Principal Adviser, Strategy

A great place to work. With great work to do.

Ours is a meaningful and impactful role, as a kaitiaki (caretaker) of the financial services sector in Aotearoa. We oversee a market that does right by everyone, ensuring better outcomes for all New Zealanders. Our role as a kaitiaki is brought to life through our values: Look to the Horizon, Help the Team Work, Make the Calls and Open Hearts, Open Minds.

Te Tūranga | The Role

We are offering a parental leave cover position - either as a fixed-term or secondment opportunity through to June 2027.

This is a unique opportunity to help shape the strategic direction and accountability framework of New Zealand's financial conduct regulator.

Reporting to the Head of Strategy and Planning, the Principal Adviser plays a lead role in developing the FMA's key strategic planning, performance, and accountability documents. Working across the organisation and engaging with senior leaders and governance stakeholders, you'll help ensure alignment between our long-term strategy, annual priorities, performance framework, and external reporting obligations.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the development of the FMA's Statement of Intent 2027–2031, including strategic objectives and performance measures.
• Supporting alignment between the Statement of Intent and Statement of Performance Expectations.
• Leading the development of the FMA's Operational Priorities and ensuring alignment with Regulatory Priorities.
• Leading the development of the non-financial content of the FMA Annual Report.
• Providing strategic advice, coordination, and high-quality drafting support across key planning and accountability initiatives.
• Contributing to horizon scanning, organisational performance reporting, and strategic thinking that informs the FMA's future direction.

This role offers significant exposure across the organisation and the opportunity to influence how the FMA delivers on its vision of fostering the fairest financial sector in the world.

He kōrero mōu | About you

You're an experienced strategy, planning, policy, or performance professional who enjoys bringing clarity to complex issues and translating strategy into practical action.

You'll bring:

• Experience leading the development of enterprise strategy, accountability, and performance reporting documents, such as Statements of Intent, Statements of Performance Expectations, Annual Reports, and Board papers.
• Strong understanding of organisational strategy, performance frameworks, and public sector accountability requirements.
• Exceptional written communication skills and the ability to synthesise complex information into clear, compelling narratives for senior leaders, Boards, and external stakeholders.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, with the ability to build credibility, facilitate alignment, and navigate complex organisational environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-organisational initiatives and delivering high-quality outcomes to challenging timeframes.
• Excellent analytical thinking, judgement, and problem-solving capability.
• A relevant tertiary qualification in public policy, business, strategy, economics, commerce, law, public administration, or a related discipline.
• Experience working within the public sector or a regulatory environment would be advantageous.

Ngā painga | What we offer

We offer a comprehensive range of benefits, including 4% KiwiSaver employer contribution and the ability to swap public holidays for days that hold personal significance.

At the FMA, we're committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. We also offer a range of wellbeing, social, and professional development opportunities that help our people thrive and connect.

Me pēhea te tuku tono | How to apply

If you're motivated by the opportunity to influence the strategic direction, priorities, and accountability of a nationally significant regulator, we'd love to hear from you.

Please review the position description attached and apply today.

Applications close Sunday 20 September 2026.

If you require any additional support through the application process, please let us know so we can help make this as easy as possible.