Principal Analyst, Insights and Analysis

Overview

Principal Analyst, Insights and Analysis. Help shape evidence that matters. Lead with insight. The Ministry of Education New Zealand seeks a Principal Analyst to join a small, high‑performing data science team focused on equity, achievement, progress and attendance. This is a pivotal role for someone who combines technical depth with strategic thinking, and who can guide both the work and the people around them.

Date advertised : 6 Oct 2025

Job Type : Permanent

Location : Wellington, NZ

About this role | Mō tēnei tūranga

Shape evidence that matters. Lead with insight. You’ll work end‑to‑end : engaging with clients to understand their needs, designing and overseeing analytical projects, and ensuring our insights are robust and actionable. You’ll help evaluate programmes, model real‑world problems, and communicate findings to senior leaders and decision‑makers. You’ll also be a mentor and guide, helping to build capability, supporting best practice, and fostering a culture of curiosity and continuous improvement. Your experience in the public sector and ability to navigate political and organisational complexity will be crucial as we build the right evidence sources and make insights meaningful.

Salary range : $119,171 - $144,560 per annum + 3% KiwiSaver. The successful candidate will be appointed at a salary which reflects individual skills and experience.

About you | Mōhou ake

You will be a seasoned insights and analysis professional with proven experience and a motivated, proactive approach. You will bring :

• Maturity and judgement : Demonstrated experience making sound decisions in complex, ambiguous environments – ideally in the public sector.
• Stakeholder savvy : Skilled at engaging with a range of clients and senior leaders, understanding their needs, and communicating technical findings clearly. You can influence and build trust at all levels.
• Technical expertise : Strong foundation in R and SQL (Python a bonus), with experience in big data environments, data wrangling, analysis, and automation. Power BI and GIS skills are highly valued.
• Analytical mindset : Working knowledge of statistics and evaluative thinking, with experience in programme evaluation or contracting data a plus.
• Social investment orientation : Using data and evidence to inform decisions, focusing on long‑term outcomes and targeting resources where they make the most difference.
• Programme evaluation skills : Familiarity with evaluation frameworks, logic models, and outcome measurement. Able to clarify objectives, identify key evaluation questions, and use evidence to assess what works, for whom, and why.
• Modern data practices : Advocate for version control (Git), reproducibility, and good data management including documentation and governance.
• Ethics and Privacy experience : Knowledge of ethics frameworks and application of Privacy laws and principles.
• Mentoring and leadership : Ability to guide, support, and develop others, including those outside the team, sharing knowledge and building capability across the team.
• Collaborative spirit : Comfortable working across boundaries, bridging technical and non‑technical perspectives, and helping think strategically about our work.
• Adherence to the Public Service Standards of Integrity and Conduct.

About our group and team | Mātau rōpū ake

The Insights and Analysis team is part of Te Mahau | Te Pae Aronui | Operations & Integration and will move to the new Digital and Data group from February 2026 to help :

Are you ready to make a difference? | Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi?

If this opportunity interests you, please submit your cover letter and resume using the ‘apply' button. In your cover letter we’d like to know about your values, motivations, strengths, transferable skills, and the diverse perspectives you will bring to the role.

For further information, please contact James Swindells, Manager Insights and Analysis at

Applications close : Midnight – Sunday 19 October 2025.

We want our people to feel valued for their unique qualities and have a sense of belonging. If you require assistance or adjustments to fully participate in the recruitment process, please let us know.

Seniority level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

Full-time

Job function

Research, Analyst, and Information Technology

Industries

Education Administration Programs

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