Senior Operational Policy Analyst

**Role type**: Permanent, full-time

**Location**: Wellington

**Salary band**: $92,073 to $124,570 depending on skills and experience

Do you love forests and want to be part of a team that has a positive and lasting impact for New Zealand's climate change outcomes?
Are you excited to play a leading role in developing and implementing evidence-based policy?
The Ministry for Primary Industries is currently recruiting for a Senior Operational Policy Analyst to join our new Maximising Carbon Programme within our wider Te Uru Rākau - New Zealand Forest Service business unit.

Kōrero mō te tūranga - About the Role
The Maximising Forest Carbon Programme is a $30 million research and policy programme which aims to improve the way we measure carbon in our native and exotic forests. Improved measurement opens opportunities to make changes to the ETS that recognise, reward and incentivise carbon storage in a wider range of forests, helping New Zealand meet its climate change commitments. The Programme is led by Te Uru Rakau - New Zealand Forest Service in collaboration with the Department of Conservation and the Ministry for the Environment.
The Senior Operational Policy Analyst (Maximising Carbon) is responsible for leading the design of evidence-led policy interventions and providing policy advice to Ministers and Cabinet on:

- Regulatory changes to the ETS to implement improved forest carbon storage data and measurement methods;
- Potential legislative changes to the ETS needed to effectively recognise and incentivise carbon storage in forests not currently covered by the scheme;
- Potential pathways for recognising carbon storage in a wider range of forests internationally; and
- The likely economic, environmental, social, and cultural impacts, and trade-offs of different options to better recognise carbon stock changes in forests.

This role is highly collaborative and involves working closely with the wider Maximising Forest Carbon Programme staff, partner agencies, policy and operational staff, tangata whenua and forestry stakeholders to deliver practical regulatory advice.

Mōu - About You
As a Senior Operational Policy Analyst you will have strong analytical and written communication skills, an ability to develop collaborative working relationships with a range of stakeholders, and experience in gathering, organising, and communicating technical information.
You will have a strong regulatory, policy or operational policy background, and you will be able to take a lead role in the team. Knowledge of forestry, ETS, or climate change issues is desirable but not essential.

Mō tō mātou rōpū - About our team
We are a new project team spanning multiple disciplines within Te Uru Rakau - New Zealand Forest Service. The Policy & Innovation workstream sits within the ETS operational policy function of the Forestry & Land Management directorate.
The directorate covers a range of regulatory and operational responsibilities for forestry in the ETS, with a focus on New Zealand's climate change responsibilities.
To find out more about the Ministry and what we do please click here.

Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua - About MPI
The Ministry for Primary Industries is helping to seize export opportunities for our primary industries, improve sector productivity, ensure the food we produce is safe, increase sustainable resource use, and protect New Zealand from biological risk.

Ngā hua o te Mahi i te Manatū Ahu Matua - Benefits of working at MPI
- Up to three additional leave days
- Wellness benefit for employees
- Career development and internal opportunities across the branch and organisation

Wā Mahi Ngāwari - Flexible Working
We support flexible working arrangements and are happy to discuss these options with you.

Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake? - Are you ready to make a difference?
We are committed to being a good partner under Te Tiriti o Waitangi which includes working closely with iwi, hapū, whanau and hāpori.
In your cover letter we'd like to know about you, your values, your whakapapa; your interest and motivations for this role; the abilities, strengths, personal attributes, and diverse perspectives you will bring to the role and this organisation, which may have also been gained outside of the workforce.

Applications close at 11.59pm on 21 March.

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