Lead Advisor

Help shape the future of Education

We work to shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes

Our organisation is made up of talented and committed people around Aotearoa, from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. While we work in different groups and on different things, we all strive every day to make the biggest difference we can for our students in our education system.

About this role | Mō tēnei tūranga

• Permanent full-time role
• This role can be based from anywhere around Aotearoa a Ministry of Education office is located.

Join us as a Lead Advisor supporting the Healthy School Lunches programme, which provides nutritious lunches every school day to over 240,000 students who need the greatest support. This mahi directly improves student wellbeing, removes barriers to learning, and supports equitable outcomes across Aotearoa.

We’re here to feed the kids! In this role, you’ll play a key part in providing specialist nutrition support to the Ministry team, suppliers and schools, ensuring tamariki receive a nutritious lunch each school day. As the Lead Advisor, you’ll lead the planning and operational delivery of the nutrition assurance framework across the programme, ensuring all meals meet strict safety and nutrition standards designed to support child health and development.

In this role, you will:

• Manage the nutrition assurance framework and work with Senior Advisors to across the motu, ensuring lunches comply with nutritional guidelines.
• Monitor performance and provide support and guidance to schools and suppliers on nutrition, safety, and quality requirements designed to give ākonga access to healthy, balanced meals every day.
• Drive continuous improvement and feed insights into national strategy development.
• Uphold and promoting the kaupapa of healthy eating within the Healthy School Lunches Programme
• Provide strategic advice to support programme development
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships to support the programme and ensure alignment with other health initiatives
• Work with contracted lunch suppliers to ensure contractual requirements relating to nutrition are reasonable, robust and upheld

Salary range: $100,296 - $121,490 per annum + KiwiSaver. The successful candidate will be appointed at a salary which reflects individual skills and experience.

For more details about the role, you can view the Job Description here.

About you | Mōhou ake

We’re looking for people who want to make a positive difference for ākonga, and who are passionate about helping our tamariki engage and thrive in education. You’ll champion nutrition outcomes for the Healthy School Lunches programme through quality advice and guidance to the leadership team and programme delivery staff.

To be successful in the role you’ll work collaboratively with key stakeholders and partners providing specialist nutrition advice to support the development of the programme. You’ll act proactively to ensure suppliers are complying with contractual standards, and schools and kura are upholding their roles and responsibilities to make the programme a success.

A nutrition or dietetics qualification and professional registration with your governing body is required for this role.  To be successful in this role you will ideally have demonstrated experience across the many of the following:

• Nutrition leadership experience
• The ability to think strategically and operationalise strategy
• Experience supporting the delivery of projects in a complex, highly scrutinised environment
• Knowledge of food systems, supply chains, food production and industry and engaging with food service providers
• The ability to positively influence outcomes at a senior level
• A sound understanding of the machinery of government and service provision within the public sector
• Experience in working with iwi and hapū and a strong understanding of Te Reo Māori and tikanga Māori
• Experience with menu design and costing
• Understanding of the Education Sector, especially schools
• A sound understanding of contract management and supplier agreements
• The ability and willingness to adhere to the Public Service Standards of Integrity and Conduct.

The Healthy School Lunches programme offers you the chance to make a real difference to ākonga on a daily basis. No day is the same, so you’ll need to be agile and able to pivot quickly. It’s an important job with lots to learn but in a supportive team environment. 

About our group and team | Mātau rōpū ake

The Education Services Group provides well-designed, integrated education services that support the impactful and effective operation of education settings to support student achievement and participation. The services help to remove barriers to participation and learning and provide regulatory advice, support and oversight to early learning providers, schools and kura.

The Group has three key priorities for Education Services:

• Practice & Guidance: Managing practice and guidance to improve national coordination and consistency, whilst enabling regional autonomy for education service delivery.
• Integration & Delivery: Providing education support directly to education settings via integrated regional and national services. This includes intervening when necessary to ensure a high standard of operation to support student outcomes and owning key stakeholder relationships to support schooling improvement and stronger outcomes for learners.
• Monitoring & Improvement: Monitoring and advising on improvements to the effectiveness, efficiency and equity of services for achievement and progression, and attendance and participation. This includes monitoring education provider performance against regulations and intervening as required.

The Ministry of Education through its Strategic Programmes Team manages the Healthy School Lunches programme, the ECE Food programme, and the Ikura | Access to Period Products in Schools initiative.Our team covers the country, from Northland to the deep South. You’ll be joining a team that enjoys a laugh, while working hard to provide better outcomes for ākonga across the motu.

Are you ready to make a difference? | Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi?

If this opportunity interests you, please submit your cover letter and resume by using the ‘apply' button (please do not email your application). In your cover letter we’d like to know about you, your values, or anything else you’d like to share. We’re keen to understand your motivations, strengths, transferable skills, and the diverse perspectives you will bring to the role.

For further information, please contact Hannah Iwikau, Change and Delivery Manager, Strategic Programmes at Hannah.Iwikau@education.govt.nz

Applications close Midnight – Sunday, 12th April 2026

We want our people to feel valued for their unique qualities and have a sense of belonging. If you require assistance or adjustments to fully participate in the recruitment process, please let us know.