Principal Advisor Risk and Assurance

The New Zealand Customs Service protects and promotes New Zealand across borders. We promote New Zealand's international trade, collect due Crown revenue, and enforce the law by identifying and seizing prohibited imports and exports. We also make sure that lawful traveller's and items can move across our border as smoothly as possible._
- Our Māori name - Te Mana Ārai o Aotearoa - translates as "the authority that screens and protects _New Zealand"._

The Principal Advisor Risk and Assurance is part of the Risk, Security and Assurance team, a team that provides the Comptroller with independent assurance on Customs' processes and controls, and advisory services that support the organisation across a broad range of risk and assurance-related matters. This role is a full-time permanent position and based in our Wellington Customhouse.

We are looking for a highly motivated individual to work within a team of advisors and to guide the risk, security, and assurance programmes for New Zealand Customs. The Principal Advisor Risk and Assurance helps Customs achieve its objectives by:

- taking a lead in the ongoing development and improvement of risk and assurance frameworks and strategies, particularly as they relate to the random drug and alcohol testing and business continuity programmes.
- ensuring a practical and flexible approach to growing and maintaining organisation wide awareness and capability across risk and assurance objectives.
- assessing the adequacy and effectiveness of a range of existing systems, processes and controls and identifying areas for improvement.
- providing objective advice and innovative solutions in response to organisational risks, trends, and lessons learned.

We are looking for someone who brings a broad knowledge and perspective to the RS&A team to provide the Comptroller, the Executive, the Assurance & Risk Committee and senior managers with independent advice and assurance on the effectiveness of existing processes, appropriateness of controls and safeguards over Customs risks.

The successful applicant will view Customs' risk, security and assurance settings as business enablers and will work collaboratively with all levels of Customs to inform and influence the design and implementation of new systems and processes responding to Customs' strategic objectives. This is your chance to help shape and actively promote the concept of continuous improvement within an agency with a diverse range of functions.

As a specialist leader your highly developed communication skills provide a natural ability to build rapport and present your views in a way that is meaningful with all levels of the organisation and with external partners. You will have a collaborative and supportive working style that ensures expectations are clear, and behaviours that assist the team to align with Customs values and objectives. You will be responsible for contributing to a climate that ensures those around you are motivated and thrive.

Critical thinking skills and well-established relationship management skills across key stakeholders internally and externally, are imperative for this role. As an influencer and educator of others with a strong awareness and understanding of the internal and external operating environments, you will assist managers to effect change in their areas of responsibility by encouraging risk management in its various guises into business-as-usual practices. It's an opportunity to benefit not only NZ Customs but the wider community too.

You will hold a relevant qualification, or you will have equivalent work experience. Ideally you will have some public sector experience, and familiarity with Government business continuity, risk management and/or assurance expectations would be an advantage.

If you are looking for a new direction and think this suits your skill set, or to further develop your skills and can see opportunities to extend yourself and provide value to our team, you may be just who we are after. If you are someone who is prepared to be hands on across a wide range of risk and assurance matters, is happy juggling priorities, and enjoys challenging and interesting work, we would love to hear from you.

**What we would offer you**
- Interesting and varied work, enabling you to use your creativity and initiative
- Learning and development opportunities and on-the-job support
- A culture of valuing people, including flexible work conditions
- Modern building close to public transport hub and parking
- Free in-house gym access (Wellington Customhouse).
- Flexible working opportunities

**Mahi ki Te Mana Ārai o Aotearoa | Working for New Zealand Customs**

To join Customs in any role you must be a **New Zealand citizen** or **New Zealand permanent resident** and for this role, be able to obtain and maintain an Organisational Security clearance along with being able to obtain and maintain security clearance to **'Top Secret'** level.

**OR**

You must have a background hist