Principal Procurement Specialist

CGR Services; Wellington; On-site; NZD 143,000 - 178,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ministry of Social Development in Wellington is seeking a Principal Procurement Specialist to lead strategic social procurement initiatives. You will provide expert advice, develop frameworks, and guide complex procurements to support MSD’s goals and deliver outcomes for New Zealanders.

Working with senior leaders, you will coach teams, build capability, and mentor staff while ensuring policies and processes are applied.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in social procurement, ideally within the public sector.
• MCIPS or a relevant procurement qualification.
• Strong experience working with stakeholders on complex procurement programmes.
• Sound understanding of the social commissioning lifecycle and government policies.
• Ability to work independently, shape work programmes, and deliver results with minimal direction.
• Experience providing expert advice on complex procurement matters, including interpreting policies and frameworks.
• Strong relationship-building and influencing skills across teams and agencies.
• Ability to identify risks and opportunities and provide practical solutions.
• Experience leading change initiatives and implementing best practice approaches.
• Proven coaching and mentoring skills and a passion for capability development.
• Excellent communication and ability to present complex information clearly.

Responsibilities

• Lead and advise on strategic, complex social procurement initiatives across MSD.
• Develop frameworks and guidance to support quality procurement practices.
• Provide expert advice on procurement matters and inform senior decision-making.
• Coach and mentor team members to build procurement capability.
• Collaborate with leaders to strengthen cross-agency collaboration and best practices.

Skills

Social procurement experience

Stakeholder management

Change management

Coaching & mentoring

Communication skills

Leadership

Education

MCIPS or relevant procurement qualification

Job description

About the role | Mʵ te tūnga

Date: 17 Sept 2026

Location: Wellington, NZ

Company: Ministry of Social Development

• Wellington Based
• Permanent opportunity

As a Principal Procurement Specialist, you will provide expert advice and leadership on social procurement across the Ministry. You will lead some of our most complex and strategic procurement work, helping ensure it supports MSD's goals and delivers positive outcomes for New Zealanders. Working with a high level of autonomy, you will develop strategic approaches, frameworks, and guidance that support quality procurement practices across the organisation. You will provide trusted advice on complex procurement matters, identify emerging risks and opportunities, and help inform decision-making at a senior level. You will also play an important role in building procurement capability across MSD. This includes coaching and mentoring team members, sharing your expertise, and supporting continuous improvement.

What you bring | Ũu ʵpłanawatanga

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• Extensive experience in social procurement, ideally within the public sector.
• A qualification in procurement, MCIPS, or a relevant tertiary qualification.
• Strong experience working with stakeholders on complex procurement programmes and initiatives.
• A sound understanding of the social commissioning lifecycle and government procurement policies and processes.
• The ability to work independently, shape work programmes, and deliver results with minimal direction.
• Experience providing expert advice on complex procurement matters, including interpreting policies, legislation, and organisational frameworks.
• Strong relationship-building and influencing skills, with experience working across teams, business groups, and agencies.
• The ability to identify risks and opportunities, analyse information, and provide practical solutions.
• Experience leading change initiatives and implementing best practice approaches.
• Proven coaching and mentoring skills, with a passion for developing others and building capability.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to present complex information in a clear and practical way.

Working closely with leaders and stakeholders across MSD and other government agencies, you will help strengthen collaboration and promote best practice in social procurement.

Position Description | He Whakaahuatanga TūlŇa

Salary | Utu-ā-tau

$142,874.00 - $177,798.00

Applications close | Ka kati ŋn tono hei te

Sunday 27 September, 2026.

About us | Mʵ 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, hapš, 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.