The Crown Response Office was established in September 2024 to coordinate and facilitate cross-government decision making and implement the Crown's response to the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry. The Office sits within the Public Service Commission. The creation of the Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation in the Royal Commission's final report, Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light.
The Crown Response Office plays an important strategic, advisory and coordination role to ensure the Crown is joined up and focused on the right priorities.
We currently have a fixed term or secondment opportunity for a Senior Advisor Governance and Ministerial Servicing until 24 June 2027.
Reporting to the Manager Governance and Ministerial Servicing, the Senior Advisor Governance and Ministerial Servicing’s focus is on coordinating and drafting official information and provision of governance services. They will provide high-quality secretariat and advisory support to governance groups, ensuring effective planning, coordination and follow-through. This includes supporting meetings and agendas, preparing quality materials and advice, maintaining clear records of decisions and actions, and working with chairs, members, senior leaders and relevant teams to progress matters through appropriate governance processes.
The role also provides expert advice and operational support to the Manager to support governance committees/ boards by identifying adjustments and improvements to the governance system and process, and making connections between governance committees and the leadership team to ensure the governance system is effective.
The Senior Advisor will also coordinate and draft official information. This includes Ministerial correspondence and weekly Ministerial reporting, Official Information Act responses, including reviewing materials/redactions and providing advice and Privacy Act requests, general correspondence, and official stakeholder correspondence. The role also maintains an effective working relationship with the Minister’s Office to support timely and well-coordinated Ministerial servicing.
This role holds and manages effective and efficient relationships with the Minister's Office.
Key responsibilities include:
Provide a high level of advice, support and leadership in relation to ministerial documents.
Provide specialist advice on the overall governance framework, processes and operations of the Crown's response.
Provide specialist advice on advisory bodies and committees.
Manage, process and draft responses to Official Information Act requests, Privacy Act requests, Ombudsman investigations.
Draft responses to ministerial and official correspondence as well as written Parliamentary Questions.
Draft and coordinate aide memoires, weekly reporting, briefings and Cabinet papers for areas across the Crown Response Office.
Provide high level advice and support to staff and Minister's Office in relation to applying the Official Information Act, including in relation to transferring and extending requests and applying the withholding grounds.
You will ideally bring:
Ability to write documents that are clear, succinct, in plain language with a high level of accuracy and appropriate to the audience.
Ability to work well within and across teams.
A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent experience is essential.
Experience writing for multiple audiences and providing advice at a senior level.
Sound understanding of the machinery of government and public sector accountability processes.
Experience following government processes and applying Cabinet frameworks.
Experience working across an organisation and influencing without formal authority.
Managing multiple pieces of work with varied and competing timeframes, while maintaining a high level of attention to detail.
High level of integrity, professionalism and discretion.
A thorough understanding of the Official Information Act.
Experience working/communicating with the Office of a Minister.
This position is a fixed term or secondment opportunity to 24 June 2027.
The full time salary for this role is usually between $107,146 - $130,507 but is flexible depending on skills and experience.
Applications will close at 5pm on Sunday 15th November 2026. To apply for this role you must have the right to live and work in New Zealand. For questions or if you are having technical difficulties applying online please email [email protected]