Senior Policy Analyst - Housing Policy team
Date: 29 Jun 2026
Location: Wellington, NZ
Company: Ministry of Social Development
• Senior Policy Analyst role, seeking an experienced Senior Policy Analyst.
• Permanent opportunity.
• Wellington-based.
Make a meaningful impact on the lives of all New Zealanders
About our team | Mō te tīma
Are you passionate about supporting and influencing social change for families, whanau, and individuals across Aotearoa New Zealand?
We are seeking an experienced, motivated and inquiring Senior Policy Analyst to join our Housing Policy team here at the Ministry of Social Development (MSD). We will provide you with a range of diverse experiences, from being involved in supporting short-term tangible change through to influencing longer-term strategic work. You will work both across MSD and with a range of agencies and stakeholders.
The Housing Policy team provides policy advice to Ministers on housing-related social assistance with a focus on the lower end of the housing market. We support our service delivery colleagues to improve housing outcomes, employment and greater independence for our most vulnerable. We work across government with key stakeholders including the Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport and Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities. We have a varied policy work programme, addressing both immediate issues and preparing advice on the longer-term direction, including the recently announced multi-year reform of Aotearoa New Zealand’s social housing system. We are often required to prepare advice in tight timeframes.
We may also be accepting candidates for other policy teams. MSD’s Policy branch is made up of the following groups:
• Regional, Social and Inquiries
• International, Disability and Generational
• Housing, Employment and Labour Market
• Welfare System and Income Support
• Child Wellbeing and Poverty Reduction
• Transformation
What you bring | Ōu pūmanawatanga
• We are keen to hear from motivated Senior Policy Analysts who can provide or contribute to advice that is clear, well-reasoned and politically neutral.
• We are looking for great people skills as you will be working collaboratively on projects with stakeholders across our organisation and externally.
• We are keen on people who will fit our collegial, supportive culture, and have the action orientation to shape, lead and contribute to policy work that is a priority for Ministers and our Chief Executive.
• You will need strong analytical and critical thinking ability and excellent judgement, with an ability to bring together evidence to draw conclusions on key issues and their root causes.
As a Senior Policy Analyst, we will also expect you to demonstrate:
• Leadership ability and experience in providing advice on complex issues along with the skills and an interest in coaching and developing others.
• Experience in enhancing the team's capability, including supporting junior staff with their projects.
The qualities we value in a candidate include:
• strong analytical skills
• clear communication skills, particularly strong writing skills
• collaborative working style
• perseverance
• curiosity and critical thinking
• understanding of te Ao Māori and commitment to upholding Te Tiriti Waitangi.
What we offer | Tā mātou e tuku ana
The Housing Policy team is part of a busy Policy Branch. The branch has a supportive team environment where people are focused on delivering high quality policy advice. We work hard to ensure policy settings reflect the diverse needs and wellbeing of New Zealanders while maintaining a strong focus on staff wellbeing and personal work/life balance. We pride ourselves on investing in and supporting staff to reach their full potential.
It is important to us to:
• prioritise your wellbeing and development
• provide a flexible working environment where you can learn from a supportive and collegial team of experienced policy professionals
• develop your career though the opportunities that come from a broad and varied work programme and our commitment to your ongoing professional development
• collaborate and support each other and we make sure everyone has the chance to develop and to take on new challenges
• value diversity of thinking and background – this informs the creation of responsive policy that reflects the communities we serve.
MSD has several employee-led networks that build a sense of community for our people so that they can contribute, belong and thrive. Our employee-led networks include, but are not limited to:
• National Office Māori Staff Network - Te Tini ō te Raurearea
• Pasefika Helava
• Disablednetwork@MSD
• Proud@MSD
• Women’s Network
• Pan Asian Network.
MSD is a CareWise employer. We commit to showing manaaki to people in our MSD whānau with caring commitments.
If you like variety in your work, and enjoy contributing to a friendly, collaborative team environment, we welcome your application.
Position Description | He Whakaahuatanga Tūnga
Salary | Utu-ā-tau: $113,496.00 - $137,794.00
Applications close | Ka kati ngā tono hei te: Wednesday 15th July, 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.
