Chief Advisor to the Chief Justice: Office of the Chief Justice | Te Tari Toko i Te Tumu Whakawā

Te Haeata/The Opportunity

An opportunity has arisen within the Office of the Chief Justice for an outstanding candidate to pilot a new position as Chief Advisor to the Chief Justice.

Working under the direct supervision of the Chief Justice, this role operates at the most senior levels in the Judiciary, the Ministry of Justice, and the Executive branch of government.

Operating in a manner similar to that of a Ministerial Private Secretary, the Chief Advisor will be responsible for coordinating all advice provided from across the office, ensuring work is prioritised and resources deployed in a way that supports the Chief Justice’s strategic priorities.

The Chief Advisor will be responsible for a small team of advisors assisting the Chief Justice and the Heads of Bench Committee to lead complex change and develop policy and services that achieve the judiciary’s strategic objectives: developing and maintaining a system of justice that is just, fair, modern and effective, which delivers timely impartial justice.

To be successful

To be successful in this role the successful candidate must build and maintain respectful and collaborative relationships across the judiciary, Te Tari and the Ministry of Justice.

They will be capable of handling a significant workload, effectively managing a range of tasks and demonstrating a high degree of professional judgement in recognising degrees of urgency and importance.

While the primary responsibility is to the Chief Justice, the successful candidate should also be mindful of the needs and issues affecting other heads of bench and courts, as well as Te Tari and the Ministry of Justice.

The opportunity has arisen as result of a retirement and will be piloted for a two-year fixed term.

Skills

• A relevant tertiary qualification preferably in law or equivalent knowledge, skills and experience, and a commitment to ongoing professional development
• The highest standards of personal integrity and judgement in handling sensitive issues.
• Advanced governance-support and strategic management skills.
• Advanced communication (both oral and written) and presentation skills. Written work must be accurate, concise and jargon free.

Work experience and competencies

• Significant senior experience in the courts and/or justice sector, would be highly desirable
• Having a strategic outlook and ability to promote practical solutions for meaningful change
• Experience in establishing and maintaining a range of effective working relationships across business groups and a network of professionals, managers, and external parties.
• Demonstrable history of acting with curiosity - in this setting observing international judicial administration trends and methods - and the ability to assess their relevance to the NZ setting.

Mō mātou/About us

ABOUT THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE

The Office of the Chief Justice | Te Tari Toko i te Tumu Whakawā (Te Tari) supports the Chief Justice, President of the Court of Appeal, and Chief Judge of the High Court, in their leadership and administrative responsibilities. Established in 2014, Te Tari is formally a business unit of the Ministry of Justice (the Ministry) – but operates as an independent arms-length body, with its own work programme and priorities determined by the Chief Justice, President of the Court of Appeal, and Chief High Court Judge. The Director of Te Tari is accountable to the Secretary for Justice for financial and resource management.

Te Tari has oversight and responsibility for the resources required for the discharge of these responsibilities and it is a conduit through which judicial perspectives on the justice system can be coordinated and communicated.
Te Tari supports the judiciary, operating at the constitutional interface between the judiciary and the executive. The judiciary is responsible for the work of the courts but is supported by the Ministry, a department of the executive government. The judiciary and the executive therefore share responsibility for delivering justice through the courts. Both branches of government have interests in developing and maintaining a system of justice that is just, fair, modern and effective, which delivers timely impartial justice.

Joining Te Tāhū o te Ture means you will become part of an organisation that welcomes and supports people of all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, disabilities and religions. 

Ngā painga o tēnei wāhi mahi/What’s great about working here

We offer you a range of benefits to support your wellbeing and help make the Ministry a great place to be. These include:

• 4.4 weeks holiday leave
• an online professional development portal
• access to a variety of inclusive and proactive networks

Utu ā-tau/Salary

This appointing salary for this role is between $191,000 and $206,000 per annum

Tono mai/Apply

Applications close on Monday 31st March at 5pm; however, we will be reviewing CVs as they come in.

Robert Walters endeavours to review all applications in a maximum of five working days. If you have not received correspondence within this timeframe please do not hesitate to contact Matthew Drake on 04 471 9709.