Team Leader

**Job Title**: Team Leader Maximising Carbon Programme

**Role type**: Full Time, Fixed Term until 30 June 2026

**Location**: Wellington

**Salary band**: $113,626 to $152,318 depending on skills and experience

Kōrero mō te tūranga - About the Role
We have an exciting opportunity available as the Policy Team Leader within the Maximising Forest Carbon Programme.
In this role you will lead a small team of analysts to develop research-led policy improvements to how we measure and reward forest carbon storage in New Zealand's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). This will include leading multiple regulatory processes and working closely with tangata whenua and the forestry sector.

**As the Policy Team Leader you will be responsible for**:

- Developing your staff and team culture
- Leading the policy workstream ensuring milestones and deliverables are met
- Leading analysis and policy development of some areas and supporting your staff in others
- Working with our science team to design research and analyse research outcomes
- Collaborating with our partner agencies, the Department of Conservation and Ministry for the Environment
- Working with tangata whenua, the forestry sector, ETS participants and other stakeholders
- Advising ministers and senior leaders about key Programme developments

Mōu - About You
You will have strong analytical and written communication skills and an ability to develop collaborative working relationships with a range of stakeholders, and experience in leading significant projects and pieces of work.
You have previous experience working within a government regulatory policy environment and will be able to hit the ground running. Experience with the ETS, climate change policy, forestry, or sustainable land management will be advantageous.
A policy, operational policy, or regulatory implementation background is essential.

Mō tō mātou Rōpū - About the Team
The Maximising Forest Carbon Programme is a $30 million Budget 22 research and policy initiative to improve the way we measure, recognise and reward carbon storage in our existing exotic and native forests. The four-year Programme is led by Te Uru Rākau - New Zealand Forest Service in partnership with the Department of Conservation and the Ministry for the Environment.
The Programme offers an exciting opportunity to conduct extensive research into carbon storage dynamics in a wide range of exotic and native forests, and how forest management activities, such as pest browser control and impact carbon storage. This research will enable evidence-led policy development to improve how forests are measured and rewarded in the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme.
The Maximising Forest Carbon policy team sits within the Forestry & Land Management Directorate of Te Uru Rākau - New Zealand Forest Service, a business unit within the Ministry for Primary Industries. The Forestry & Land Management directorate is the regulatory steward and administrator of forestry in the ETS. We aim to create a regulatory environment that maintains the integrity of the ETS while ensuring that ETS forestry participants have what they need to effectively participate in, and be compliant with, the scheme.

Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua - About MPI
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) partners with New Zealand's food and fibre sector to be the world's most sustainable provider of high-value food and primary products.

Ngā hua o te Mahi i te Manatū Ahu Matua - Benefits of working at MPI
- Up to three additional leave days
- Wellness benefit for employees
- Career development and internal opportunities across the business unit and organisation

Wā Mahi Ngāwari - Flexible Working
We support flexible working arrangements and are happy to discuss these options with you.
Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake? - Are you ready to make a difference?We are committed to being a good partner under Te Tiriti o Waitangi which includes working closely with iwi, hapū, whanau and hāpori.
In your cover letter we would like to know about you, your values, your interest, and motivations for this role; the abilities, strengths, personal attributes, and diverse perspectives you will bring to the role and this organisation, which may have also been gained outside of the workforce.

Applications close at midnight 21 August.

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