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

The Office of the Secretary for Education/Chief Executive supports the Secretary for Education in shaping and executing the strategic direction of the Ministry of Education and ensuring that the Ministry performs as an effective public service agency in serving the Government. The Office of the Secretary for Education works with teams across the Ministry, with Ministers' offices and with our key partners to achieve this.

Mō tēnei tūranga | About this role

Our Office is a busy and incredibly varied place to work, where you will have opportunities to engage in actions and thinking that span the breadth of our organisation and the system it serves. In this role you will need to work with teams from right across the Ministry, bringing together information and integrating ideas so that you can:

provide timely advice to the Secretary for Education on opportunities, issues and risks across our organisation and the education portfolio

ensure the Secretary is well supported and briefed for meetings and engagements with Ministers, sector representatives, education agencies, public sector CEs, iwi and Māori organisations and other stakeholders

commission and contribute to Chief Executive correspondence and communications, including speech notes, media pieces, and responses to enquiries or complaints

help ensure the advice provided to Ministers considers the bigger picture and strategic priorities, and that Ministers and their Offices are kept appropriately informed about emerging risks and issues.

Mōhou ake | About you

This role would suit a high-performing advisor/graduate advisor who is seeking an exciting career development opportunity.

You will initially focus on overseeing information flows between our Office and the rest of the organisation (including our Ministers' Offices), contributing to correspondence and communications processes, and over time become a strategic advisor with particular areas of responsibility and expertise.

You will bring your knowledge, skills and experience as an Advisor to ensure Office of the Secretary for Education gives effect to the articles of te Tiriti.

You will also offer:

ability to build and maintain strong working relationships based on professionalism, integrity and respect

your skills as a communicator who can get ideas across clearly and succinctly

sound judgement with the ability to think through complex information, join the dots, and develop solutions 

capability to respond quickly to emerging or urgent issues in a high-pressured environment.

understanding to apply the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and tangatawhenuatanga.

Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi? | Are you ready to make a difference?

We need to reflect the diverse communities we serve, so we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, orientations, and identities. As an organisation, we are committed to building racial equity and excellence in the education sector.

We will 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.

For more information on the role, please look at the job description. For additional information on the changes Te Tāhuhu are embarking on, please visit our careers centre. If this opportunity interests you, please submit your cover letter and resume by using the ‘apply' button.

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 attributes and diverse perspectives you will bring to the role and this organisation.