Principal Advisor

PRINCIPAL POLICY ADVISOR - Criminal Justice Unit
Permanent position
Te Tāhū o te Ture - The Ministry of Justice
National Office, Wellington

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini.Success is not the work of one, but the work of many.

Te whiwhinga mahi/The Opportunity
Are you a talented policy professional, looking for your next opportunity to contribute to the future of Aotearoa New Zealand?
Our work in the Justice Policy Group is wide-ranging, with opportunities to shape thinking and drive change across the justice and social sectors. It is important and challenging work, with new tests of your critical thinking and collaborative skills every day.
Our Principal Policy Advisors bring a depth of experience to fulfil key leadership roles within their teams and across the wider Group. They are responsible for supporting capability, providing authoritative advice, and leading programmes of work on complex and sensitive issues.
Criminal Justice Unit - Harm Reduction and Public Safety team
Within the Justice Policy Group, the Criminal Justice Unit provides oversight of the criminal justice system through stewardship of key legislation and leadership on critical domestic and international criminal justice issues. Our teams are: Criminal Law, Terrorism and Law Enforcement, Harm Reduction and Public Safety, Sentencing and Rehabilitation, and Victims.
We are currently looking for a Principal Policy Advisor to join the Harm Reduction and Public Safety team. Additional opportunities at this level may arise in the Unit in upcoming months.
The Harm Reduction and Public Safety team is focused on keeping New Zealanders safe. We are responsible for a policy related to potentially harmful activities. Our work includes alcohol, drug, and firearms policy, family and sexual violence in the law, and aspects of national security. We consider what activities should be criminalised and/or regulated, and to what extent. We work to fundamental principles related to human rights, te Tiriti o Waitangi, and the rule of law.

He pūkenga tou / Skills and experience
- Relationship skills - Strong skills in engaging diverse internal and external stakeholders, and incorporating their perspectives
- Advisory skills - Extensive knowledge of machinery of government and public policy, and the ability to anticipate risks and test analyses
- Communication skills - Excellent written and oral communication skills - in particular, the ability to present complex issues in an accessible way, and ask questions to improve understanding
- Te Ao Māori - Experience in working with iwi and Māori organisations and designing, applying, and advising on te ao Māori and te Tiriti-based frameworks for policy.

Ko wai mātou/Who we are
At Te Tāhū o te Ture - the Ministry of Justice, we're committed to working together for a fair and safe Aotearoa.
Joining Justice means you become part of an inclusive organisation that values you and the communities we serve. It is our promise to ensure our workplace is one where our people feel safe, supported, and able to be themselves at work. We value respect as the foundation for building a positive workplace culture and one where diversity is celebrated.
When you choose to work in the Justice Policy Group, you are joining a highly successful team that is focused on making Aotearoa New Zealand a safe and just society. We are committed to honouring our obligations under te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Joining Te Tāhū o te Ture means you will become part of an organisation that welcomes and supports people of all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, disabilities and religions.

He aha ngā painga o tēnei mahi mōu/Why you will enjoy working here

**We will**:

- prioritise your well-being and professional development
- empower you to coach others, and be coached by experienced policy professionals
- provide opportunities to work on a broad range of important and challenging policy problems, and
- provide a flexible working environment.

Utu ā-tau/Salary
The appointing salary for this role will be between $124,397 and $173,973 based on skills and experience.

Tono mai/How to Apply