Senior Advisor Policy

Mō mātou | About Us Our Vision: Preventing Harm. Saving Lives. Securing our Future We play a key role in the guardianship of New Zealand waterways. We're bringing together our aroha, work and skills to achieve our outcomes of sustainable supply chains and sectors, safe people and operations, secure ports and ships, and clean seas and waterways. Our values are about who we are as individuals and the behaviours we expect from each other at Maritime NZ. Care | Kia Tika - We care for each other and do the right thing Connect | Kotahitanga - We unite in a common purpose Courage | Kia Māia - We are brave, capable and confident Our Regulatory Approach We are a risk-based regulator focused on preventing harm form maritime activity to people, property and the marine environment. Over the last two years we have been on a journey to embed this approach in the way we work including how we provide legal advice that supports our focus on addressing the risk of harm. Mō tō mātou Rōpū - About the team The Regulatory Frameworks and Technical Support Group plays a central role in shaping and delivering Maritime NZ’s strategic goals. It influences the maritime regulatory system both internationally and domestically, and leads the end‑to‑end development of the framework — from planning and policy through to implementation. Within this group, The Regulatory Reform Projects team works on the planning, design and delivery of our strategic regulatory reform which involves multi-year projects where the work scale, priority and complexity and effort requires full resource commitment. The team focuses on unpicking current maritime rules which can be complex and difficult to navigate, re‑making them as fit for purpose, agile and responsive to change. Ultimately these reform projects lead to improved safety outcomes and a better experience for many sector operators. Te tūnga | The role As Senior Advisor Policy within the Regulatory Reform Projects team, you will play a key role in shaping the future of New Zealand's maritime regulatory framework. Working as part of a highly skilled team leading significant, multi-year reform programmes, you'll provide expert policy analysis and advice on complex regulatory issues that impact the maritime sector. You'll contribute to the development of practical, evidence-based regulatory solutions, helping to modernise maritime rules and ensure they remain effective, proportionate and fit for purpose. In this role, you'll lead and deliver policy projects from problem identification and options analysis through to consultation and implementation. You'll collaborate closely with Maritime NZ technical specialists, legal advisors, legislative drafters and policy colleagues, while building strong relationships with industry representatives, government agencies and other key stakeholders. This is an opportunity to influence meaningful regulatory change, navigate complex challenges, and contribute to safer, more effective outcomes for New Zealand's maritime sector. Nōu te rourou | What you bring This role requires someone with regulatory experience, a sharp analytical mindset, and the ability to navigate complex issues with confidence. In this role, you'll be a collaborative and influential advisor who can build effective relationships, deliver high-quality advice, and lead policy work that drives meaningful outcomes. We're looking for someone who thrives in a dynamic environment, enjoys tackling challenging problems, and is motivated by the opportunity to contribute to significant regulatory reform. You will bring: Proven experience and knowledge of regulatory and/or policy design A knowledge of regulatory reform processes would be an advantage Sound experience in an advisory or analyst role within central government Strong analytical abilities Experience providing advice to wide range of audiences, to translate principles into action/application Experience contributing and taking the lead in policy projects and programmes of work Successful track record as a proactive and innovative thinker who is willing to involve others to look at problems from different perspectives and develop fresh solutions Aptitude for fostering positive working relationships with people across all levels of an organisation Collaborative working style and commitment to a positive team culture Pragmatism, fresh thinking, and good critical thinking skills Demonstrated capability to learn and apply strategies to manage stressful or traumatic situations Ability to work in a culturally safe and respectful manner, always being mindful of the cultural diversity of the industry and having regard to Te Ao Māori and Treaty of Waitangi principles Mōu | For you Maritime NZ recognises and respects te Tiriti o Waitangi and we are committed to working with Māori to build strong, meaningful and enduring relationships to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. We aim to be a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported with a sense of belonging. We encourage our people to actively contribute to our workplace culture where we all thrive and authentically live our values. Upon joining us you'll receive a full range of benefits including Income Protection and Life Insurance so check out our full range on our careers page to find out more about why we love working here. Applications for this role close 5pm, Sunday 16 August 2026. Please note that you must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand to be considered for this role. This is a permanent, full-time role (37.5 hour per week). The appointing salary range is $114,961- $140,246, depending on skills and experience. #J-18808-Ljbffr