Work for us

This is an exciting time to join the Office of the Auditor-General. We're here to make a difference, and we have opportunities for you to further your career in an organisation uniquely placed to influence improvements throughout the public sector.

Principal Data Analyst - Data Platform & Integration Lead

Are you a passionate data professional with a deep understanding of technical practices? Do you thrive in a challenging and dynamic environment and are motivated by the opportunity to work in a role with exposure throughout the public sector and with Parliament?

The Office of the Auditor-General | Te Mana Arotake(the Office) aims to improve trust and confidence in the public sector. The Auditor-General is the statutory auditor of all public organisations, playing a major part in ensuring that New Zealand’s public sector remains one of the most trusted in the world. No other organisation, public or private, has the overview of the whole public sector that the Office of the Auditor-General has.

The Office’s Sector Performance Group assesses the performance of the public sector. We gain insight to the types of challenges that public organisations face, make recommendations for improvement, and identify areas of good practice that other organisations can learn from. Our Data and Analytics team, which is part of the Sector Performance Group, is responsible for the development, advice, and delivery of data and analytic capability to the Office.

As the Principal Data Analyst, you’ll be responsible for leading technical practice in the team. Your expertise will be essential as we implement a modern, Cloud-based data and analytical platform. You’ll play a pivotal role in overseeing the implementation process, from inception to execution, and ensuring the successful integration of this modern technology suite.

In this role, you’ll lead significant data analytics projects for the Office and be a trusted advisor when specialist data and analytical expertise is required.

Your responsibilities will include:

leading the implementation of our modern cloud-based data and analytics platform;
collaborating with other teams in the Office to define requirements, design architecture, and establish best practices;
developing and maintaining data models, frameworks, and pipelines to enable seamless data integration;
providing technical guidance and mentorship to the Data and Analytics Team;
conducting research, analysing complex datasets, and generating insights to support decision-making processes;
driving innovation by exploring emerging technologies and recommending their integration into our analytical ecosystem; and
collaborating with stakeholders to understand their needs and deliver tailored solutions.

To be successful, you’ll have:

a minimum of five years’ experience as a senior technical leader, with proven expertise in technical practice;
extensive knowledge of data modelling, data warehousing, and data integration techniques;
strong programming skills in languages such as Python, R, or SQL;
extensive experience in data science, analytics, insight generation, or data engineering roles;
demonstrated leadership of several significant data analytics projects;
demonstrated ability to communicate innovative and complex issues simply, clearly, and effectively, including translating technical information for non-technical audiences, and excellent report-writing skills;
strong self-management and interpersonal skills, with the ability to mentor and develop team members; and
a proactive mindset with the ability to lead and drive change.

If you’re a forward-thinking data professional ready to lead the oversight of a transformative data and analytical platform implementation, we invite you to apply for the position of Principal Data Analyst at the Office of the Auditor-General. Join us in our mission to promote transparency, accountability, and efficiency for the betterment of New Zealand.

Our benefits

Learning and development opportunities in data science and people management.
Supportive, flexible working.
Health and well-being benefits.
A unique operating environment with Parliament.

What we stand for

People matter | Our independence is critical | We act with integrity and courage | We’re here to make a difference

We have a diverse and inclusive team that helps us to understand the issues facing the public sector and how these affect the lives of New Zealanders. We strongly welcome applicants from all backgrounds. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to tell us when you apply so that we can assist you through the recruitment process.

For this role, you must be able gain and maintain a Confidential national security clearance. Ordinarily, this means that you must be a New Zealand citizen, be a permanent resident, or hold a current residency class visa and intend to become a citizen when eligible. You must have a five-year checkable background in New Zealand, the UK, the USA, Canada, or Australia. Use this online tool to self-check your eligibility for a security clearance www.protectivesecurity.govt.nz/eligibility-tool (please note that this is not part of the formal security clearance process).

For more information, please contact Kim Humlicek at recruitment@oag.parliament.nz.

You must apply online through jobs.govt.nz (you'll find the application form and position description there, too).

Applications close Sunday, 11 June 2023.

Vacancy: Assistant Auditor-General, Parliamentary Group

Applications close Thursday 8 June.

The Office of the Auditor-General | Te Mana Arotake (the Office) aims to improve trust and confidence in the public sector. The Auditor-General is the statutory auditor of all public organisations, playing a major part in ensuring that New Zealand’s public sector remains one of the most trusted in the world. No other organisation, public or private, has the overview of the whole public sector that the Office of the Auditor-General has.

One of the most varied, interesting, and satisfying roles in the public sector is now available: Assistant Auditor-General, Parliamentary Group.

The Controller and Auditor-General is an independent Officer of Parliament. The Auditor-General’s vision is to improve the performance of, and the public’s trust in, New Zealand’s public sector. Through managing relationships with Parliament and the Office’s other key stakeholders in the Parliamentary and central government sectors, the Parliamentary Group works to achieve this vision. The Group are focused on making a difference in the public sector and play an influential role working with select committees, chief executives, and governors.

Based in Wellington, the role forms part of the senior leadership team. You will lead a team of senior staff who oversee the Office’s Parliamentary and audit-related work in the central government sector. The Group have primary responsibility for managing the Office’s relationship with Parliament.

You’ll bring to the role:

a deep and broad understanding of the machinery of government, how the public sector operates, and parliamentary process;
sound judgement, informed by a keen focus on current public sector performance, accountability, and risk matters;
highly nuanced relationship management skills, with the capacity to work effectively with senior decision-makers within and external to government;
senior multidisciplinary experience that can be applied to managing and assessing both financial and non-financial organisational performance;
a broad understanding of accounting and auditing (a CA qualification is desirable but not essential); and
experience in managing, leading, and developing a team of people from diverse policy, accounting, and auditing backgrounds.

As an organisation, people matter to us, our independence is critical, we act with integrity and courage, and we’re here to make a difference.

We offer our staff:

Supportive, flexible working.
Health and well-being benefits.
A unique operating environment with Parliament.
Learning and development opportunities.

You must be able to gain and maintain a top-secret national security clearance. Ordinarily, this means that you must be a New Zealand citizen, a permanent resident, or hold a current residency class visa and intend to become a citizen when eligible. You must have a fifteen-year checkable background in New Zealand, the UK, the USA, Canada, or Australia. Use this online tool to self-check your eligibility for a security clearance. (Please note that this tool is not part of the formal security clearance process.)

For more information, please contact Sandy Hoggarth on 04 917 1500 or recruitment@oag.parliament.nz.

You must apply online through jobs.govt.nz(you'll find the application form and position description there, too).

Advisor, Auditor Contracts

The Office of the Auditor-General | Te Mana Arotake (the Office) aims to improve trust and promote value in the public sector. Our audits of public organisations – from government departments to councils and schools – play a major part in ensuring that New Zealand’s public sector remains one of the most trusted in the world. No other organisation, public or private, has the overview of the whole public sector that the Office of the Auditor-General has.

We’re looking for someone to join our Audit Quality Group. The Advisor, Auditor Contracts will provide advice and implement policy for contracting auditors to act on behalf of the Auditor-General, as well as setting and monitoring audit fees for public organisations.

This role will involve:

applying innovative thinking and analytical skills to gather, collate, and analyse information;
supporting auditor contracting and audit fee processes for public organisations;
developing and delivering reports and analysis; and
maintaining and fostering internal and external relationships, including identifying and managing the resolution of any issues.

To be successful, you’ll have:

the ability to understand, analyse, manipulate, and evaluate data;
strong practical problem-solving abilities and sound judgement;
excellent oral and written communication skills; and
a general understanding of the audit and accounting environment or a demonstrated commitment to do so.

As an organisation, people matter to us, our independence is critical, we act with integrity, and we’re here to make a difference.

We are open to applicants who wish to work part-time, and can offer flexible daytime hours Monday to Friday, 25-30 hours per week – ideal for applicants who are looking for shorter working hours or are able to work only certain hours of the day.

We offer our staff:

Learning and development opportunities.
Supportive, flexible working.
A unique operating environment with Parliament.
Health and well-being benefits.

To be eligible for this role you must currently have the right to live and work in New Zealand.

For more information, please contact Kim Humlicek at recruitment@oag.parliament.nz .

You must apply online through jobs.govt.nz (you'll find the application form and position description there, too).

Applications close Wednesday, 14 June 2023.

What we offer

If you're working for us in a permanent role, we offer you:

five weeks' annual leave;
seasonal influenza immunisations;
two-yearly eye-tests;
discounted health insurance;
life and total permanent disability insurance (at the Auditor-General's discretion);
study assistance;
access to a career board, to help develop you in your current role or toward the next one;
flexible working arrangements;
parental leave (including your full annual leave entitlement);
access to a counselling and support service (the Employee Assistance Programme);
workplace support networks (including a Rainbow Network); and
a contribution to the costs of eyewear.

For more information, please contact Sandy Hoggarth (04 917 1500 or recruitment@oag.parliament.nz).

If you're interested in auditing roles, see auditnz.parliament.nz.

Notes for applicants

We usually ask candidates to apply through the jobs.govt.nz website. We'll use the information you provide through that site to help us consider your suitability for the position you've applied for. (If your application is successful, we'll put this information on your personnel file. You can ask to see the information in that file, and to seek any correction you think necessary to ensure accuracy.)
If the advertised position doesn't include a link to the jobs.govt.nz website, please email your curriculum vitae and a covering letter to the Advisor, Talent and Recruitment.
Many positions in Audit New Zealand and the Office of the Auditor-General require you to have a satisfactory security clearance. Therefore, any offer of employment might be conditional on a satisfactory security clearance.
If we proceed with your application, we'll ask for the details we need for your security clearance and details of any criminal convictions.
Please note that if you've given incorrect or misleading information, or have left out any important information or fail to obtain a security clearance, you may be disqualified from appointment. If you've already been appointed, your employment may be immediately terminated.
If your application is successful, we'll need to see:
- certificates of your educational qualifications;
- if applicable, evidence of your New Zealand Citizenship, residency, or work permit.
All employees of the Controller and Auditor-General must be independent of the organisations we audit. Accordingly, as an employee you will be required to complete an independence declaration. This declaration includes the disclosure of a financial interest of you (or a family member) in an audited organisation, or a personal relationship with a member of that organisation’s executive or staff.
If your disclosure reveals an existing or potential problem you won't be assigned to any project where your independence as an employee could be compromised, or where a conflict of interest situation might arise. At the extreme end of the spectrum, you might be asked to divest yourself of any investments in an organisation under audit.

What we stand for: People matter | Our independence is critical | We act with integrity and courage | We’re here to make a difference

Page last updated: 29 May 2023