Principal Advisor - Organisational Design Specialist

About the role

Reporting into the People, Readiness and Change function within the programme, you will lead workforce organisation design initiatives that support the implementation of the Planning System Transformation Programme. Working across a complex reform programme, you will help shape future workforce models, identify capability requirements, and support workforce transition planning. You will operate in a highly collaborative programme environment, providing specialist advice and leadership on workforce design, organisational change, capability planning, and transition approaches.
What you'll be doing
You will:
-
Analyse current and future workforce and capability requirements across complex organisations and systems.
-
Develop future-state organisation design options, workforce models and transition approaches.
-
Assess workforce, role and capability impacts arising from planning system reform.
-
Identify current and future capability requirements, including skills, behaviours, professional practice and workforce readiness needs.
-
Assess capability gaps, risks and opportunities, and recommend strategies to build future capability.
-
Support capability planning for the digital transition, including retention of critical capabilities and development of new capabilities.
-
Design and support workforce and capability uplift initiatives that enable new ways of working and improved organisational readiness.
-
Provide specialist organisation design, workforce planning and capability advice to programme leaders, stakeholders and governance groups.
About you
You will bring:
-
Significant experience delivering organisation design, workforce planning and capability initiatives in large, complex organisations or system environments.
-
Proven success supporting workforce transformation within major programmes, reforms or organisational change initiatives.
-
Strong analytical skills, including workforce data analysis, capability assessment and organisation design methodologies.
-
Experience identifying future capability requirements and assessing capability gaps within complex environments.
-
Experience developing workforce transition plans and supporting workforce change implementation.
-
Knowledge of workforce planning, capability frameworks and capability development approaches.
-
Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, with the ability to build credibility at senior levels.
-
A strategic mindset, excellent communication skills, and the ability to deliver practical outcomes in a fast-paced programme environment.
Ideally, you'll also have
-
Experience working within government, public sector reform, or large-scale transformation programmes.
-
Experience working across multiple organisations, agencies or system partners.
Salary range
Salary range for this role is $142,185 to $173,853 pa. with a midpoint of $157,519. Appointments within this range will be based on skills and experience.
Apply now
Apply directly by completing the online application form and submit your CV and cover letter.Note:your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process, so please highlight how your experience relates to the key skills requiredfor this role.
The location for this role is Wellington, other major centres considered for the right candidate. If you have any questions about this role, please contact Nicole Taylor via email [email hidden]
Note: for our internal permanent people who are applying for a secondment, you must speak with your Manager before submitting your application.
Applications close:  Wednesday 7th October 2026