If you thought for-purpose only meant working for NGOs or B-corps, think again! Let me introduce you to the first blog on government jobs in a series that dives into the different kinds of for-purpose roles available in Aotearoa. Could a government job be your next career move?

What are Government Jobs:

The ‘government’ in Aotearoa is made up of a diverse range of organisations. Some of the most prominent include Departments and Ministries, Departmental Agencies and Crown Entities - central government, regional councils and local councils too. This website shows you the whole public sector in a nutshell and yes - it’s huge! 

Government jobs- the stats

• 18.9% of New Zealand’s workforce work in the public sector and that amounts to 436,700 people! The majority (88%) work in central government

• Over the last five years, the overall public sector workforce increased by 13.7%

• The Department of Corrections is the largest Public Service department (with 9,915 FTEs), closely followed by MSD (9,172). The new Health NZ entity (Te Whetu Ora) is set to eclipse these two as it gets cranking

• New Zealand Public Service is among the most trusted in the world. This year it was ranked first equal, along with Denmark and Finland

• 81 percent of New Zealanders trust public services based on their personal experience

• Most public servants (78%) have a high degree of trust in their colleagues to do what’s right – and that 84% of participants were motivated to stay working in the Public Service because their work contributes positively to society

What kind of jobs are available?

There are a multitude of for-purpose careers to choose from across the public sector, and not all of them require you to live in Wellington. Remote working and opportunities outside the capital are becoming more of a norm. Some common government roles include;

• Policy Advisors and Analysts

• Research and Data Insight jobs

• Community Development Advisors

• Project Coordinators and Project Managers

• Specialists (in a niche area such as procurement or climate change)

• Front line roles like social workers, tenancy managers and case officers

• Strategic Communications, Marketing and technical writing

Those not familiar with public sector lingo may find it difficult to gauge what level of roles they should be applying for. One common area of confusion is the difference between an Advisor, Senior Advisor and Principal Advisor role. 

• Advisors can be anything from fresh grads with specialist knowledge, to mid-career professionals moving up from a coordinator role. 

• Senior Advisors tend to have a minimum of five years of experience in a role and work as part of/lead a team of analysts and advisors. 

• Principal advisors also have multiple years of experience in a field and probably the sector more widely. They report directly to the head of the Ministry involved and provide a higher level of strategic advice, leadership and technical expertise.

How do these Government jobs do good?

From the Ministry for the Environment to the Human Rights Commission to Tatauranga Aotearoa Stats NZ; the Government is the largest employer in the country. 

Health NZ is set to employ 80,000 people alone under its new structure and the new Ministry for Disabled People launched just this month. 

Government jobs can be an exciting opportunity to make a difference to your community and country. After all, policies made and implemented in government affect all of us; and our flora and fauna. From the Covid-19 health response to climate change legislation, there are meaningful kaupapa to be involved with at all levels.

Government employees also have the option of joining the PSA. As a member of the union, you will have access to a tool called MyPay. MyPay can be used to search and compare salary information across professions. Built with the goodwill of PSA members who shared their salary information, MyPay advocates for fairer, more transparent pay systems for all.

Have I got the skills?

For-Purpose careers equip you with many skills that are highly respected by government employers. From relationship management, to grant writing to community work - there are transferable skills in spades. We recommend looking at some government job ads and reflecting on how you can apply your skills.

What salary can I expect?

One thing we love about government jobs is that many of them have salary transparency including Tatauranga Aotearoa Stats NZ, Ministry of Education and Manatū Wāhine Ministry for Women. This will make it easy for you to understand and bench your salary expectations. Pay rates in government do vary across the sector and aren’t always consistent. Careers NZ’s job guide can be a good place to access ballpark salaries or a phone call with a recruitment agency that specialises in government will give you an up-to-date lay of the land.

What kind of Government jobs does Do Good Jobs advertise?

Do Good Jobs is the go-to place to look for roles in the government that has been carefully selected to ‘do-good’ and fit with the values and expectations of our community. The government jobs listed on Do Good Jobs come from all sorts of areas and organisations. Here’s a snippet of some of our recent roles:

• Senior Engagement Specialist – Mokopuna voices: Office of the Children’s Commissioner

• Senior Advisor Climate Change: Greater Wellington Regional Council

• Senior Māori Advisor – Climate Innovation: Tātaki Auckland Unlimited

• Matanga Kohi Raraunga | Data Collection Specialist:Tatauranga Aotearoa Stats NZ

• Community Development Advisor – Welcoming Communities: Upper Hutt City Council

• Senior Solicitor: Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority

• Pou Tiaki Whakapā – Green Party Aotearoa

• GM Māori - Kaiwhakahaere Matua Māori: He Pou a Rangi – The Climate Change Commission

• Campaign and Communications Adviser: Human Rights Commission

For our current roles see dogoodjobs.co.nz/government-jobs.