Lead Advisor

LEAD EDUCATION ADVISOR - BASED IN INVERCARGILL
- Permanent Full-time position

Help shape the future of Education
He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai ōna huanga
We work to shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes
At Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education, we work to provide services and support nationally, regionally and locally to the education sector, and in some cases, directly to ākonga and whānau.
We help shape the policies, settings and performance of the education system for early learning, schooling and tertiary. We do this by building relationships and understanding the needs of those who receive our services.
We are making significant changes to how we deliver our mahi by
- Taking practical action to give effect to te Tiriti o Waitangi.
- Giving priority to regional and local voice.
- Delivering greater responsiveness, accessibility and integrated services and support.
- Improving feedback loops and information flows.

Our organisation is made up of talented and committed people across Aotearoa from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. While we work in different groups and on different things, we all strive every day to make the biggest difference we can for every child, young person and adult student in our education system.
About our group and team
Te Mahau | Te Tai Runga (South) is a frontline group. Our frontline groups will collectively provide leadership and integrated services to the sector and others. This includes services, such as learning support and education advice and regulation functions for schools and early learning services.
We are working to build new strengths in curriculum and other services signalled in the Government's response to the Tomorrows' Schools review, for example, early learning network planning.
As a frontline group we develop and harness existing relationships with communities at the regional and local level through the Directors of Education, including deep relationships with iwi and hapū. Our Directors of Education have the lead role and relationship with early learning, kōhanga, school and kura, and this means they will be across all the services we provide at a local level.
We also collectively strengthen relationships with our diverse communities who support Māori, Pacific peoples, disabled ākonga and/or ākonga with learning support needs, and ākonga from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Mō tēnei tūranga | About this role
We have a great opportunity for a new appointee to join our team. Our aim is to lift student achievement and engagement and bring about change for and with schools, Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako, whānau and communities.
Are you currently in the education sector and ready to make a career move? Here is an opportunity for the right person to join us. We are in the midst of a positive change initiative that's setting a platform for New Zealand's young learners to be the best they can be. Our vision is ultimately about ensuring children succeed personally and achieve academically, so in years to come they are productive, valued in their community and competitive in the world.
This position will work strategically with a small team towards addressing the barriers to successful engagement in education across years 1 to 13. The successful applicant will be able to build positive and strong networks with schools, whanau, iwi and other agencies including NZ Police and Oranga Tamariki.
Please note there is further information in the attached Job Description.
Mōhou ake | About you
About you
- To be successful in this role you will need to be an exceptional communicator with proven skills in building and managing strong, effective relationships
- Expertise in engaging with school age students and building their trust
- Proven ability to find the best personalised education solution young person
- Ability to work with others to support and implement change initiatives
- Cultural competence, capability, credibility and understanding the relevance of identity; language and culture for Māori, Pasifika, English Language Learners and students with additional learning needs
- Successful experience of working with school leaders, Boards of Trustees or Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako to strengthen school practice and raise student achievement
- A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent

Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi? | Are you ready to make a difference?
We provide flexible working environments where everyone feels relevant, valued and supported. So, if working from home and/or having a flexible start and finish to the day will help with this, we can usually make it happen. We'd love to hear what this might look like for you, so feel free to outline this in your Cover Letter.

**In your cover letter we'd like to know**:

- about you, your values, your whakapapa
- your interest and motivations for this role
- the abilities, strengths, personal att