Principal Advisor Technical

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 132,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Kiwisaver

Wellness benefits

Job summary

Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) seeks a Principal Advisor (Technical) to shape New Zealand's building regulatory system. You will lead major programmes, provide authoritative technical and regulatory advice, and influence policy development across government and industry.

Based in Wellington or Christchurch, you will drive improvements, mentor a team, and ensure robust, evidence-based outcomes while managing strategic risk and opportunities in the building sector.

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of building systems or related disciplines.
• Significant experience in regulatory, policy, operational or technical environments.
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills with ambiguity handling.
• Ability to translate technical/regulatory considerations into practical advice.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert technical, regulatory, and strategic advice on complex issues.
• Lead significant programmes and deliver evidence-based outcomes.
• Identify risks and opportunities and shape effective responses.
• Build relationships across government, industry and professional bodies.
• Represent MBIE in key forums and sector engagements.
• Coach, mentor and develop team capability.

Skills

Building systems knowledge

Regulatory/policy experience

Analytical thinking

Strategic advisory

Stakeholder engagement

Leadership

Education

Relevant tertiary qualification

Job description

• Shape the future of New Zealand's building regulatory system
• Lead complex, high-impact programmes that drive improvements across the building sector
• Provide trusted advice on some of the building sector's most challenging issues
• Deliver trusted technical advice to inform strategic decision-making and policy development
• Work across government, industry and the wider building sector to drive system improvement
• Permanent opportunity, Wellington or Christchurch-based location
• Salary : $132,417 - $160,472 + Kiwisaver plus wellness benefits

About the Role - Tēnei tūranga:

• Shape the future of New Zealand's building regulatory system
• Lead complex, high-impact programmes that drive improvements across the building sector
• Provide trusted advice on some of the building sector's most challenging issues
• Deliver trusted technical advice to inform strategic decision-making and policy development
• Work across government, industry and the wider building sector to drive system improvement
• Permanent opportunity, Wellington or Christchurch-based location
• Salary : $132,417 - $160,472 + Kiwisaver plus wellness benefits

Discover a career with purpose at MBIE

About the Role - Tēnei tūranga:

As a Principal Advisor (Technical), you will play a key leadership role in shaping and improving New Zealand's building regulatory system.
Working within Building Performance and Engineering, you will provide authoritative technical, regulatory and strategic advice on complex building system issues. You will lead significant programmes of work, influence decision-making, and help identify and respond to emerging opportunities, risks and challenges affecting the building sector.
In this role, you will:

• Provide expert technical, regulatory, and strategic advice on complex issues.
• Lead significant work programmes and deliver robust, evidence-based outcomes.
• Identify emerging risks and opportunities and help shape effective responses.
• Build influential relationships across government, industry, and professional bodies.
• Represent MBIE in key forums and sector engagements.
• Coach, mentor, and support capability development across the team.

Ngā pukenga me ngā wheako e hiahiatia ana -

Skills And Experience Required

• Extensive knowledge of building systems, construction practices, or related technical disciplines.
• Significant experience working within complex regulatory, policy, operational or technical environments.
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills with the ability to deal effectively with ambiguity and complexity.
• Ability to integrate technical, regulatory and strategic considerations into clear and practical advice.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and build credibility with senior leaders and external stakeholders.
• Experience leading complex projects, programmes of work or multidisciplinary teams.
• A relevant tertiary qualification and/or equivalent senior professional experience.
• Legal entitlement to work in New Zealand and ability to meet MBIE security clearance requirements.

About MBIE - Ētahi kōrero mō MBIE:

MBIE's goal is to create a resilient and high-performing economy that delivers real and ongoing quality of life for all New Zealanders.
We do this by working with others to create an environment that supports businesses to be more productive and internationally competitive, enables all New Zealanders to participate in the economy through improved job opportunities and by working to ensure quality housing is more affordable.
People are at the heart of our mahi, our way of working is guided by our values which shape our behaviours.

• Mahi Tahi – Better Together
• Māia – Bold and brave
• Pae Kahurangi – Build our Future
• Pono Me Te Tika – Own It

Our aspirations are echoed in our Māori identity – Hīkina Whakatutuki – which broadly means ‘lifting to make successful'.
MBIE recognises the partnership founded under Te Tiriti o Waitangi between Māori and the Crown and is committed to giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We will do this through enduring, meaningful and effective partnerships with iwi, Māori, other Māori groups/organisations and the Crown, as this is critical to enable economic and social development, both for Māori and for wider Aotearoa New Zealand. We are committed to continuing to partner with iwi in order to find new sustainable solutions to address long standing systemic and cross-cutting issues facing Māori and wider Aotearoa New Zealand and we are also committed to identifying opportunities for iwi to lead and creating an enabling environment for iwi to leverage these opportunities.
E mōhio ana a Hīkina Whakatutuki i puea ake te kōtuinga I waenganui i a ngāi Māori me te Karauna i Te Tiriti o Waitangi, ā, kei te whai ia ki te whakaū ake i Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Mā te whai kiko o ngā kōtuinga ahunga roa o ngā iwi, o ngāi Māori, me ētahi atu rōpū Māori ki te Karauna, ka tutuki tēnei. He āhuatanga nui tēnei e āhei ai ngā mahi whanaketanga ā-ohanga, ā-pāpori hoki ki a ngāi Māori me Aotearoa whānui. E whai tonu ana mātou ki te kōtui atu ki ngā iwi mō te rapu huarahi hou ki te whakaara i ngā kaupapa kua roa nei e tāmi ana i a ngāi Māori me Aotearoa whānui, ā, e whai ana hoki ki te tautohu i ngā āheinga kōkiritanga mā ngā iwi, me te tautoko i ngā iwi kia whai mana ake ai ēnei āheinga.