Senior Advisor - Family and Community Services
Date: 17 Nov 2025
Location: Wellington, NZ
Company: Ministry of Social Development
• Are you passionate about helping New Zealand’s most vulnerable?
• Join a dynamic and inclusive working environment!
• Permanent opportunity
• All successful applicants must be based in Wellington
We make a real and positive difference for communities through the services we invest in and the support we give.
About us
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:
As a Senior Advisor you will be responsible for redesigning and enhancing current family violence services. Your role will be to inject fresh thinking and agility to enable and catalyse social and economic change to get the best outcomes possible for people affected by family violence. This role involves working directly with non-government organisations, while also navigating government.
With your broad range of skills, you will be expected to provide insight and analysis of systems and services at a national level and work closely with other government agencies. This will include developing and implementing services and system supports and promoting continuous improvement.
You will be required to build strong relationships with both non-government and government agencies and support the design and implementation of new services across Aotearoa New Zealand. While the role is based in Wellington there will be travelling across the country.
What you bring | Ōu pūmanawatanga:
We are seeking an individual who has a positive attitude, relevant prior experience in community, social services and machinery of government. You will need excellent relationship management skills and be able to demonstrate how you have contributed to facilitation in your previous work. You will also be able to demonstrate your ability to develop practical solutions for complex problems with a focus on getting the job done!
If you have the following skills, knowledge and experience then we would love to hear from you:
• Be able to embed Te Ao Māori (te reo Māori, tikanga, kawa) into the way we do things at MSD
• Understand and be able to demonstrate actioning the Articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi
• A sound understanding of political processes and how government operates
• Strong analytical skills
• Be able to demonstrate your excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to influence decisions
• Be able to bring a fresh perspective into service design
• The ability to deliver, work to competing deadlines and be comfortable with ambiguity
• Be a strategic and innovative thinker that can provide practical solutions for complex issues
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and effectively internally and externally to achieve agreed outcomes
A wide-ranging understanding of family violence or experience within the sector is required because you will provide important support systems to our New Zealand communities.
Note: If you are shortlisted for an interview, you will be invited to provide an example of your writing based off a scenario that will be provided to you.
If this sounds like you, and you’re ready to either take a step up, or take on the next set of challenges in your career, then we want to hear from you!
Position Description | He Whakaahuatanga Tūnga:
Salary | Utu-ā-tau: $103,815.00 - $125,958.00
How to apply
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: Sunday 30th November, 2025. Please note, we will review applications as they come through, and we might start organising interviews before the close date or shortly after, so we encourage early applications.
Joining us
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.
