Chief People Officer

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

The Commerce Commission | Te Komihana Tauhokohoko is New Zealand's competition, consumer, consumer credit, and economic regulatory agency. Our mission is to ensure New Zealand's markets are competitive, consumers and businesses are well informed, and sectors with little or no competition are appropriately regulated. As an independent Crown entity, we enforce laws relating to competition, fair trading, and consumer credit contracts.

Mō te tūranga | About the role

This is a pivotal Wellington-based opportunity to lead and shape the workforce and people related strategies, systems and processes at the Commerce Commission. Reporting directly to the General Manager, Organisation Performance and Enablement (OPE), you will oversee a talented and committed team of professionals focused on enabling the organisation to perform at its highest level and deliver on the Commission's vision, strategy, and goals.

You will lead the People and Capability function, which manages the Commission's approach to talent acquisition, organisation capability, partnering and advisory, and systems and reporting, including payroll. You will also be a key member of the OPE leadership team, collectively leading an integrated branch to deliver on the organisation's priorities.

Additionally, the new Chief People Officer will:

• Lead, develop, and be accountable for delivering the People and Capability team's work programme, providing direction and clarity to ensure alignment with the Commission's strategic goals of the Commission.
• Provide strategic and operational HR advice to the Chief Executive, Senior Leadership Team, and the Board, becoming a trusted advisor on all HR matters. 
• Develop future-focused services, systems and processes that support people performance and enhance productivity, ensuring they meet the needs of both the organisation and its people.
• Build and maintain collaborative, impactful relationships across the organisation to stay closely connected to it pulse and effectively influence change.
• Foster a culture of learning, innovation, and continuous improvement.

He kōrero mōu | About you

To be successful in this role, you will be an experienced HR professional with a proven track record of leading high-performing teams in a dynamic environment. You will have the technical expertise and leadership experience to manage complex change and the resilience to thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure setting. 

You will have the confidence and political nous to engage directly with the Commission's Board and senior leaders, providing them with strategic advice and support. Your ability to prioritise and deliver in a fast-moving environment, coupled with your commitment to driving continuous improvement, will be key to your success in this role. To be successful in this role, you will be an open, empowering and people focused leader of leaders, with the experience in enhancing capability, culture and performance.

You will be passionate about organisational culture, capability uplift and growing great leaders and have experience in developing strategies and plans to drive shifts in these areas.  You'll also be a master communicator and someone who gets a buzz from finding new and more effective ways of doing things. 

What We're Looking For:

• Proven senior HR leadership experience (minimum 3 years at Chief People Officer or HR Director level), with a strong track record of delivering impactful people strategies and work programmes.  If you are a rising superstar with a growth mindset, we are also happy to consider you for the role.
• Demonstrated ability to build and lead high-performing, engaged teams, with a pragmatic and empathetic approach to organisational and cultural change.
• Strategic thinker with strong systems thinking and planning capabilities, able to align people initiatives with organisational goals in dynamic, fast-paced environments.
• Exceptional relationship management skills, with the ability to influence and partner effectively across all levels of the organisation.
• Sound judgement and decision-making skills, balancing pace with quality and robustness in delivery.
• Ideally, experience across both government and private sectors, and familiarity with agile or consulting environments.

Te wāhi mahi | Working here

We're friendly and collaborative and enjoy contributing to our shared vision of making New Zealanders better off and are committed to our people's wellbeing. Our flexible working options are key to supporting that goal and our people have the technology they need to make it happen. Our environment is inclusive, and our people know they are free to be their authentic selves at work and structure the way they work to suit their lifestyle.

Click here to find out more about benefits and life here at Te Komihana Tauhokohoko | The Commerce Commission.

Ka pēhea te tono mai | How to apply

If you're an experienced senior leader with a passion for people, driving collective impact, and fostering high performance, this is your opportunity to contribute to our vision and lead a team of professionals within a dynamic organisation. Click 'Apply for this job' below. You will need to complete an online application form and upload your CV and Cover Letter outlining your motivation for applying for this role and the skills and experience you bring.

For any queries please contact Liz Martin on 04 924 3625. Applications close on Sunday 29 June 2025.

Our recruitment process is fair, inclusive and free from bias and we encourage our applicants to let us know if we can make it more user friendly for them.  We are an equal opportunity employer.  We value diverse perspectives and the contribution every one of our people makes to our culture.  Put simply – you can be yourself here.