Senior Project Coordinator | Wellington | Fixed Term
Date: 2 Sept 2026
Location: Wellington, NZ
Company: Ministry of Social Development
- Work alongside senior leaders to coordinate complex projects and deliver meaningful outcomes
- Wellington-based full time fixed term opportunity
- Focus on quality improvement, equity, and workforce capability aligned with the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.
Play a key role in delivering a nationally significant workforce development programme supporting safeguarding across the disability sector.
We're looking for an exceptional Senior Project Coordinator who can bring order to complexity, build strong relationships, and help drive a high-profile workforce development programme forward.
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
We are looking for a highly organised Senior Project Coordinator to support the delivery of a sector workforce development programme within Disability Support Services (DSS).
Working closely with the Programme Manager, Clinical Lead, Principal Advisor Workforce Development and workstream leads, you will provide critical coordination, planning, reporting and project support to ensure programme objectives are delivered successfully.
This is a full time, and fixed term opportunity until 30 June 2027, and is based in our Wellington National office.
Key responsibilities include:
- Support project and workstream planning, scheduling, monitoring, and reporting.
- Coordinate meetings, workshops, governance forums, and programme documentation.
- Maintain project plans, risks, actions, dependencies, and reporting registers.
- Prepare high-quality reports, presentations, correspondence, and briefing materials.
- Provide proactive programme coordination and administrative support.
- Contribute to governance, programme performance, risk management, and continuous improvement.
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
You'll be a proactive self-starter, skilled at coordinating multiple priorities, supporting senior leaders, and ensuring projects deliver on their objectives while maintaining a strong focus on quality, collaboration, and positive outcomes for disabled people and their whānau. You ‘ll also bring:
- Exceptional organisation and programme coordination skills with the ability to manage multiple workstreams, priorities, milestones, and deadlines in a complex environment.
- Strong relationship management capability, building trusted and effective working relationships with senior leaders, colleagues, stakeholders, and external partners.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to prepare high-quality reports, presentations, meeting materials, and governance documentation, while tailoring messages to different audiences.
- A proactive and solutions-focused approach, demonstrating initiative, sound judgement, and the ability to anticipate issues and keep work progressing.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience tracking risks, dependencies, actions, and performance information to support informed decision-making.
- Adaptability, resilience, and integrity, thriving in a dynamic environment while maintaining high standards, accountability, and a commitment to inclusive and accessible ways of working.
- Machinery of Government, experience working within the public sector is desirable
Position Description | He Whakaahuatanga Tūnga
A copy of the position description can be found here. Senior Project Coordinator postion description.
Salary | Utu-ā-tau: $69,519.00 - $84,041.00
Applications close | Ka kati ngā tono hei te: Sunday 13 September 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.
