Senior Business Advisor, Innovations

Te Rau Ora; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Te Rau Ora is seeking a Senior Business Advisor to provide strategic and operational support to the Director, Innovations. This newly created role centers on creating clarity, connection and momentum across a busy directorate, coordinating priorities, reporting, and stakeholder engagement.

You will work alongside the Innovations leadership team, offering senior-level guidance, managing multiple priorities, and turning information into practical recommendations.

Qualifications

• 5-7 years’ relevant experience in business advisory, strategic coordination, programme management, executive support, planning or organisational performance.
• Experience working with executives, directors or senior leaders.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholder relationships in a complex environment.
• Experience coordinating planning, reporting and performance monitoring.
• Ability to prepare high-quality briefings, reports, presentations and governance papers.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate strategic and operational priorities with the Director, Innovations.
• Monitor work programmes, actions and key deliverables.
• Spot risks early and engage managers to keep delivery on track.
• Prepare briefings, reports, presentations and other senior-level information.
• Coordinate reporting and turn information into insights and recommendations.
• Bring people together around issues or opportunities.
• Engage with funders, partners and sector stakeholders.
• Improve systems, processes and ways of working across Innovations.
• Coordinate meetings and ensure decisions and actions are followed through.
• Support or facilitate team workshops and activities.

Skills

Business advisory

Strategic coordination

Programme management

Executive support

Planning

Organisational performance

Education

Tertiary qualification

Job description

New senior advisory role | Work directly with the Director, Innovations | Full-time, fixed-term until 30 June 2027 | Te Rau Ora Pōneke or Kirikiriroa office-based, or remote-based [Negotiable]

This is a newly created role working directly with our Director, Innovations. You’ll be their trusted right hand across the Innovations portfolio, helping connect strategy with delivery, keeping an eye on priorities and performance, coordinating information and people, and making sure important actions don’t fall through the gaps. The role also works closely with the wider Innovations leadership team.

You won't always be handed a tidy problem with a ready-made solution. We need someone who can work through ambiguity, ask the right questions, make good calls about what they can progress themselves, and recognise when something needs to be escalated.

About Us

Te Rau Ora is a national centre for Māori health and wellbeing in Aotearoa. Our vision is a future where whānau are thriving, self-determined and well. We are committed to developing a Māori workforce that helps shape and deliver health services and improve Māori health outcomes

Our mahi is underpinned by our values, including Wairuatanga, Puawaitanga, Manaakitanga, Kotahitanga, Kia Ngātahi Te Waihoe and Māia.

About the Role

The Senior Business Advisor provides strategic and operational support to the Director, Innovations, helping to plan, coordinate and deliver the Innovations portfolio. At its heart, this role is about creating clarity, connection and momentum across a busy directorate.

On any given day, you could be:

• helping the Director and leadership team coordinate strategic and operational priorities

• monitoring work programmes, actions and key deliverables

• spotting risks or barriers early and working with managers to keep delivery on track

• preparing briefings, reports, presentations and other senior-level information

• coordinating reporting and turning information into useful insights and recommendations

• bringing the right people together around an issue or opportunity

• engaging with funders, partners and sector stakeholders

• improving systems, processes and ways of working across Innovations

• coordinating meetings and making sure decisions, actions and commitments are followed through

• supporting or facilitating team workshops and activities when required

This isn't purely an EA or project management role. You'll operate at a senior advisory level, joining the dots between strategy, people, information and delivery.

About You

You’re probably the person people turn to when there are five things happening at once and someone needs to work out what matters first.

You can work comfortably with senior leaders without needing everything spelled out. You're organised enough to keep multiple workstreams moving, but flexible enough to change direction when priorities shift.

Just as importantly, you understand the difference between taking ownership and overstepping. You know which decisions sit within your remit, when to consult, and when an issue needs to go upstairs.

We’re looking for someone who:

• has around 5-7 years’ relevant experience in business advisory, strategic coordination, programme management, executive support, planning or organisational performance

• has worked closely with executives, directors or other senior leaders

• can manage multiple priorities, work programmes and stakeholder relationships in a complex environment

• has experience coordinating planning, reporting and performance monitoring

• can prepare high-quality briefings, reports, presentations, business cases and governance papers

• can analyse information and turn it into practical recommendations

• communicates clearly and knows how to adjust their approach for different audiences

• builds credibility and trusted relationships with people at different levels

• is confident working independently and exercising sound judgement

• can handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately

• remains effective when priorities change or the path forward isn't completely clear

  brings te reo Māori me ōna tikanga

A relevant tertiary qualification and/or experience in areas such as business, management, public policy, communications, project management or organisational development is also relevant to the role.

It would be an advantage if you have...

Experience in Māori health, mental health, social services, education, workforce development or community sectors would be valuable. So would experience working in a kaupapa Māori environment, with iwi, hapū, Māori providers, government agencies or funders, or supporting organisational change and innovation.

What makes this opportunity different?

This is a chance to step into a newly created senior role where you can help shape how the position works.

You'll sit close to decision-making, work across a broad and interesting portfolio, and build relationships with leaders, funders, partners and stakeholders. The PD identifies internal relationships spanning the Chief Executive and Leadership Team, Innovation Managers, Finance, People & Culture, Communications and Marketing, Insights and Knowledge, Te Rau Rangahau and programme/project leads. Externally, the role connects with funders, government agencies, iwi, hapū, Māori organisations, research institutions and sector partners.

Most importantly, your organisational skills and judgement will support mahi intended to make a difference for Māori communities and the wider workforce.

If you’re someone who can bring clarity to complexity, keep multiple priorities moving and build trusted relationships along the way, we'd like to hear from you.

Applications close 5pm, Tuesday, 17 November 2026.