Senior Policy Advisers - Rail & Investment

## Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Position Title :
• Senior Policy Advisers
• Team and Group :
• Rail and Investment | Investment & Monitoring
• Position Type :
• Permanent, Full Time (38 hours per week)
• Location :
• Wellington CBD
• Salary :
• $109,208 - $145,055 + Laptop / Mobile
• Small agile and performance-focused government agency
• Wellington CBD based
• Challenging, interesting and professionally captivating work
• About the opportunity | Ngā whakamārama mō te tūnga
• We are looking for two high performing candidates to join our Wellington office as Senior Advisers.As our new Senior Adviser in the Rail team, you will have the opportunity to work on rail and wider land transport related policy issues. The role can be wide ranging including advising Ministers on rail related policy settings, reviewing business cases, and providing advice on the Rail Network Investment Programme. You will also work closely with partner agencies including KiwiRail, the Treasury, the New Zealand Transport Agency and Public Transport Authorities.As our new Senior Adviser in the Investment team, you will have the opportunity to work across the sector to influence how funding is invested, providing advice and maintaining oversight around the direction and performance of the transport investment system. The role can be wide, ranging from leading the development of the annual transport budget, developing and managing the Government Policy Statement (GPS) on land transport, or providing advice on specific transport projects and investments.Responsibilities for senior advisers include :
• Scoping and planning policy projects in ambiguous and complex areas
• Providing policy advice that meets the needs of the DCE, CE and Minister communicating complex issues, using analytical frameworks clearly and succinctly
• Leading and / or supporting advice on specific investment programmes and projects. This may include the assessment of business cases for major capital works, budget bids, briefings and cabinet papers relevant to the work
• Using appropriate project planning and management techniques, manage risks and coordinate work with others
• Contributing to multiple pieces of work concurrently and actively and independently planning and managing workload
• Providing guidance and on-the-job training and coaching to more junior team members
• Applying advanced frameworks and methods of analysis to identify policy problems, analyse the issues, and identify and assess the policy options
• Critically synthesising information from a wide variety of domains and using in-depth knowledge of the policy area to draw sound conclusions based on the judicious use of the available evidence
• Leading engagement with some delivery agencies, stakeholders and government agencies to ensure the advice provided is practical and effectiveBased on the work or support that may be required, this position is Wellington based only.
• What you'll bring | Te wāhi ki a koe
• As a senior adviser you will demonstrate strong experience and successful capability in :
• policy, investment and economic analysis and how this relates to cost benefit analysis and decision-making, as well as other frameworks to evaluate value for money in programmes and projects
• numerical analysis including a reasonable understanding of economic, fiscal and statistical concepts
• policy development and analysis with a solid understanding of government policy making procedures and good political nous
• analytical and critical thinking, including successfully applying problem solving skills to provide sound advice with risks, mitigations and assumptions clearly identified
• end-to-end experience in large policy programmes / projects while working under pressure and managing tight timeframes
• successful communication skills using a range of oral, written and visual mediums, supporting decision-makers at DCE, CE and Ministerial levels to deliver the outcomes they seek
• good working knowledge of the machinery of government, and ideally the transport system, with an understanding of regulatory frameworks and an ability to interpret legislation
• ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships internally and externally - gaining trust quickly.This is an excellent opportunity to draw on your previous relevant experiences and contribute to making positive improvements that will have a positive impact on the wider Ministry and our mahi across Aotearoa. Previous central government experience from within a similar environment, along with knowledge of the machinery of government, is highly desirable.
• Salary range | Whānuitanga Utu ā-Tau
• The base salary range budget for this position is $109,208 – $145,055 (midpoint $120,878) per annum + KiwiSaver. The salary offered will reflect skills and experience.
• What we offer | Te wāhi ki a mātou
• Supportive work environment and individual development plans
• Additional Ministry leave days
• Modern offices located in the Wellington CBD
• A range of health and wellbeing benefits including wellbeing days
• Showers, storage for bicycles / scooters and personal lockers'
• A welcoming range of employee networks.
• About the Ministry of Transport | He kupu mō mātou Te Manatū Waka
• The Ministry of Transport is an impartial, expert and trusted adviser to government, shaping transport for New Zealand. We work to deliver a well-functioning transport system that helps grow New Zealand's economy and productivity. The Ministry's values are integrity, excellence, and collaboration.
• How to apply | Me pēhea te tono mai
• To view the job description, or apply online, click
• Apply
• . Please include a CV and cover letter highlighting your relevant skills and experience.To apply for this role, you must have right to live and work in New Zealand. You will need to be based in Wellington or ready to relocate. Other locations will not be considered
• Applications close midnight, Sunday 2 November 2025.
• For further information, please contact Recruitment Adviser, Kitty McCool atWe encourage applications from people from all backgrounds, orientations, and identities. We aim to have a Ministry that represents the wider Aotearoa that we serve. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels relevant, valued, supported and a sense of belonging.For any support or accessibility needs during our recruitment process, please contact us at
• Please note, we are not engaging with recruitment agencies to fill this vacancy and unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies will not be accepted.
• | Location : | Wellington - Wairarapa |

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