational and user needs.· Lead Responsible AI Adoption: Chair the AI Working Group, coordinate its work programme and help promising use cases progress through assessment, prioritisation and governance.· Turn Ideas into Action: Take initiatives from early exploration into clear proposals, business cases, experiments, procurements and deliverable plans.· Support Digital Delivery: Provide practical advice and leadership to teams improving our legislative systems, websites, data services and other digital products.· Create Momentum: Bring people together, navigate complexity, and help the Access & Digital Services group maintain clear priorities and forward momentum.**What you'll bring**· Digital Breadth: Significant experience leading or advising on digital products, services, projects or programmes in a complex environment.· Strategic and Practical Thinking: The ability to see the bigger picture, identify the next practical step and stay involved through delivery.· Good Judgement: Curiosity about emerging technology, balanced by sound judgement about value, effort, risk and organisational impact.· Delivery Capability: Experience developing plans, business cases, budgets and reports, and working with governance and procurement processes to deliver digital services.· Influence: The ability to build shared direction, facilitate difficult conversations and work effectively with senior leaders, specialists, delivery teams and vendors.· Experience with AI adoption, data services or online service delivery would be valuable. You do not need to be a developer or engineer, but you should be confident working with technical specialists and translating between strategic, service and technology perspectives. If you want to help shape digital services that support access to New Zealand law, this is a rare opportunity to make a practical and visible contribution.**How to apply**For more information about working at the PCO, as well as the job description, please visit our careers page www.pco.govt.nz/careers-at-the-pco.All applications must include a cover letter telling us why you are suitable for the role, and a CV.Enquiries can be sent to: [e-mail] close: 5pm, Friday 02 October 2026## Ngā taipitopito tūranga mahi | Job details| | || --- | --- || Employer: | Parliamentary Counsel Office || Location: | Wellington - Wairarapa || Position type: | Ongoing - Full Time || Category: | Government, Policy, Planning & Regulation || Date listed: | 18-Sep-2026 || Salary range: | $121,518 - $148,522 || Closing date: | 02-Oct-2026 || Reference: | NZ/PADS || Attachment: | No File Attached || File links: | || Website: | http://www.pco.parliament.govt.nz/ |