Senior Business Rules Analyst | Transformation | Wellington
Date: 16 Oct 2026
Location: Wellington, NZ
Company: Ministry of Social Development
- Permanent and Fixed Term roles
- Based at National Office in Wellington
- Lead analysis of complex business rules and decision analysis
- Turn legislation, policy and procedure into clear, traceable and testable rules
- Design test scenarios that prove the rules give the right outcome
Use your analytical skills and attention to detail to bring clarity to complex rules. Work with policy, legal and operational experts to turn legislation, policy and procedure into clear, consistent rules that can be traced to their source and tested.
About our team | Mō te tīma
New Zealand is changing, and so are we. MSD is transforming to build a smarter, simpler, more responsive welfare system. This is a rare opportunity to help shape a once-in-a-generation transformation to deliver better outcomes for New Zealanders. Join a multidisciplinary team driving people-led, technology-enabled change at scale.
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
Can you read a clause of legislation and see the logic underneath it? Is so then this role might be for you!
As a Senior Business Rules Analyst, you'll lead analysis of complex business rules and decision logic. You'll make sure rules are clearly defined, applied consistently and traceable to the legislation, policy or procedures they come from.
You'll have the opportunity to:
- Collate source material, develop concept models and get agreement on business term definitions
- Break complex decisions down into question and decision logic, and write rules in clear RuleSpeak statements and decision tables
- Develop decision models, rule structures and test scenarios that support automation and service delivery
- Check rules for conflicts, overlaps and gaps before they're approved
- Facilitate workshops with policy, legal and operational experts to resolve ambiguity and agree outcomes
- Mentor other analysts and help improve how the practice works.
What you bring | Ōu pūmanawatanga
- Significant experience analysing and managing complex business rules or decision logic using structured techniques
- Experience building decision models and supporting their implementation in processes or systems
- A strong understanding of how legislation, policy and operational requirements turn into rules
- Sharp analytical and logical thinking, and the attention to detail to notice when one word changes the outcome
- Design thinking: you can keep rules simple, reusable and easy for others to understand
- Clear communication and the ability to influence stakeholders and resolve ambiguity
- A commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to building te ao Māori into your work.
Experience with DMN, RuleSpeak or decision-modelling tools is a bonus. So is a background in law, policy, philosophy, mathematics, linguistics, software testing or audit.
What’s in it for you | Nōu te rourou
You'll help design how decisions are made across a system that supports over a million New Zealanders. This is new, hands-on work. You'll help prove and improve an approach that makes rules transparent, testable and traceable from law to decision. You'll grow your skills alongside people who care as much about getting it right as you do.
Position Description | He Whakaahuatanga Tūnga
Salary | Utu-ā-tau: $103,815.00 - $125,958.00
Applications close | Ka kati ngā tono hei te: 26 October 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 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
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. Please highlight how your skills and experience relate to the key responsibilities listed in the position description and job advertisement.
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.