Senior Policy Advisor – Sector Agreements
Are you interested in actively partnering with employers to develop the workforce they need to fill critical skill shortages and place more New Zealanders into jobs in sectors key to our economic growth and well-being?
Can you build effective relationships with employers, unions, local and central government to co-create the workforce plans that will support those sectors to invest in the skills and labour they need for the future?
We have two Senior Policy Advisor roles in MBIE's Labour and Immigration Policy Branch, focussed on establishing new Sector Agreements around access to temporary foreign workers with six key sectors: aged care, dairy, meat processing, forestry, road freight transport, and tourism and hospitality.
Why MBIE?
MBIE offers significant opportunity for developing experience across a broad variety of areas. We proactively support development through on-the-job learning and we'll help you manage a healthy work-life balance; with flexi-time, healthcare and financial benefits, along with sports teams and social activities.
The team
The Labour and Immigration Policy Branch is responsible for providing policy advice to support an efficient and productive labour market – facilitating a growing, more innovative and productive economy, from which workers benefit through rising wages.
We are lead advisor on the Government's immigration system, workplace relations and safety, and employment policy. We are working with sectors, regions and cities to develop agreed and sustainable solutions to New Zealand's labour and skill needs, now and into the future.
Our advice encompasses facilitating overall high labour force participation; setting employment standards and addressing employment practices intended to circumvent them; reducing inequalities in employment outcomes for different groups; and ensuring workers have the skills they will need and to adapt to future changes in the structure of our economy.
Sector Agreements are a new function in our immigration system. LIP will be negotiating agreements with six sectors that have a high reliance on temporary foreign workers, supporting employers' access to foreign workers to meet shortages in the short term in exchange for commitments and progress towards placing a greater share of New Zealanders into jobs in and reducing their reliance on temporary foreign workers over time.
About the role
We have an opportunity for two Senior Policy Advisors to establish and drive our Sector Agreements work programme from the beginning.
Sector Agreements are a key element of the wider package of temporary work changes being introduced by the Government to bring together the immigration, skills and welfare system to support better labour market outcomes for New Zealanders and grow our future economy. This is a critical role for gaining insights into how the government supports places and sectors to plan for the future.
The initial focus of these two roles will be establishing the Sector Agreements process and implementing this with specific sectors. The first two agreements are with the aged care and meat processing sectors, and each Senior Policy Advisor will take a leading role in one of these sectors. These will be followed by further agreements to be negotiated with dairy, road freight transport, forestry, and tourism and hospitality sectors.
As part of this role you will be required to work across government and take a co-design approach with the sector and wider interests to shape and drive the delivery of Sector Agreements.
The Senior Policy Advisors – Sector Agreements will be part of a small team working to a Director, including a Principal Policy Advisor, programme coordinator and a senior data analyst.
About you
We are looking for senior policy professionals with relevant experience and excellent interpersonal skills. You will have experience in leading policy analysis and be comfortable working in complex policy and engaging multiple stakeholders. You will be actively committed to developing and maintaining good relationships with colleagues and stakeholders from a diverse range of backgrounds, working in an open and collaborative manner. You may bring sector knowledge in one or more of the six sectors, in workforce planning, or skills/employment policy.
This is a great opportunity to get in at the beginning of this new approach to government working together with employers. We're looking for people who like to work in a fast-paced environment, work closely with stakeholders, and have strong policy and analytical skills.
How to find out more and apply
If rotation applies to you, please click on the "Apply online" button below and attach your completed expression of interest to rotate form and a copy of your current development plan.
Preference will be given to MBIE Policy staff who meet the eligibility criteria to rotate and have confirmed their intention to rotate.
If rotation does not apply to you, please follow the online process to submit your up to date CV and cover letter.
All applications must be submitted via our on-line process.
If you have any questions please e********** or call 04 901 8335
Applications close at 5pm on Thursday 3rd October
