View Vacancy - NZW - Senior Science and Innovation Officer/ Te Māngai Kāwanatanga o Peretānia - Wellington, C4(L)

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
Science and Innovation

This is a fascinating time to join the UK in New Zealand whānau at a time of unprecedented global challenges and opportunities. Science and Innovation is a growing area of international diplomacy and an increasingly important aspect of the UK and New Zealand relationship.

The UK and New Zealand relationship covers the full range of UK government interests – political, trade, defence, science, economics, visas and consular policy. We operate in a fascinating, fast-paced environment, working closely with New Zealand on a wide range of issues that reinforce our shared values.  The successful applicant will be a key member of the UK in New Zealand network, working across teams to help deliver science diplomacy, political and prosperity objectives.

You will lead on science and health diplomacy (including UK-NZ collaboration on Covid-19) for the UK Government network in New Zealand. This means you will be responsible for the delivery of UK objectives for science, research and innovation both through science diplomacy and developing and delivering high-impact projects and programmes. You will work across a diverse range of sectors; current focuses include global health, AI and data, agritech, space, and plastics. Additionally you will support wider UK in NZ objectives, particularly climate change, the UK-NZ Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the Māori engagement strategy.

You will be part of a global Science and Innovation Network (SIN), sitting within the Asia Pacific region (led from Beijing), working within a strategic framework set in London by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. You will link into wider UK Government strategies such as the international response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the development of a vaccine. As the sole Science and Innovation (SIN) Officer in New Zealand, you will operate with a high degree of independence, while working within supportive policy teams across the British High Commission and the British Consulate Auckland, as well as your colleague in Canberra and the wider region.

The British High Commission is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law.  

Design, lead and deliver the Science and Innovation strategy, based on collaborations between the UK and New Zealand governments, business, and science communities. Using your understanding of policy and ambition you will:

  • Identify and drive new opportunities for government-to-government strategic engagement and for UK-New Zealand partnerships based on shared values.
  • Develop and drive forward relationships with senior government, business and academia stakeholders to generate opportunities for UK-New Zealand research co-operation and boost trade and investment goals.
  • Support policymaking in the High Commission’s wider priority areas, such as climate change, Māori Engagement, Trade and plastics.

Independently provide proactive and reactive expert analysis and targeted reporting on science and innovation investment and policy developments, scanning research developments for opportunities to build partnerships and demonstrate UK excellence.  

Support the UK-NZ FTA, trade and investment promotion campaigns, providing advice, analysis and connections on cross-cutting science and health related issues.

Lead the UKinNZ’s work on plastics, looking forward to COP26 and working closely with Pacific colleagues.

Generate and lead on virtual or physical visit programmes for senior UK government and non-government figures which strategically support and promote UK science and innovation objectives in New Zealand. Provide support for UK ministerial visits to New Zealand as well as senior New Zealand visits to the UK.

Manage your own planning and reporting requirements for the Heads of SIN and bid for and manage an annual project budget. This includes developing and agreeing an annual business plan, completing mid- and end-year reporting, and generating key SIN communications tools.

Participate in global SIN campaigns, as required.

Support the UK in NZ Māori engagement strategy. In 2019, the Senior Science and Innovation Officer led on the UK's participation in the Tuia 250 events. This involved conceiving and delivering NZ-UK scholarships (He Whai Mātauranga), an NZ roadshow focusing on the transit of Mercury, and more recently, has driven our work on vaccine collaboration between the respective governments.

How will you do this?

You will be comfortable operating independently on your policy areas but within a wider strategic effort, with strong judgment on when to bring in a colleagues including the High Commissioner. You will seek to create new initiatives or precedents. You will have a strong interpretative ability to be able to assess which options to prioritise, make succinct policy recommendations from complex material, develop ideas and then deliver them through a diverse and geographically dispersed network. You will be adept at managing the challenges of working remotely with colleagues in Auckland, Canberra, London and across Asia.

Resources managed:

The jobholder will have the opportunity to bid for and manage programme funds to run projects in support of UK objectives in New Zealand.

  • Self-driven with a proven ability to deliver results.
  • Strong strategic awareness, and the ability to think creatively about how to achieve UK government science and innovation objectives and spot opportunities for the UK science and innovation community. 
  • Experience in New Zealand and/or international science policy, research collaboration or R&D projects, and understanding of the drivers of innovation and the science/policy interface. This experience could be from an industry, academic or government context.
  • Strong relationship building skills and able to operate at senior levels, building up to Chief Scientists, Ministerial, CEO and Vice Chancellor level.
  • Understanding of and interest in other areas of government policy or New Zealand politics and the ability to embrace new areas. As well as ability to learn about and engage with a wide range of science, research and innovation sectors.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to explain scientific issues to non-scientists, and the ability to develop productive relationships, including at senior levels.
  • A team player who is willing to work as a full member of the British High Commission, organising Ministerial visits or providing surge capacity on other priorities for short periods as necessary.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a local security clearance to ‘Official Sensitive’ level.
25 October 2020
Higher Executive Officer (HEO)
Full-time, Permanent
36.25
Asia Pacific
New Zealand
Wellington
British High Commission
1
NZD
NZ$9,583pa or NZ$115,000pa
7 December 2020

The British High Commission is committed to learning and development for all staff.

This job offers significant scope for personal and professional development; a wide range of L&D opportunities is available, with access to specialist courses and training (including te reo Māori), our annual UKinNZ L&D camp and some domestic and international travel will be available once the Covid restrictions allow.

Normal office hours are 8.45am-5.00pm.  We welcome applications from those looking for flexible hours or working from home for part of the week. The successful candidate will be encouraged to develop a pattern of working that works best for you and the wider team.

Due to the nature of the role and being in contact with overseas stakeholders, there may be times when you will need to start early or work late; time off in lieu for working additional hours will be available. 

Appointment is subject to a 90 day trial period pursuant to section 67A of the Employment Relations Act 2000 and gaining and maintaining Posts security clearance requirements.

Open to New Zealand citizens, permanent residents, and partners/dependents of UK-based diplomatic staff currently posted in New Zealand. Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre-employment checks. No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position. Candidates must have or be able to obtain work authorisation for New Zealand in order to apply.

Staff recruited locally by the High Commission are subject to Terms and Conditions of Service according to local New Zealand employment law.  Only short-listed applicants will be contacted regarding the next phase of the selection process.  To those applicants not short-listed, we extend our appreciation for considering the British Government as a potential employer.

For more information on the work of the British High Commission, visit our website - http://www.gov.uk/government/world/new-zealand.

All applications must be received before 23:55 (NZDT), 25 October 2020.

Applications must address experience against the role responsibilities and required competencies in the cover letter and also include a current CV.

Incomplete application forms will not be taken into consideration, so please ensure you provide the information requested. We regret to advise that we will only be contacting short-listed candidates. Applicants called for an interview will be assessed on the core competencies listed above.

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

This opportunity is closed to applications.