Principal Advisor Disability

Principal Advisor Disability - Customer Experience and Analytics Team - Fixed-term
Whakatairangatia ngā kete o te mātauranga ki te ao mārama E te tai whakarunga, e te tai whakararo - nau piki mai, nau kake mai ki te Mana Tohu Mātauranga o Aotearoa.
May the baskets of knowledge (education) be brought into the world of light. We welcome one and all to join us at the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.
About the role
Are you passionate about making a difference to equitable outcomes for disabled people? Do you feel driven to make a tangible difference to the experiences of disabled people? Do you want to be in a highly influential role that will support the whole organisation in ensuring the needs of disabled people are incorporated at the heart of our strategy and actions? If this has motivated you then we want to hear from you.
This is a newly created role that focusses on leading the development and overseeing the implementation of strategic goals that identify how NZQA can use its system levers to support equitable outcomes in education for disabled people. In this role you will:

- lead the refresh of the organisational Disability Action Plan (DAP) to bridge the gap between strategic goals and operational reality
- oversee and embed the implementation of the DAP across NZQA
- embed the voice of disabled people, and in particular the voices of kaimahi and learners, into the DAP, and where possible, NZQA best practice
- identify opportunities for NZQA to:

- best set itself up to hear and deliver to the needs of disabled people, and in particular those with further compounding factors or intersecting needs
- participate in sector initiatives with aligned goals and aspirations
- support NZQA in progressing its long-term approach to disability issues
- operate in a way that builds trust and relationships for NZQA with disabled people, their allies and support networks, related bodies and the education and health sectors
- promote services which reduce or remove barriers for students with challenges to their learning
- promote an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity

Skills and experience
You have the ability to gain deep empathy with your customers, especially demonstrating a deep understanding of the needs, opportunities and challenges facing disabled people. You are a natural storyteller, a workshop facilitator, a co-designer.
You are a strong influencer and an action-oriented person - someone who proactively engages and influences various stakeholders, managers and staff. You are someone who walks around and engages and you realise the importance of influencing. You demonstrate high resilience and patience and you understand the machinery of government, especially in relation to influencing and embedding sustainable change.
You know that good change takes time and you realise importance of bringing everyone on the journey to ensure that change ‘sticks' and embeds within programmes of work.

**You should tick off as many requirements as possible below**:

- Relevant expertise and/or lived experience - an understanding and experience in the NZ disability sector
- Values driven - Driven to make a difference for kaimahi and learners with disabilities, and especially those with intersecting and/or compounding needs.
- Drives collaboration - Able to collaborate with and to foster collaboration between a range of stakeholders. Able to build and maintain relationships, work effectively with teams, and negotiate with stakeholders to achieve common goals.
- Highley motivated and autonomous - Able to self-manage and maintain momentum when working individually. Has a demonstrated ability to deliver results under these conditions.
- A relevant tertiary (Level 7) qualification and/or lived/ work experience / equivalent knowledge.

About us

**What we can offer**:

- A supportive team / whanau environment
- A role with lots of variety
- Development and career progression opportunities
- To find out more click here NZQA Staff Benefits

If you would like to discuss further, please call Prashant Bakshi on 021 210 2615.