Policy Director | Building System Performance

• Thought leadership and support for a significant and high-profile policy work programme
• Influence and connect within MBIE, across government and with diverse stakeholders to deliver meaningful improvements for the building and construction system
• A great opportunity to help the leadership team build effective and enduring ways of working and manage through change
• Permanent opportunity, Wellington-based location
• $179,391 - $269,087 with appointing salary determined on a candidates experience and capability

You will be one of two Policy Directors supporting the General Manager to ensure that the Building System Performance Branch (BSP) delivers on a diverse range of functions that support the building regulatory system.
 
There are three broad aspects to the Policy Director role:
 

• Providing leadership and support to ensure high quality policy development and advice. This will include working closely with domain experts, managers and people leaders to shape and develop priority work programmes, robustly testing ideas, and building connections across Branch work programmes and into wider Government work.
• Working with the General Manager and BSP Leadership team to ensure the Branch is operating effectively. This will involve helping to implement a refreshed operating model, providing on-going leadership and support for Branch operational functions, and embedding a positive and supportive team culture.
• As a member of MBIE’s Policy Director cohort, leading and contributing to activities to improve policy and operational capabilities, providing mentoring and support for teams and individuals, and supporting strategic and organisational projects and priorities.

Building System Performance sits within the Building Resources and Markets Group. It has an ambitious policy work programme to support the Government’s goals for building and construction, including goals to streamline consents, ensure that risk settings are appropriate, and exploring strategic changes to building systems. Building System Performance also plays an important regulatory stewardship role, maintaining the Building Code and associated documents and ensuring that the building sector understands and is able to meet regulatory requirements. 
 
The Branch comprises:
 
•    three policy teams (Consenting and Practitioners Policy, Building Performance and Resilience Policy and System and Markets Policy) who provide advice to the Government on a broad range of regulatory and strategic issues.
•    the Building Performance and Engineering team, that provides technical and specialist advice on building-related matters
•    the System Performance and Implementation team that includes a range of functions from system monitoring and performance, internal strategy and systems, stakeholder engagement and design and implementation.
 

Skills and Experience Required
 

We are keen to hear from you if you have:

• Proven experience in a people leadership role and/or operating within a senior leadership team
• Demonstrated skills in working across government to achieve collective outcomes
• Experience in policy development, including a solid understanding of the legislative process
• Excellent stakeholder relationship skills
• Strong analytical and critical thinking
• Excellent systems thinking
• A flexible and positive approach, and an ability to manage change and uncertainty
• Must have legal right to live and work in New Zealand

   

We are keen to hear from you if you have:

• Proven experience in a people leadership role and/or operating within a senior leadership team
• Demonstrated skills in working across government to achieve collective outcomes
• Experience in policy development, including a solid understanding of the legislative process
• Excellent stakeholder relationship skills
• Strong analytical and critical thinking
• Excellent systems thinking
• A flexible and positive approach, and an ability to manage change and uncertainty
• Must have legal right to live and work in New Zealand

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 ahungaroa o ngāi wi, o ngāi Māori, me ētahi atu rōpū Māori ki te Karauna, katutuki 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 kaupapakua 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.

Click here to view a position description. All applications must be submitted via our online process and include a Cover Letter and CV outlining your interest and suitability for the role. 

Email Monica Chow at monica.chow2@mbie.govt.nz quoting ref MBIE/17215 if you have any further questions.

Applications close at 1159 on Tuesday 13th May 2025.