Programme Lead, Wellington
Date: 8 Jun 2026
Location: Wellington, NZ
Company: Ministry of Social Development
- Lead and deliver complex programmes of work across MSD’s Corporate Portfolio
- Drive planning, prioritisation and delivery excellence across multiple initiatives
- Influence strategic outcomes through strong stakeholder engagement and leadership
About the team | Mō te tīma
The Corporate Portfolio (CP) supports MSD’s vision by delivering corporate platform systems, processes, people capability and information that support our organisation and staff to meet the needs of our clients and whānau. This ensures we fulfil our accountabilities to government and other stakeholders. These systems and processes underpin the services we provide to clients and are vital to ensure we can continue to operate effectively in a more complex future.
We are a relatively new portfolio that is driven to deliver real value to our MSD staff. We value innovation and ‘out of the box’ thinking. We are a small team, and deliver by challenging the status quo, relentlessly hunting down value / savings opportunities, whilst always holding our staff at the centre of everything we do. We are looking for experienced people who can adapt quickly, build trusted relationships, support their teammates, and contribute wherever needed. If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love to hear from you.
CP aims to make it easy to do work at MSD by focusing on our people and their experience when engaging with their work. We provide a unified and structured approach to delivering change initiatives across the Corporate, Workforce and Workplace portfolios. Any initiative that requires additional budget or resources above and beyond the BAU team will be managed through CP.
About the role | Mō te tūnga
As a Programme Lead, you will play a key role as part of the Corporate Portfolio Leadership Team, leading the planning, prioritisation and delivery of a complex programme of work across MSD.
You will provide leadership across multiple initiatives, ensuring work programmes are well‑coordinated, aligned to strategic priorities, and delivered effectively within MSD’s governance frameworks.
You will work closely with delivery teams and stakeholders to drive high‑quality planning, prioritisation, and execution, while supporting the development of consistent delivery practices across the portfolio.
Your role will involve leading programme delivery, managing risks and interdependencies, and ensuring progress is clearly communicated to leadership and governance groups.
You will also provide coaching and leadership to delivery teams, helping to build capability, foster collaboration, and support a culture of continuous improvement across the Corporate Portfolio.
This is a permanent opportunity, based at our National Office in Wellington.
What you bring | Ōu pūmanawatanga
- Extensive experience leading complex programmes of work and coordinating multiple initiatives
- Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to influence and build credibility at all levels
- Proven experience in programme and project delivery, ideally within a public sector environment
- Demonstrated ability to see the bigger picture and align delivery with strategic priorities
- Strong leadership capability, including the ability to coach and support delivery teams
- Experience managing risk, interdependencies, and delivery across multiple workstreams
- Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to navigate complex environments
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present information clearly to a range of audiences
- Ability to build collaborative relationships across business, technology, and corporate functions
Position Description | He Whakaahuatanga Tūnga
A copy of the position description can be found here. Programme Lead, position description
Salary | Utu-ā-tau: $142,874.00 - $177,798.00
Applications close | Ka kati ngā tono hei te: 11.59pm, Sunday 21 June 2026
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.
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.
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.
