Principal Advisor Design | Wellington | Permanent
Date: 25 May 2026
Location: Wellington, NZ
Company: Ministry of Social Development
- Shape service and system design at scale to improve outcomes for disabled people
- Turn strategy into well‑designed, deliverable change
- Permanent Wellington based role
Play a critical role in shaping how services are designed, improved, and delivered across the disability system.
About our team | Mō te tīma:
The Disability Support Services (DSS) Group is responsible for commissioning, funding, and stewarding high-quality services that support disabled people, their families, and whānau.
We’re building leadership and management capacity across our teams to deliver both change and business-as-usual effectively.
We work closely with providers, stakeholders, and communities to ensure services are fair, consistent, transparent and sustainable. With a strong focus on performance monitoring, data, and insights, we’re committed to continuous improvement and evidence-based decision-making.
It’s an exciting time to join DSS as we strengthen our systems and expand our capabilities.
We’re looking for passionate people to help us achieve our goals and make a meaningful impact.
About the role | Mō te tūnga:
As a Principal Advisor in the Design team, you will provide strategic, technical, and analytical leadership to support effective service and system design across DSS.
You will help shape priorities, guide complex initiatives, and ensure design work is evidence‑led, connected, and deliverable.
You will play a key role in influencing how design approaches are applied across DSS, supporting the integration of lived experience, data, and evaluation into decision‑making, and ensuring work aligns with the principles of Enabling Good Lives.
Key responsibilities include:
- Provide senior strategic and design advice to support service and system design priorities
- Support leaders with business planning, future‑focused design thinking, and risk management
- Lead and contribute to design‑led programmes and initiatives, ensuring they are well planned and monitored
- Apply systems thinking to ensure strong linkages between design, delivery, funding, implementation, and monitoring
- Lead and oversee high‑quality research, analysis, and evaluation to inform design decisions and improvements
- Identify emerging issues and opportunities from the disability community and integrate insights into design work
- Partner closely with disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori, whānau, providers, and agencies to ensure design work is practical, inclusive, and grounded in lived experience
- Support and coach others in the team, strengthening design capability and quality across the team
We value diversity and welcome applications from disabled people and those who have lived experience with whānau, or the disability community.
Please contact us if there is any support that we can provide to ensure the recruitment process is accessible to you.
What you bring | Ōu pūmanawatanga:
- Significant experience in service and system design within complex public sector or community settings
- Demonstrated ability to work across strategic and operational work programmes
- Proven experience providing senior technical or design leadership on complex initiatives
- Strong capability in research, evaluation, and evidence‑informed design
- Advanced critical and systems thinking, with sound judgement in complex environments
- High‑level written and verbal communication skills for a range of audiences
- Proven ability to influence, build trust, and work collaboratively across disciplines
- Understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its application in service and system design
- Strong knowledge and experience working in the disability sector is preferred
Position Description | He Whakaahuatanga Tūnga:
A copy of the position description can be found here. Principal Advisor Position description.
Salary | Utu-ā-tau: $142,874.00 - $177,798.00
Applications close | Ka kati ngā tono hei te: Sunday 7 June 2026.
About us | Mō mātou:
The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) 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.
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.
How to apply | Me pēhea te tuku tono:
We are reviewing applications as they come in and interviews may take place during the advertising period.
Before you submit your application, please take a moment to review our guidance to understand how AI can best support your application. Candidate Guidance - Responsible AI use in recruitment
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.
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. You can find out more about our values here.
If you have any support or accessibility requirements, we encourage you to tell us when you apply so we can assist you through the recruitment process.
