Senior Project Manager | MSD - services for the future | Wellington

• Permanent role

• Based at National Office in Wellington

About the role | Mō te tūnga

Make a bigger and better difference for New Zealanders. Help shape the future of social services.

At MSD, we are embarking on a bold transformation to deliver improved outcomes for all New Zealanders. MSD – services for future, sets the direction for how we work differently, partner more effectively, and ensure our services are accessible, integrated and people-centred across employment, housing and income support.

We’re looking for a Senior Project Manager to join the MSD – services for the future, Transformation Programme Office – a team at the heart of this exciting, multi-year change journey.

As Senior Project Manager, you’ll play a pivotal role in coordinating delivery across critical projects and workstreams of a complex transformation programme. You’ll work with our Delivery Partners, other Project Managers, and Delivery Leads to align plans, manage dependencies, risks, and issues, and ensure delivery is cohesive, timely, and effective.

You’ll bring strategic thinking, practical project delivery experience, and a collaborative leadership style to guide both people and processes.

You’ll be comfortable navigating complexity in a mixed-methodology Programme, thrive in a fast-paced, adaptive environment, and be confident operating in, and bringing clarity to, ambiguity. From senior leaders to vendors, you’ll work with a wide range of stakeholders to manage risk, resolve conflicts, and maintain delivery confidence at all stages.

Key responsibilities

• Develop clear Project Plans, ensuring sequencing and dependencies are carefully considered.

• Resolve delivery conflicts and ensure alignment with overall programme goals.

• Provide expert project management leadership to support on-time, in-scope delivery.

• Engage strategically with stakeholders to support informed decision-making.

• Provide expert advice and support leaders in developing and managing delivery plans.

• Identify and mitigate risks and interdependencies across the programme.

• Develop and implement project methodologies and standards.

What you'll bring

• Significant experience in senior project management, ideally within the public sector.

• Expertise across agile, waterfall and hybrid project methodologies.

• Experience with start-up and design phases of business projects including policy, business architecture, blueprinting and service design.

• Comfortable dealing with ambiguity and can work out delivery approaches that turn concepts into discrete pieces of work.

• You will be adept at collaborative scoping, planning and delivery Flexibility and resilience to adjust to multiple demands, shifting priorities, and rapid change with business needs

• A strong delivery focus to lead and manage multi-disciplinary and cross-functional teams to deliver high quality outcomes in a complex and fast-pace programme of work

• Drives adoption of new ways of working within the programme and the business.

• Ability to develop an analytical approach for resolving problems.

• A business analyst background may be advantageous.

• MSP, PRINCE2, PMI and/or Agile qualification (or equivalent) and experience using Jira.

Why join us?

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a generational change programme that will leave a lasting legacy for the communities we serve. You’ll be part of a dynamic and supportive team, working with purpose, challenge, and the opportunity to influence real change.

Position Description | He Whakaahuatanga Tūnga

Senior Project Manager, position description

Salary | Utu-ā-tau: $142,874.00 - $177,798.00

Applications close | Ka kati ngā tono hei te: 19 August 2026

About us | Mō mātou

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is a people-centred organisation. We’re in communities across the motu, working with partners to help New Zealanders be safe, strong and independent.

We provide social policy advice to government, and assistance including income, employment and housing support to people of all ages, families, whānau and communities.

As a Te Tiriti o Waitangi partner, we are committed to supporting and enabling Māori, whānau, hapū, Iwi and communities to realise their own potential and aspirations.

Our people are as diverse as the communities we serve. We care about the wellbeing and success of our people and provide a supportive and inclusive working environment where people can thrive and be who they are.

How to apply | Me pēhea te tuku tono

Before you submit your application, please take a moment to review our guidance to understand how AI can best support your application. Candidate Guidance - Responsible AI use in recruitment

To apply, click the 'Apply Now' button to upload your CV, cover letter and complete the online application form.

Note: Your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process. Please highlight how your skills and experience relate to the key responsibilities listed in the position description and job advertisement.

All applications must be made online. If this is not possible or if you have any queries, please contact us at jobs@msd.govt.nz

Internal MSD Employees – please apply through your myHR portal at work. This will ensure that your myHR employee profile is visible as internal candidate.

Joining us | Ko te hono mai

Joining MSD means being part of a whānau that celebrates the diversity each individual represents.

We show manaaki, we care about the wellbeing and success of people and want everyone to thrive and be who they are in a supportive and inclusive working environment. We work together to make a difference for communities while doing the right thing with integrity. You can find out more about our values here.

If you have any support or accessibility requirements, we encourage you to tell us when you apply so we can assist you through the recruitment process.