Principal Analyst

About us The Ministry of Social Development is a people-centred organisation. We're in communities across the motu, working with partners to help New Zealanders be safe, strong and independent. We provide social policy and advice to government and assistance, including income, employment and housing support to people of all ages, families, whānau and communities. As a Te Tiriti o Waitangi partner we are committed to supporting and enabling Māori, whānau, hapū, Iwi and communities to realise their own potential and aspirations. Our people are as diverse as the communities we serve. We care about the wellbeing and success of our people and provide a supportive and inclusive working environment where people can thrive and be who they are.
About the Team
The Research and Evaluation team are champions and custodians of evidence within the Ministry. We are responsible for looking ahead, developing, and delivering a programme of research and evaluative work that produces insights and positions knowledge products to shape the Ministry's strategic decisions. We are experts in results-based design, research, and evaluation, deploying a range of methodologies to answer questions at the core of effective social development intervention. We support quality, ethics, publication, transparency, and empowerment through the research process.

Principal Analyst - Research & Evaluation
- 2x Permanent Positions
- Central Wellington Location

Bring your relationship management, communication skills and your understanding of evidence to help us deliver impactful research and evaluation products that create change for New Zealand
We are looking for someone who can help us engage effectively with our stakeholders - who can identify the important questions that need to inform social development policy and can communicate our evidence to our stakeholders in ways that are easily understood, invite action and create change.
About the Role
Join us as a social sector evaluation practitioner wishing to take on a permanent role with the fast-paced MSD Research and Evaluation team in the Strategy and Insights group. This is a fantastic chance to make a difference on social outcomes for New Zealanders by working to ensure decision making is informed by sound evidence and insights. We are looking for someone who is passionate about effective communication of evidence, excels in stakeholder management and engagement, and can use their technical expertise in research and evaluation to develop a forward-thinking programme of analytical work. Join our warm and supportive environment packed with people passionate and knowledgeable on social development issues. Be a thought leader within the Ministry and social sector, lead a programme of analytical work, mentor other analysts, provide advice on complex initiatives, and manage stakeholder relationships to drive through results and ensure evidence informs policy and practice across the Ministry and sector. Bring your commitment to quality te tiriti partnership through the way we do our research and evaluation.

**In particular you will have**:

- Thought leadership and ability to drive and position a strategic programme of analytical work to inform MSDs biggest decisions
- Ability to communicate complex concepts simply and in plain English and to meet users needs
- Proven experience with evaluation, including extensive experience of designing and conducting mixed methods projects
- Deep thematic expertise in a social development area, ideally community development
- Organisational skills - that ability to project manage a portfolio of work including contracts with external providers
- Ability to influence and brining players together ensure evidence informs the decisions made
- Intellectual leadership that means you can be innovative and strategic; contribute outside of your area, challenge current thinking, anticipate future issues and promote debate
- Knowledge of intervention logic, results and outcome frameworks, evaluative monitoring, research and evaluation - and ability to lead and build organisational capability in these spaces
- Be a people leader with interpersonal skills who coaches and mentors other staff to lift our capability; and is visible, approachable and proactive

**You are someone who**:

- is passionate about evidence informing decision making
- excels in building and managing stakeholder relationships and communicating evidence in compelling ways
- understands the end user of our insights and can translate research and evaluation findings into compelling products
- and has experience with the process of producing evidence

Your wealth of experience in community, welfare or housing focused social development is a real advantage.
Position Description

**Salary range**: $109,999.00 - $164,999.00
How to apply

**Note**: Your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process, so please highlight how your experience relates to the key responsibilities listed in the posit