Principal Advisor

**Are you passionate about driving strategic initiatives and transforming organisations through innovative solutions?** We are seeking a dynamic Principal Advisor to assist the Group Manager, Strategic Systems and Service Optimisation or SSSO, with strategy development, systems improvement and implementation in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. The purpose of the New Zealand Customs Service is to protect New Zealand's border using world class tools, people and innovative approaches. We promote New Zealand by facilitating trade and welcoming visitors. Our Māori name - Te Mana Ārai o Aotearoa - translates as "the authority that screens and protects New Zealand." **About this role| Mō tēnei tūranga mahi** SSSO is a newly created group established to lead business ownership of IS Solutions and business systems used by operations to innovate, improve and enhance the delivery of Customs services. The Group supports Customs' people with ways to build, improve and embed a customer and user perspective into what Customs does and how it does it, using structured methods. Comprising the New Zealand Traveller Declaration Team (NZTD), Service Optimisation, Business Improvement and Innovation, and the Joint Border Analytics teams, it enhances Customs' organisational capability, performance and generation of insights. We do this by using data, analytics and statistically valid sampling through an interagency Joint Border Analytics team and providing an assurance capability. Working alongside the Group Manager, you'll be integral to facilitating operating rhythms and ensuring that the team is performance and outcome focused. You'll also be enabling SSSO's work programme and ensuring that strategies are aligned to Customs' strategic direction. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, internal and external stakeholders relationships including government, will be something you excel at. Whilst the Group Manager is located in Auckland, the role may be located in either Auckland or Wellington. **About you | Ko wai koe** To be successful in this role you will need to be able to demonstrate: - Previous experience and success in a senior facilitation and/or leadership role in a medium to large service delivery organisation. - Experience working in (or in collaboration with) operational groups including working credibly alongside operational leaders and staff to achieve organisational outcomes. - Ability to work well across and through an organisation: from the front-line through to senior executive level. - Evidence of well-developed interpersonal skills along with effective relationship and stakeholder management. - Excellent communication skills both verbal and written, with the ability to communicate complex information to wide-ranging audiences at all levels. - Strong problem-solving and decision-making including ability to collaboratively identify problems, manage or mitigate risks and implement innovative solutions that align with Customs' strategic direction. - Knowledge or understanding of working in regulatory environment and an understanding of the machinery of government and role of Minister and Executive would be helpful. - Proficient in analysis, business case development and presentation preparation to convey ideas and recommendations. - Strong understanding of system ownership in enterprise agile environment would be beneficial along with knowledge of continuous improvement principles. **What we offer | He aha mātou e tuku** At Customs | Te Mana Ārai we aim to create a great place to work, where our people have a sense of belonging and the capability and desire to meet our future challenges. We are an organisation that is clear about our mission and this is underpinned by Te Pou Tokomanawa (the Foundations) and our Whanonga Pono (Values). Our work really matters to the safety and success of New Zealand. We care about well-being, personal growth, and job satisfaction, which is supported through: - offering on-the-job training, formal courses and leadership programmes, and the chance to move across diverse roles - fostering inclusive and supportive team environment with vibrant social and cultural groups - supporting flexible working - talk to us about how we can help you achieve your flexible working goals, within our operational requirements - providing discounted health insurance, and free on-site gyms (in some locations) - Three days of service holidays, in addition to four weeks of annual leave. To join Customs in any role you must be a New Zealand citizen or NZ permanent resident. (*) To obtain and maintain a Top-Secret security clearance this means: OR **Applications close at 5:00pm, on Monday, 3rd March 2025** Interviews will be held during the week of 10th March at Custom House, Auckland and/or Wellington **Job details**: - Reference # - 43749 - Posted on - 24 Feb 2025 - Closes on - 05 Mar 2025 - Location(s) - Auckland, Wellington - Expertise - Business Analysis, Communications - Job