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
• Whakatāne, Bay of Plenty 

We have an exciting opportunity for a customer service superstar with administrative experience to join our Whakatāne office as part of the Bay of Plenty-Waiariki Business Support Team. 

If you are energetic, organised, thrive in a busy environment where attention to detail is imperative, can manage conflicting priorities, enjoy taking responsibility, have a bubbly personality and can develop good working relationships, then this could be the role for you.

This position has a key focus on being the first point of contact for our Whakatāne office. You will welcome our visitors as they arrive at our reception area, answer telephone calls and refer enquiries to the different Ministry teams, including those in other regions. You will support our suppliers and contractors when they arrive at our site and maintain security by issuing visitor access cards. You will also assist with fleet and event management, processing purchasing requests, responding promptly to internal staff requests, assisting staff with technology issues and providing business support to the broader Ministry team across a range of funding portfolios and work programmes.

As this role is part of the regional Business Support team, it is necessary that you are a strong team player, have excellent organisational and time management skills, and multi-task with superb accuracy and attention to detail. You must also be flexible with a desire to learn.

This permanent, full-time role is based at our Whakatāne Office in one of New Zealand's sunniest locations, offering a fantastic lifestyle and work-life balance opportunity. Whakatāne is the cultural hub of the Whakatāne District which has many local attractions that showcase the rich heritage and history of the area.

Salary range: $61,879 - $73,999 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

This position could interest you if you enjoy working with people, take pride in going that extra mile and thrive on working in a busy, collaborative team within a corporate office environment.

To be successful in this role, you will need to have the following capabilities and competencies:

• superb customer service skills with a positive, can-do attitude
• a professional telephone manner
• sound computer literacy and knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite, with a particular emphasis on Excel, Word and Outlook and working with spreadsheets and databases
• tech-savvy and the ability to learn new technology and systems fast
• the ability to troubleshoot basic information and communications technology (ICT) and mobile device queries
• strong organisation skills with impeccable time management and the ability to multi-task and meet deadlines
• the ability to work unsupervised while maintaining a high degree of accuracy
• previous administration experience is preferred
• experience with accounts payable and purchasing/procurement processes and systems would be advantageous
• the ability to work well as part of a team and under pressure
• flexibility and a desire to learn
• excellent written, oral and interpersonal communication skills
• a full, current driver licence is essential
• The ability and willingness to adhere to the Public Service Standards of Integrity and Conduct.

If you think that you can make a strong contribution to the success of this organisation, and you can demonstrate the required skills and attitude to work as part of our busy team, we encourage you to apply.

About our group and team | Mātau rōpū ake

Te Mahau | Education Services

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.

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 Pennie.Muldoon@education.govt.nz

Applications close Midnight – Monday, 09 November 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.