Lead Implementation and Engagement Advisor | MSD Services for the Future | Wellington

Apply now »

Date: 27 May 2026

Location: Wellington, NZ

Company: Ministry of Social Development

 

About us | Mō mātou 
 
The Ministry of Social Development is a people-centred organisation. We’re in communities across the motu, working with partners to help New Zealanders be safe, strong and independent.
 
We provide social policy and advice to government and assistance, including income, employment and housing support to people of all ages, families, whānau and communities.
 
As a Te Tiriti o Waitangi partner we are committed to supporting and enabling Māori, whānau, hapū, Iwi and communities to realise their own potential and aspirations.
 
Our people are as diverse as the communities we serve. We care about the wellbeing and success of our people and provide a supportive and inclusive working environment where people can thrive and be who they are.

 

 

About the role | Mō te tūnga:

   

•    Innovative programme of work 

•    24 month fixed term/secondment opportunity  

•    Wellington based  

  

 

MSD - services for the future, is about the Ministry of Social Development’s (MSD's) future role and how we can make a bigger and better difference for New Zealanders.  

 

The Programme will deliver services that are easier, more accessible and integrated across employment, housing, and income support, with greater use of partnering. 

 

MSD is establishing a Business Readiness and Change Implementation function within the programme. When implementing change there are number of diverse stakeholders whose experience we need to understand and will require ongoing engagement.  

 

This is part of a significant transformation programme for MSD, that will deliver a new service model enabled by new capabilities, systems, and processes to support clients into employment.  

 

 

The role would be expected to:

 

  • Design and run targeted engagement activities (e.g. workshops, forums, structured feedback loops) specifically to test readiness, surface operational impacts, and inform implementation planning for new services, processes, and digital capabilities. 
  • Translate programme milestones and solution designs into practical engagement approaches that help frontline staff, leaders, partners and other stakeholders understand what is changing, when, and what it means for them in practice. 
  • Work closely with Business Readiness and Change, Practice, Learning and Communications teams to ensure engagement insights are fed directly into change plans, training approaches, sequencing decisions, and go‑live readiness assessments. 
  • Support the identification of change impacts, risks and dependencies by using engagement to gather real-world insight from service delivery, partners and communities. 
  • Advise senior leaders and delivery teams on who needs to be engaged, why, when, and to what depth to support implementation outcomes (rather than broad-based awareness or promotional activity). 
  • Shape engagement approaches that support phased rollout, piloting, and iteration of the Digital Employment Service and wider employment capability changes. 
  • Build and strengthen engagement capability across the programme so that delivery teams are using engagement deliberately and consistently as part of business readiness and change implementation. 
  • Ensure engagement approaches are inclusive, accessible, and aligned with Māori engagement protocols, while remaining tightly linked to delivery decisions and programme outcomes. 
  • Work closely with the central engagement function to ensure engagement activity is aligned, appropriately sequenced, and reported, including navigating required governance or programme forums (e.g. PDSG, Programme Committee) before wider engagement where needed. 

 

What you bring | Ōu pūmanawatanga:

 

The knowledge, skills and experience required to undertake this role successfully include:

 

•    A tertiary qualification in a relevant discipline or equivalent operational experience 

•    Significant experience designing and delivering successful engagement and communication strategies 

•    Experience working with a wide range of stakeholders and developing strong stakeholder relationships across the work programme and ensure the right level of engagement 

•    Strong leaderships skills and be able to navigate large and complex organisation and work programmes 

•    Experience supporting others to develop their engagement capability 

•    Experience with senior leadership, with strong judgement and intellectual flexibility 

•    Excellent knowledge and experience in the public sector environment and the role, duties, and expectations of public servants 

•    Project management experience, particularly in the management of multifaceted, complex and multi-stakeholder projects within the public sector 

•    Understanding and ability to implement accessibility requirements for engagement, including NZSL translation services 

•    Understanding of, and ability to implement Māori protocol for engagement 

•    An understanding of the importance of effective partnering for outcomes and effective commissioning, this includes strategic planning and investment, service design, procurement, contracting, monitoring and reporting, and evaluation 

 

Salary | Utu-ā-tau: $122,381.00 - $152,296.00

 

 

 

 

 

How to apply | Me pēhea te tuku tono

 

To apply, click the 'Apply Now' button to upload your CV, cover letter and complete the online application form.  

 

Note: Your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process, so please highlight how your experience relates to the key responsibilities listed in the position description. 

 

All applications must be made online.  If this is not possible or if you have any queries, please contact us at jobs@msd.govt.nz

 

Internal MSD Employees – please apply through your myHR portal at work.  This will ensure that your myHR employee profile is visible as internal candidate.

 

Closing date: 12 June 2026

 

 

Apply early – we may interview suitable candidates prior to the closing date.  

 

 

 

 

 

Joining us | Ko te hono mai


Joining MSD means being part of a whānau that celebrates the diversity each individual represents.  We show manaaki, we care about the wellbeing and success of people and want everyone to thrive, and be who they are in a supportive and inclusive working environment. We work together to make a difference for communities while doing the right thing with integrity. We are a Treaty partner committed to strengthening relationships with Māori, Hapū, Iwi and communities to realise their own potential and aspirations.


If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to tell us when you apply so we can assist you through the recruitment process.

 

MSD has a COVID-19 vaccination policy that encourages, but does not require, employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and its variants, unless the role is identified as requiring vaccination at the time.