Senior/policy Advisor

The Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai (DOC) has a vision for Aotearoa, New Zealand to be the greatest living space on earth. It is responsible for some of the most important issues facing Aotearoa; how to look after our unique environment in a way that benefits current and future generations.
We have a new and ambitious strategy focused on improving conservation outcomes and the Policy group works across a range of policy, regulatory, and funding issues to do so.
We are seeking graduate policy advisors, policy advisors, and senior policy advisors to join our team to collectively achieve better results for our precious and unique ecosystems, species, heritage and spaces.
DOC's roles and responsibilities in relation to these outcomes are broad and deep: managing a third of New Zealand's land including many places of national significance and a vast network of assets, managing protected species and undertaking large-and small-scale at place conservation interventions, regulating activities that impact wildlife, regulating coastal and marine activities, research and monitoring of biodiversity trends and interventions, and as a large provider and regulator of tourism and recreation services.
The Policy Unit, within the Strategy and Policy Group, provides the strategic direction and thought leadership for DOC and for the conservation system. The group ensures DOC has the right frameworks and settings in place to deliver on our outcomes for conservation, to meet Government priorities, and to be an honourable Treaty partner.

Mō te tūnga | About the roles and the teams
We have policy opportunities available across our Conservation Law Reform, Resource Management, and Marine Policy teams. We are looking for smart, inquisitive, and ambitious graduates, policy advisors and senior policy advisors with a passion for providing high quality advice.
The Conservation Law Reform team
- This team is focused on immediate and near-term amendments to improve our conservation legislation, as well exploring policy implications around ensuring we are good Treaty partners.
- Working with other teams in DOC, you will have the opportunity to lead policy advice on how we can improve legislation around conservation processes, including to implement the principles of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi, to ensure our conservation legislation is fit for purpose, and we meet our obligations to Treaty partners.

The Resource Management team
- This team is currently focused on the high-profile reform of the resource management system, as well as the exciting area of cyclone response policy development following the recent severe weather event. The team also works on existing RMA policy including the NZ Coastal Policy Statement and other national direction instruments.
- In this team you will have the opportunity to contribute to advice on these issues.

The Marine Policy team
- The Marine Policy team progresses exciting programmes to protect our oceans including improvements to national marine protected areas policy, creating new marine protection areas in the Hauraki Gulf, and advising on marine protection proposals and reviews.
- The team also hosts the cross-agency Oceans Secretariat which provides strategic leadership for oceans policy matters and advises the Oceans and Marine Ministers Group (OMMG). It represents a commitment to a more holistic, integrated approach to managing the oceans.
- In this team you will have the opportunity to work on complex, high-priority marine policy issues and crunchy strategic policy with close Ministerial interest.

Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou | What's in it for you
Alongside interesting and varied day-to-day work, we have a collegial and supportive working environment where you can test your thinking and ideas.
DOC is committed to building a workplace where our differences are recognised, respected, and embraced. Our organisation's success is dependent on our people feeling valued for their differences, empowered to contribute, and respected for what they bring to their role.
The positions are based at our Wellington office on Manners Street, close by to great cafes and Cuba Street.
We offer flexible working as standard, so if you are looking for a role that will give you professional challenge, whilst maintaining a work-life balance, this could be the role for you.

He kōrero mōu | What we are looking for
We are looking for motivated people from a range of policy backgrounds - including regulatory, economic and Treaty - who have a genuine interest in environmental or conservation policy.
Please specify in your cover letter whether you'd like to be considered for either senior, policy or graduate advisor level and whether you have a preferred interest in a particular team.

**Graduate Advisors will have**:

- A university degree with relevance to policy work (e.g. economics, political science, environmental policy).
- Ability to build and maintain collaborative peer and working relationships.
- Good