Supervising Customs Officer

Looking for an exciting Supervising Customs Officer opportunity? Lead and develop the capability of our frontline border officers in Dunedin Border Officers protect and promote New Zealand's interests across the border environment, working in partnership to provide the highest level of integrity and security across the border system. We provide border services that protect New Zealand and advance our economy. We promote New Zealand’s international trade, collect Crown revenue, and enforce the law by identifying and seizing prohibited imports and exports. We also make sure that lawful travellers and items can move across our border as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Our Māori name – Te Mana Ārai o Aotearoa – translates as “the authority that screens and protects New Zealand". We are looking for a Supervising Customs Officer (SupCO) to lead our airport team based in Dunedin. You will need to come with the energy and passion aligned with Customs values and purpose. About this role | Mō tēnei tūranga mahi A Supervising Customs Officer role means you'll be managing people. You may not have necessarily held a formal leadership role before, but you have leadership skills, and you have demonstrable experience coaching and mentoring others. You are approachable, supportive, and willing to help. You make decisions with your team members' wellbeing in mind. You remain calm and level-headed in stressful situations. Our SupCO's play a crucial role in the management and leadership of our people, providing a critical link in helping our staff see the connection between their work and organisational strategy and priorities. As a leader, you'll need to plan operational activity, resources and coach and mentor your team. You'll create and review processes to manage work and make improvements. You'll foster open, trust-based relationships and model the integrity and discretion expected of all team members. This role will be hands on, and you will be managing and supporting COs and SCOs in all border functions. This role reports to the Port Manager based in Queenstown. Our border protection roles require 24/7 coverage. As an operational leader, like your team you will work varied hours including weekends. The salary range for this role is $89,802
- $115,658 and an annual allowance of $1,628.

What you'll do
| He aha tāu e mahi ana Leading a team of Customs Officers
- and being accountable for Customs' performance in relation to the Customs strategy within the port Developing your team via coaching, mentoring, and training opportunities Managing your team's performance and assisting them to reach their career goals Identification and mitigation of risk Effectively working with border partners, the Police and Port authorities to undertake enforcement action when required Being the face of Customs within the local port and maintaining relationships with relevant stakeholders (including government agencies and private companies) Promote and maintain a safe and healthy working environment in line with Customs policies and procedures. About you | Ko wai koe Skills To be successful in this role you will need to be able to demonstrate sound people leadership and mentoring skills, be able to perform at a high level and develop a strong team culture. Ideally, you will already have experience in leading others. Being calm under pressure and able to make effective decisions, along with building capability within your team will be key to your success. You will also need to: Have high levels of integrity, honesty, and discretion Demonstrate well-developed interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing to a wide range of audiences Have experience in coaching and mentoring Enjoy leading in a team environment Have strong problem solving and decision-making skills Understand risks to the border along with working knowledge of the legislation relevant to Customs work, procedures and policies, border protection methods and search and investigation techniques Be able to work flexible hours and manage your team across shifts and on-call responsibilities

How to apply
| Me pehea te whakauru Please apply online. You'll be asked to give a brief outline of your skills and experience relevant to being a Supervising Customs Officer and if progressed further through the recruitment process you will complete video interviews and in person interviews. It is best to set aside some time to complete your application. Applications close on Tuesday 22nd September 2026 at 5pm. If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact Jasmine at recruitment@customs.govt.nz.