Principal Advisor – National Strategy Engagement

Department Of Internal Affairs

Job Location:

Wellington - New Zealand

Monthly Salary: Not Disclosed

Posted on: 30+ days ago

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Description

Department of Internal Affairs Location: Wellington
Fixed-term 18 months: 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2027
Salary:$129271 - $160871

A key part of New Zealands approach to tackling organised crime is making it harder for criminals or terrorist groups to move money through legitimate businesses. Thats the purpose of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regulatory scheme which requires businesses to know their customers understand and manage risk and report suspicious activity to Police.

The Department of Internal Affairs currently shares regulatory oversight with the Reserve Bank and the Financial Markets Authority. From 1 July 2026 DIA will take on full responsibility as the sole AML/CFT regulator.

Were investing in our capability across the board to set ourselves up as a highly effective regulator - its an exciting time to be part of work thats dynamic impactful and making a real difference.

About the Role

As Principal Advisor National Strategy Engagement you will play a pivotal role in advancing the vision for a world-class Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) system. This position is central to ensuring that engagement across agencies and stakeholders supports the Strategys goals. You will lead efforts to communicate and embed reforms that target resources where they are most needed. By fostering collaboration and driving strategic engagement you will help protect communities from the harm caused by serious crime.

Youll be responsible for:

Designing and delivering a tailored engagement strategy aligned with the National Strategy.

Building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholder groups.

Leading the development of clear targeted messaging to explain whats changing why it matters and what stakeholders need to do.

Coordinating a range of engagement activities including webinars in-person meetings newsletters and website updates.

Producing high-quality communication materials such as FAQs timelines and guidance documents.

Establishing feedback channels to monitor stakeholder sentiment and respond to concerns.

Supporting post engagement to assess effectiveness and refine ongoing support.

What Were Looking For

Were seeking someone who:

Has proven experience in strategic stakeholder engagement ideally in a regulatory context.

Is a confident communicator with the ability to translate complex regulatory change into clear actionable messaging.

Thrives in a fast-paced dynamic environment and can lead cross-functional collaboration.

Is proactive empathetic and committed to building trust and credibility with diverse audiences.

Why Join Us

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a nationally significant reform that will shape the future of AML/CFT regulation in New Zealand. Youll be joining a team thats passionate about making a real differencebuilding a safer more transparent financial system and supporting businesses to meet their obligations with confidence.

Were investing in our capability across the board to set ourselves up as a highly effective regulator. Its a dynamic impactful time to be part of this work.

Apply now to help lead the conversation and build confidence in one of New Zealands most important regulatory reforms.

Applications close:5pm Friday 28 November 2025.
For more information please contact:
Job description:To review the full job description pleaseclick you are unable to follow the link please review the full job description on our careers website.

Required Experience:

Staff IC

DescriptionDepartment of Internal Affairs Location: Wellington Fixed-term 18 months: 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2027 Salary:$129271 - $160871A key part of New Zealands approach to tackling organised crime is making it harder for criminals or terrorist groups to move money through legitimate businesse...