Senior Advisor

The Local Government Commission is an independent statutory body supported by the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT). Commission officials provide impartial advice to Commissioners, who make decisions on local government structure and representation, and provide information about good practice in local government. The Commission's decisions help ensure local government is effective, efficient, and representative of communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.

MCERT takes a long-term view of how New Zealand’s towns, cities and regions grow and change. MCERT works across housing, transport, the environment, urban development, infrastructure and investment, and partner closely with local government.

About the role

As a Senior Advisor, you’ll lead and contribute to complex statutory review and advisory projects and provide high-quality, evidence-based advice to the Commission. Your work will support statutory responsibilities such as local government reorganisation, representation reviews, and promoting good local government. You’ll engage with key stakeholders including local authorities, iwi hapū whanau Māori, other government bodies, and community leaders to ensure our advice is robust, inclusive, and impactful.

You’ll also contribute to strategic thinking, and help foster a culture of excellence and collaboration.

Key responsibilities include

• Providing high quality evaluative thinking and evidence-based policy analysis and advice to the Commission on issues in line with relevant legislation
• Effectively managing policy projects including developing a timeline, key milestones, consultation processes, risk analysis, and identifying and managing resourcing requirements
• Identifying and consulting with key stakeholders to ensure strategies are developed to gain buy-in and commitment to desired outcomes
• Ensuring that Commissioners’ needs are anticipated and that they are well supported to conduct their statutory roles by providing robust advice and support
• Providing accurate reporting on the current status of work; evaluating the outcome of the work; developing a culture of continuous improvement; and delivering in accordance with agreed timelines and quality standards
• Undertaking project review and evaluation.

Skills and experience

• In-depth understanding of local government legislation, structures, and decision-making processes
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, with the ability to convey complex ideas clearly and impartially
• Strong analytical and conceptual thinking, with a creative approach to problem-solving
• Proven experience delivering high-quality advice on complex and sometimes controversial issues
• Knowledge of strategic thinking approaches and the role of public service agencies, including a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi
• Excellent proven relationship-building skills, with experience engaging across diverse stakeholders including iwi/Māori, local authorities, and community leaders
• Previous experience in public and stakeholder engagement on significant policy initiatives
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively within a collaborative and high performing team.

Salary range

Salary range for this role is $114,039 to $131,778 pa. Appointment within this range will be based on skills and experience.

Apply now

Apply directly by completing the online application form and submit your CV and cover letter. Note: your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process, so please highlight how your experience relates to the key skills required for this role.

If you require further information about this position please contact Linda Canton, Executive Director Local Government Commission at [email hidden].

The location for this role is Wellington, Christchurch or Auckland.

We are committed to equal opportunities and building a diverse, inclusive workplace. We support our people to work in ways that help them do their best. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are dedicated to providing a safe and inclusive environment for everyone.

We want our recruitment process to be fair and accessible for everyone. If you need any support or adjustments, please let us know or get in touch at [email hidden] .

You must have the right to live and work in New Zealand to apply for this role.

Note: for our internal permanent people who are applying for a secondment, you must speak with your Manager before submitting your application.

Applications close: Sunday 13 September 2026.

Please note, we are managing this recruitment directly. We are not accepting unsolicited profiles from recruitment agencies for this vacancy.