Principal Advisor

Job Type: Fixed Term
- Location: Wellington, NZ

**Help shape the future of Education**
- We work to _**_shape _**_an _**_education _**_system that delivers _**_equitable_**_ and _**_excellent outcomes_**

Our organisation is made up of talented and committed people around Aotearoa, from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. While we work in different groups and on different things, we all strive every day to make the biggest difference we can for our students in our education system.

**About this role | Mō tēnei tūranga**
- **Opportunity for an immediate start.**:

- **Fixed term role until 30 January 2026**:

- **The role is based in our Wellington tari.**

The Principal Advisor, Office of the Hautū, provides executive-level strategic advice and support to the Hautū that is specifically focused in relation to our Ministers' priorities and the Māori Education Action Plan. The role also supports the business planning and reporting for Te Pou Taurongo and the wider management as required. It provides advice, tools and training and development that strengthens our evidence-based analysis and advice across all workstreams. This role is responsible for supporting the Director to review business practices to ensure efficient and effective management contributing to an effective and focused environment. This ensures the requirements of the Hautū are met and carried out effectively and efficiently to a high standard, enabling the Hautū to provide leadership to the business group and across the organisation.

The Principal Advisor is responsible for keeping abreast of Government Priorities and developments in order to provide timely and accurate strategic advice for the Hautū. You'll also be responsible for providing advice and support for work within other parts of the Office of the Hautū where required and deputise for the Director when required. The Principal Advisor will operate with a high degree of sound judgement and understanding of complexity, managing risks to ensure all activities are delivered to a high standard, and will work flexibly across Te Pou Tuarongo and the Ministry. It is also important to develop networks at all levels of the organisation, government, and the sector. Specifically, the Principal Advisor is responsible for planning and reporting, co-ordination, and providing advice and information to the Director and Hautū on key issues that pertain to any assigned portfolio.

**About you | Mōhou ake**

To be successful in this secondment opportunity you will have the following experience:

- Planning and Reporting expertise
- Responds effectively to iwi Māori priorities for Māori Education
- Consistently delivers efficient and effective services
- Has a very deliberate focus on the organisation’s performance on Māori Education Action Plan priorities
- Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, its principles, and their implications
- A relevant tertiary qualification or related experiences
- Familiarity and/or an understanding of te ao karauna and te ao Maori, te reo Māori, tikanga and mātauranga Māori, and a willingness to learn more
- Integrity and leadership in advancing racial equity in the context of this role and the wider Ministry
- Experience working with kaimahi, Māori stakeholders, Ministers, and Chief Executive Officers,
- Understanding of the political context, the machinery of government, and the role of the Ministry in this context
- Expertise in report writing and providing advice to senior leaders, and
- Well-developed critical thinking and sound judgement, specifically, the ability to analyse information, develop options and think strategically.

**About our group and team | Mātau rōpū ake**

Te Pou Tuarongo supports the Ministry’s purpose to “shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes for Māori”. It does this by operating effectively at the kāwanatanga and rangatiratanga interface. Te Pou Tuarongo enable and support our organisation to give practical effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi by providing extensive expertise in iwi relationships, Mātauranga Māori and ao Māori capability build.

The Office of the Hautū supports the Hautū for Te Pou Tuarongo by delivering high quality advice for Ministers, the Secretary for Education, and Te Pou Tokomanawa. The Office of the Hautū also provides secretariat support to the Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Board and the Māori Education Ministerial Advisory Group. Additional responsibilities for our team include financial and budget management and oversight of the Māori Education Action Plan. The Office of the Hautū supports and enables Te Pou Tuarongo’s work programme and supports all aspects of the business planning and reporting.

**Are you ready to make a difference? | Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi?**

If this opportunity interests you, please submit your cover letter and resume by using the ‘apply' button. In your cover letter we’d like to know about you, your values, or anything else you’d like to share.