Manager, Operations Engagement and Improvement

Permanent position, Wellington

Help shape the future of Education
- He mea _**_tārai _**_e mātou te _**_mātauranga_**_ kia_**_ rangatira_**_ ai, kia _**_mana taurite_**_ ai ōna _**_huanga_**
- We work to _**_shape_**_ an _**_education_**_ system that delivers _**_equitable_**_ and _**_excellent outcomes_**

At Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education, we work to provide services and support nationally, regionally and locally to the education sector, and in some cases, directly to ākonga and whānau.

We help shape the policies, settings and performance of the education system for early learning, schooling and tertiary. We do this by building relationships and understanding the needs of those who receive our services.

**We are making significant changes to how we deliver our mahi by**:

- Taking practical action to give effect to te Tiriti o Waitangi
- Giving priority to regional and local voice
- Delivering greater responsiveness, accessibility and integrated services and support
- Improving feedback loops and information flows.

Our organisation is made up of talented and committed people across 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 every child, young person and adult student in our education system.

**About our group and team**

Te Pae Aronui uses information, insights and service design functions to help the three Te Mahau frontline groups design and deliver services for the sector. We service and support the frontline groups and play an integration role between the enabling functions and our frontline services.

Our group provides nationally consistent service design, practice guidance and systems to support the integrated teams led by Directors of Education.

You'll be joining a collaborative, high-performing team in the Early Learning Operations and Funding group. Our key areas of focus are:

- Integrated regulatory design, implementation, monitoring and review
- Regulatory stewardship and evidence-based practice and intervention
- Service design and effective and efficient business process development and management

**Mō tēnei tūranga | About this role**

The Manager Early Learning Operations Engagement and Improvement (E&I) leads the strategic and operational direction of E&I functions to realise the outcomes of continuing participation in quality early learning for children 0-6 years within the New Zealand Education system.

The role leads the management of an early learning engagement framework, ensures the voices of users and stakeholders are present in our work, and leads the design of quality service delivery frameworks in support of policy and system changes across the Early Learning Sector.

They ensure the provision of advice, guidance and support for service delivery teams and early learning services me nga kōhanga reo to ensure they are equipped with systems and processes to implement and administer overall policy initiatives and maintain regulatory compliance.
- Please note there is further information in the attached Job Description_._

**Mōhou ake | About you**

To be successful in this role you will be an excellent communicator and will have extensive experience in both operational management and in building and leading high-performing teams. You will challenge and build capability through your business improvement and service design excellence and will challenge and develop others through interpersonal influence, your relationship management skills, and effective engagement with stakeholders

Your ability to think strategically and understand the wider educational landscape will enable you make effective, well-informed decisions that progress the teams' initiatives and work-programmes.

You will also have:

- In depth experience in operational management and in delivering improvements to key systems in complex settings, including planning, implementation, and risk and issue management
- Awareness of the Government's direction, policy priorities, planning and budgeting processes - especially Ministerial processes and procedures
- An understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its implications for the work of the Ministry and the team, and to lead your team in giving effect to Te Tiriti
- Demonstrated experience in developing and maintaining an environment focused on continuous improvement
- Experience in team management including recruitment, reporting and financial management of a budget
- Education sector experience is desirable but not essential
- The ability to speak te reo Māori, and competence in working with Māori whānau, hapū, iwi and/or Pacific communities will be highly valued.

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

We will provide flexible working environments where everyone feels relevant, valued and supported. So, if working from home and/or having a flexible start and fi