Strategic Compliance Specialist
Strategic Compliance Specialist
Influence IR's long-term compliance strategy and system outcomes
Lead strategic initiatives and collaborate across IR to drive impact
Location: Wellington (preferred), Auckland, Hamilton or Christchurch
Ara Whiwhi Mahi | The Opportunity
As a Strategic Compliance Specialist in Customer & Compliance Services (CCS), you will play a key role in shaping Inland Revenue's long-term compliance direction. You will provide strategic advice, lead initiatives, and work across IR to ensure compliance activity is aligned to system priorities and delivers sustainable outcomes.
You will be part of 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.
This is an exciting opportunity to influence decision-making at a strategic level, working with leaders to integrate insights, address complex challenges, and strengthen the overall effectiveness and reputation of IR's compliance system. You will also act as a change agent, enabling capability uplift and driving innovative, system-wide solutions.
In this role, you will:
Stay close to what is happening in your focus area, monitoring impacts, challenges and emerging strategic questions
Facilitate the right conversations to enable clear, collective decision-making
Support others to translate strategy into delivery, ensuring work is connected to long-term outcomes
Gather and synthesise insights, data and delivery to inform priorities
Bring the right people together to support shared, system-level decisions
Track how decisions are translating into impact and feed learning back into the system
We have several opportunities available, all aligned to the same role description, with 3 positions focused on key areas of expertise as follows:
Debt
You will think end-to-end about the management of debt over the medium to long term, including setting relative priorities and identifying the most effective interventions. This includes linking with the debt book and the Crown's position with Finance.
Revenue
You will consider the best ways to maximise revenue, including working with Policy on medium- to long-term innovation. This includes supporting the management of appropriate tensions between return-on-investment and maintaining system integrity.
Business
You will drive improvements in the experience of businesses interacting with Inland Revenue, using innovation and digital tools to reduce compliance costs, improve compliance and support sustainable revenue outcomes.
Mou | About you
To be successful in this role you will bring:
Strong strategic thinking with the ability to apply a whole-of-system view and long-term horizon
Experience using data, insights and intelligence to inform decision-making and prioritisation
Proven ability to lead initiatives and collaborate across teams to solve complex problems
Excellent stakeholder engagement skills, with confidence providing advice at a senior level
Experience driving change and influencing outcomes across organisational boundaries
An understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the ability to provide services to Maori customers
Mo matou | About us
Customer and Compliance Services (CCS) plays a critical role in improving compliance outcomes for Inland Revenue and the people of Aotearoa New Zealand. We work collaboratively across IR, using insights and intelligence to support better decision-making and deliver sustainable, system-wide outcomes.
We are focused on building a high-performing, intelligence-led organisation that supports long-term economic and social wellbeing.
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.
Tono mai | Apply here
Does this sound like you? Don't delay - apply now! Please apply online with your CV and cover letter, indicating which speciality area (Debt, Revenue or Business) you believe you are best suited to, and outline your relevant experience and capability in that area.
For more information about the role or team, please review the Role Description or contact [email protected] and one of the team will be in touch.
Applications close: 5pm Sunday 12 July 2026
