Policy Advisor | Radio Spectrum Policy and Planning

Overview

Discover a career with purpose at MBIE

• Exciting opportunity to be part of the future of NZ’s wireless communications
• Work in a diverse branch, leading on a range of work
• Help foster MBIE’s Māori / Crown relationship
• Advance both economic and social outcomes by enabling wireless technology use
• Policy Advisor salary range : $75,114 – $93,724 plus KiwiSaver

About the Radio Spectrum Policy and Planning Team

If you want a blend of economic development policy, regulatory policy, commercial policy and Crown / Māori relations then this team has it all. Our team’s work spans a very wide range of issues and types of policy, providing great experience for anyone wanting to expand their skills.

Our job is to ensure that New Zealanders can choose and use the best wireless technologies for their needs. At its core, this is about determining who gets access to a scarce resource – radio spectrum.

Wireless communication technologies use the radio spectrum to operate. This includes technologies such as 4G and 5G mobile, wi-fi, satellites, Bluetooth, AM and FM radio and many others. These technologies connect communities, enable innovation and improve resilience. We are often at the forefront of the introduction of new technologies – both enabling them and regulating them. Don’t be daunted by our name! Yes, there are technical aspects to our work, but we have highly capable experts to draw on who really know their stuff. This creates a great environment in which to grow your knowledge.

We provide advice on the regulatory regime and we deal with a wide variety of applied policy questions from Treaty issues to the latest generations of mobile and satellite technologies. We plan for allocations of radio spectrum to ensure that your phone works as fast as it can, your garage door opener doesn’t interfere with your Wi-Fi, and your baby monitor doesn’t disable aircraft navigation systems. We also utilise microeconomic game theory to design and run large auctions to allocate rights to use spectrum.

Our major projects currently include enabling satellite networks to improve their services to New Zealanders, renewing access to spectrum for cell phones, implementing the historic agreement recognising Māori interests in the radio spectrum, and considering the future of AM / FM radio in New Zealand. We are also thinking about the functioning of our regulatory framework as technology advances.

About the Role

We have one Wellington-based, full-time fixed term Policy Advisor position available in the Radio Spectrum Policy and Planning team (fixed term until 31 December 2026).

Skills and Experience Required

We are after someone who :

About MBIE

MBIE's goal is to create a resilient and high-performing economy that delivers real and ongoing quality of life for all New Zealanders.

We do this by working with others to create an environment that supports businesses to be more productive and internationally competitive, enables all New Zealanders to participate in the economy through improved job opportunities and by working to ensure quality housing is more affordable.

People are at the heart of our mahi, our way of working is guided by our values which shape our behaviours.

Our aspirations are echoed in our Māori identity – Hīkina Whakatutuki – which broadly means ‘lifting to make successful'.

MBIE recognises the partnership founded under Te Tiriti o Waitangi between Māori and the Crown and is committed to giving effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We will do this through enduring, meaningful and effective partnerships with iwi, Māori, other Māori groups / organisations and the Crown, as this is critical to enable economic and social development, both for Māori and for wider Aotearoa New Zealand. We are committed to continuing to partner with iwi in order to find new sustainable solutions to address long standing systemic and cross-cutting issues facing Māori and wider Aotearoa New Zealand and we are also committed to identifying opportunities for iwi to lead and creating an enabling environment for iwi to leverage these opportunities.

Join our Branch

Our team sits in MBIE’s Communications, Infrastructure and Trade Branch. Amongst other things the branch is the government’s lead on communications policy and our people have a range of skills in policy, tech-specific engineering, international relations and commercial activity.

In our branch you will get to mix both strategic and regulatory thinking, helping us shape what connectivity means, and will look like, for the future for New Zealand. This will place you at the forefront of global developments in connectivity and will give you the opportunity to influence policies that will underpin New Zealand's digital future. You will be doing this in a supportive environment which takes the time to celebrate success and grow its people to the next stage in their careers. The teams work collaboratively together and there are opportunities to work with other teams in the branch.

How to Apply

Me pēhea te tono - How to Apply :

All applications must be submitted via our online process.

MBIE welcomes questions; please contact the team if you have any.

Applications close at 2359 on Sunday, 16 November 2025.

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