Principal Policy Advisor

Our client is a government agency in Wellington seeking an experienced Principal Policy Advisor to play a central role in delivering a high priority national regulatory programme (secondary legislation). This is a hands on policy role suited to an established principal level policy professional with demonstrated experience in complex regulatory work, Cabinet processes, and working directly with Ministers.

About the Role

You will be a key member of a small team delivering a new two year programme of work with significant public, sector, and ministerial interest.

The Principal Advisor is a critical role in this programme and will operate as a trusted 2IC, with significant responsibility. This role will suit a policy doer, someone comfortable leading and delivering substantive regulatory work in a high scrutiny environment.

What You’ll Be Doing

You will be working for the lead policy agency for this nationally significant programme and will be advising the Minister directly.

In this role you will:

• Lead and deliver principal level regulatory policy work


• Develop mandatory performance standards set through secondary legislation and approved by Cabinet


• Support Codes of Practice that sit under the standards and provide the preferred pathway for compliance


• Draft and progress Cabinet papers


• Prepare Regulatory Impact Statements (RIS)


• Draft briefings to Ministers


• Support regulatory instruments such as Orders in Council


• Support and lead public consultation and sector engagement


• Work closely with technical specialists while providing strong policy and regulatory leadership


• Operate confidently within machinery of government, Cabinet processes, and ministerial engagement


• Act as a trusted delegate and 2IC, providing continuity and leadership when required

This role requires comfort with ambiguity, delivery with initiative, and confidence working in a small team under high public, sector, and ministerial interest.

Essential Experience and Capability

To be successful in this role, you must demonstrate:

• Established principal level policy experience, with a strong focus on regulatory and or legislative policy


• Strong machinery of government capability


• Proven experience leading and delivering Cabinet papers


• Experience preparing Regulatory Impact Statements (RIS)


• Experience drafting briefings for Ministers


• Direct engagement with Ministers


• Demonstrated experience leading substantial policy projects


• Experience developing complex regulatory frameworks


• Work on primary and secondary legislation


• Experience advising Ministers


• Ability to build and maintain cross agency relationships


• Recent sector experience in environment, water, or resource management


• A strong understanding of local government, with councils as key stakeholders


• Experience leading or supporting sector engagement and public consultation processes


• A strong hands on delivery mindset


• Ability to deliver with initiative in ambiguous or evolving policy environments

Highly desirable

• Experience or capability relating to Te Ao Māori and Te Tiriti considerations

Why This Role?

• Shape a new national regulatory framework from the ground up


• Work at the centre of a high priority programme with strong senior leadership and ministerial focus


• Take on a trusted senior role with real influence and responsibility


• Be part of a small, committed team delivering work of genuine public significance

Employment Details

• Fixed term from now through to early 2028


• Location: Wellington


• A short term contractor may be engaged initially, however this role is the core long term delivery position for the programme

Me pēwhea te tuku tono | How to apply

To express interest and find out more, please apply with your CV to be considered. Candidates with suitable experience will be contacted by Frog Recruitment for a confidential discussion about the opportunity and about your job search preferences, before making a plan with you to present your details to our client, if appropriate. Your CV will never be sent to any 3rd party without your consent.

We’ve used AI to help make this advert clear and easy to read, but rest assured every application will be personally reviewed by one of our consultants at Frog Recruitment.

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