Team Manager Talent Acquisition and Foreign Policy Career Mobility at Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

22 Apr, 26

Salary

174261.0

Posted On

22 Jan, 26

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Talent Acquisition, Recruitment Leadership, Relationship Building, Strategic Thinking, Customer Focus, Collaborative Leadership, Workforce Planning, Public Sector Knowledge

Industry

International Affairs

Description

Lead a high‑performing team delivering exceptional recruitment and mobility experiences Drive improvements in how we source, develop, and support people throughout their career journeys Permanent role, based in Wellington A strategic leadership role shaping how MFAT attracts, selects, and supports the movement and development of talent across the Ministry. About the role – Kōrero mō te tūranga We’re looking for an influential, people-centred leader to guide MFAT’s approach to recruitment and career mobility. This is a pivotal role within the People Division, responsible for ensuring MFAT consistently finds the right people for a wide range of roles — from corporate and specialist functions through to technical and foreign policy positions - both onshore and offshore. You’ll lead a capable and committed team who partner closely with hiring managers, foreign policy panels, and business leaders to deliver high‑quality recruitment and mobility experiences. From developing customer‑centric processes and supporting digital improvements, to ensuring our staffing cycles run smoothly, this role is at the heart of creating an excellent candidate and employee experience. You’ll also play a key role in supporting Foreign Policy mobility processes — including postings, rotations, and other assignments — ensuring decisions are well informed, transparent, and aligned with workforce needs. This is a varied and impactful role with strong strategic, operational, and relationship components. To view the full position description, click here. The appointing range for this role is between $148,123 to midpoint of $174,261 total remuneration, inclusive of our 3% KiwiSaver employer contribution. Appointment within this range will depend on your level of experience. Who we’re looking for – Mā wai te mahi nei? We’re keen to hear from candidates who bring: Significant experience in talent acquisition, resourcing, mobility, or recruitment leadership across varied role types A track record of delivering people‑related strategies or programmes of work Excellent relationship‑building and influencing skills across diverse stakeholder groups Strategic thinking paired with a practical, customer‑focused mindset A collaborative leadership style with the ability to build capability and support high performance Understanding of recruitment best practice, workforce planning, and ideally public sector environments Understanding of The Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti, Te Reo Māori and Māori customs and protocols would be beneficial. The People Division has recently implemented a new structure to better align our work with future priorities. As part of this, several new opportunities have emerged for talented people to join us and help shape the next phase of our work. Why MFAT? - Ngā hua o te mahi i te Manatū Aorere We are committed to a focus on leadership, talent, training and development, and flexible work options consistent with guidance from the Public Service Commission. Check out our benefits page to find out more about why we love working here. MFAT is Rainbow Tick accredited. We value diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive culture where everyone feels supported, valued, and a sense of belonging. We welcome applications from people from a diverse range of backgrounds. About us - Mō mātou Our people represent New Zealand on and offshore, and in doing so make New Zealanders safer and more prosperous. By building connections with and influencing other countries and international institutions, we advance New Zealand’s interests and pursue New Zealand's values. We provide advice to the Government on the implications for New Zealand of what is happening in the world. To Apply/Interested? - Me pēhea te tuku tono Apply today with your CV and cover letter. To be considered for this position at Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade you must be a NZ citizen, or Permanent Resident. You must be able to obtain and maintain a Confidential security clearance. Ordinarily, to obtain this level of clearance candidates must have sufficient checkable background in countries where meaningful and reliable checks can be undertaken. Where requisite checks are unable to be made, the candidate application may not be able to be progressed. Use this online tool to self-check your eligibility for a Confidential clearance. Please note that this tool is not part of the formal security clearance process: http://www.protectivesecurity.govt.nz/eligibility-tool Please let us know if you need any support or have any access requirements that will help you through the recruitment process. If you have questions about applying, you may email recruitment@mfat.govt.nz Applications close at 9:00pm on Sunday 8th February, 2026. Please note: This is not a Foreign Policy/diplomatic role. This is a ‘Corporate’ role (known here as a specialist role based in central Wellington, NZ. While it is not usual for specialist staff to be ‘posted’ outside of NZ, from time to time a specialist role overseas becomes available at one of our embassies, high commissions, missions or consulates. To be considered for one of these positions you would need to apply and be considered via a competitive recruitment process. If you do have an interest in an MFAT foreign policy/diplomatic career, you would be welcome to apply for this either via our graduate recruitment or mid-level foreign policy recruitment campaigns.

Responsibilities

Lead a team to deliver recruitment and mobility experiences while ensuring the right talent is selected for various roles. Support Foreign Policy mobility processes and improve staffing cycles.