Strategic Compliance Leader
Strategic Compliance Leader
Shape and steward Inland Revenue's long-term compliance system and strategic direction
Lead enterprise-wide decision architecture that drives enduring outcomes for Aotearoa New Zealand
Location: Wellington (preferred), Auckland, Hamilton or Christchurch
Ara Whiwhi Mahi | The Opportunity
As Strategic Compliance Leader, you will play a pivotal system leadership role in Inland Revenue's long-term stewardship of the compliance system. Operating across enterprise and cross-government settings, you will shape how IR makes integrated, future-focused decisions on compliance strategy, investment priorities and system-wide outcomes.
You will lead the CCS Strategic Compliance Hub, a small, specialist enabling team that brings together insights, supports shared decisions and helps the organisation learn what is working to strengthen compliance outcomes over time.
Your role as Leader, is less about leading individual initiatives and more about influencing how the system works as a whole - strengthening the quality, pace and courage of decision-making across Customer & Compliance Services (CCS), IR and the wider ecosystem. You will create the conditions for aligned, enterprise-level choices, ensuring strategic intent translates into clear priorities, trade-offs and performance expectations that endure.
You will partner with senior leaders to steward long-term compliance portfolios, commission and challenge transformational change, and ensure IR's compliance system remains resilient, adaptive and fit for the future. Through your insight and influence, you will support organisational and Ministerial decision-making, lifting the maturity of IR's strategic compliance approach and enabling better outcomes for customers, government and communities.
A key dimension of this role is system equity and responsiveness - strengthening IR's ability to deliver for Maori customers and embedding these priorities into enterprise decision-making. You will also champion a networked way of working, enabling IR to operate as a connected, agile and high-performing system.
Mou | About you
To be successful in this role you will bring:
Significant experience operating at an enterprise or system leadership level, influencing strategic direction in complex public sector environments
A proven ability to shape decision-making frameworks that enable integrated, long-term and high-impact outcomes
A strong track record of delivering through others - aligning senior leaders, enabling high-performing teams and turning strategic intent into coordinated action across teams
Exceptional judgement and credibility, with experience advising senior executives and contributing to Ministerial-level thinking
Deep expertise in navigating complexity, aligning multiple stakeholders, priorities and system interdependencies
Strong strategic and analytical capability, using data, insights and system thinking to inform high-quality decisions
A demonstrated ability to build collective leadership capability and strengthen how organisations work as connected, adaptive systems
Mo matou | About us
Customer & Compliance Services (CCS) is central to Inland Revenue's role as a system steward - shaping how compliance is achieved across New Zealand's tax and social policy systems. We operate across enterprise and system boundaries, bringing together strategy, insight and delivery to influence long-term outcomes and public value.
We work in partnership across Inland Revenue and government to ensure the system is resilient, responsive and delivering for all New Zealanders, now and into the future.
Tono mai | Apply here
Does this sound like you? Don't delay - apply now. Please submit your resume and cover letter outlining your suitability for the role.
For more information about the role or team, please review the Role Description or contact us at [email protected]
Applications close 12 July 2026 at 5pm
IR is committed to building an inclusive workplace free from inequalities, where all our people are valued, respected and feel supported to reach their full potential.
