Kaiwhakahaere Manager

Unique leadership opportunity in a critical new role for central government in partnering with regions
- Help establish a leadership group and build your own new team
- Strategic, cross agency focus
- Permanent/secondment opportunity
- Preferred location Wellington, with flexibility available

This is a pivotal role supporting the Executive Director to lead the implementation of the proposed Spatial Planning Act, including coordination of central government's new role in regional spatial planning.
Mō mātou | About us
The Spatial Planning Act is a key component of the resource management reforms that are currently being enacted. The Spatial Planning Act provides for the development and implementation of long-term, strategic spatial planning across New Zealand through the development of regional spatial strategies by regional planning committees. These strategies will set out a vision and objectives for a region's development and change, for a time span of at least 30 years. The strategies will integrate planning across different legislative frameworks associated with the management of the natural and built environment.
Given the importance of cross-government collaboration in achieving the objectives of the Spatial Planning Act, an interdepartmental executive board, the Spatial Planning Board, has been established to governs its implementation.

**The Board's responsibilities include**:

- coordinating central government's input into regional planning to support the Ministerially appointed member in each regional planning committee,
- monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the Spatial Planning Act, and
- supporting the overall transition and implementation of the new regime.

The Spatial Planning Policy Office is a cross-agency office that supports the Board to deliver its functions.
Under the Public Service Act 2020, Ministry for the Environment (MfE) is the servicing department for the Board which means kaimahi/staff within the Spatial Planning Policy Office are appointed as employees of the Ministry for the Environment.
Mō te tūranga mahi | About the role
We are looking for a Manager to work closely alongside the Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director, and the leadership group, to set up and lead the Spatial Planning Policy Office to support the Board in advancing its implementation role.
You will provide strategic leadership and advice across the Board's responsibilities, including in the development of an overarching vision, implementation strategy and associated work programme. You will play a role, at a director and manager level, in collaborating with agencies right across central government to ensure there is collective understanding and ownership of these deliverables and the ability to deliver all-of-government contributions to regional planning committees. You will partner with iwi/Māori and local government in regions to ensure central government's contributions support the interests of the region. You will recruit and lead a new team to work with you in delivering your responsibilities.
Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience
- A proven record and knowledge base in a particular discipline in policy development (process and content), government processes and protocols
- Experience in managing and leading a policy team responsible for the development of cross-government policy, with the ability to set priorities and to effectively support others to achieve deliverables and outcomes
- Proven experience in managing the implementation of project/s and programme/s, managing risks and business analysis, and working effectively with external parties and stakeholders
- Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively (both written and verbal), at all levels across government and diverse stakeholder groups. This would include the demonstratable ability to distil key messages for decision-makers
- Political savvy in terms of tact, discretion and diplomacy
- Confident and capable of facilitating group sessions with customers/users and giving presentations to larger stakeholder groups
- Proven ability to represent your organisation effectively and in doing so persuade and negotiate with industry stakeholder groups
- Commitment to developing your cultural capability and capacity in te ao Māori
- A high level of understanding of and be fully conversant with Machinery of Government processes and policy making processes
- Experience in process improvement
- Understanding of climate change policy and the systems, sectors and actors involved in climate mitigation and adaptation
- Ideally you will also bring some understanding of policy implementation relating to resource management and/or infrastructure and development, and of the systems, sectors and actors involved with this work
- Experience in local government and/or Iwi/Māori organisations would also be advantageous.

Whānuitanga Utu ā-Tau | Salary range
Salary range for this role is $159,491 to