When you join the Public Service, you’ll become part of a community where every role is crucial. You’ll work together with local communities and colleagues to tackle complex issues that make a real difference for all people in New Zealand.
Clockwise, from top left: High Commissioner Georgina Roberts connects with an indigenous women’s community organisation in the Solomon Islands, Department of Internal Affairs contact centre, Ministry for the Environment staff visit and talk to farmers about Essential Freshwater, Ministry for Primary Industries - An Honourary Fishery Officer (HFO) inspects a set net.
Mō te kimi aramahi Ratonga TūmatanuiIf you are seeking a Public Service career
Te Ratonga Tūmatanui | the Public Service has a variety of roles right across Aotearoa New Zealand where you can fulfil your career aspirations and meaningfully express your Spirit of Service to the community. We are focused, committed and passionate about making a difference. We are unified by a common purpose and guided by core principles and values.
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Learn about employment relations
Find out about the government's employment relations expectations for the public sector.
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Understand your right to be paid fairly
Read about your right to be paid fairly for the work you do, and Kia Toipoto — the Public Service Pay Gaps Action Plan, which is a set of actions to help close gender, Māori, Pacific and ethnic pay gaps in the Public Service.
Te whai aramahi i roto i Ratonga Tūmatanui o AotearoaWhat it means to have a career in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Public Service
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1. Working together for a common purpose
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2. We’re uniquely Aotearoa New Zealand
The role of the Public Service includes supporting the Crown in its relationships with Māori under Te Tiriti o Waitangi | The Treaty of Waitangi. We’re committed to a Public Service that is highly responsive to Māori issues and proactively, confidently and competently engages with Māori. We develop the knowledge and skills necessary to deliver results for Māori, partnering with Māori to incorporate mātauranga perspectives into our work as a matter of course. You will be part of the Public Service where everyone has an important contribution to make to improve our capability, support the Treaty relationship and, ultimately, ensure our policies and services are effective for Māori, whānau, hapū, iwi and for all of Aotearoa.
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3. Diverse and inclusive
We welcome and celebrate the richness diversity brings to our workplaces and mahi. Our strength lies in people like you as a representative of the diverse communities and citizens we serve. You are key to our success. We include different experiences, capabilities and knowledge to inform decision-making at all levels to help us tackle issues that impact you, your whānau, family, community and nation. Your ideas will be welcomed as together we meet the changing needs of Aotearoa and its people.
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4. Your future, your way
Working in the Public Service will give you opportunities, challenges and the ability to develop an exciting career. We are a unified Public Service which means you will collaborate and be supported to learn alongside others to strengthen the whole public service and work in an agile way to respond to shared challenges.
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5. Modern and flexible work arrangements
We need a flexible workforce to deliver better outcomes for Aotearoa. You will have use of modern and accessible digital technology that supports the flexibility you need. Our flexible-by-default working arrangements and agile ways of working means that you will belong to a team that can work across different locations and different timetables.
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6. Part of a proud Public Service
New Zealanders have high satisfaction with public services and continually trust in our public sector. We work hard every day to maintain the trust and confidence of the Public Service by acting with integrity and upholding the core principles and values in our work and how we behave. We’re a highly valued Public Service that works to make the greatest positive difference for New Zealanders.
Ngā kaupapa tauiraInternships
Internships are available across our Public Service, with a range of different areas of focus, intake timeframes and application processes. Internships can provide successful applicants with:
- exposure to a range of options to inform future choices about your employment or specialisation within our Public Service
- some great work experience across sectors, professions, and agencies all dedicated to improving outcomes for New Zealanders
- exposure to a range of diverse role models.
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If you identify with Māori and Pasifika
Tupu Tai — Pasifika Public Sector Summer Internship Programme is coordinated by MBIE to provide opportunities for Pacific students to work in public policy across our Public Service
Manatū Aorere and Vaka Foreign Policy — New Zealand Foreign Affairs and Trade offers internships for Māori and Pasifika as a transition to career in foreign policy and diplomacy.
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If you want experience within a specific agency
Hīkina Whakatutuki — Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Te Papa Atawhai — Department of Conservation to hone your analytical skills, creativity, and initiative
Te Tai Ōhanga — The Treasury to hone your research and analytical skills
Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga — Ministry of Education provide that first step into a professional environment within a range of areas. You will be working on real projects with experienced colleagues.
Te Tari Taiwhenua — Department of Internal Affairs to hone your research and analytical skills.
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If you want to develop your professional capabilities
Legal Profession — Government Legal Network for Public Service legal internships (the Government Legal Network is hosted by the Crown Law Office)
Summer Internship Programme — Government Health and Safety Lead for Public Service health and safety internships (hosted by the Ministry for Primary Industries)
Analytics and Research in Government for students with a strong interest in government research and evaluation with a passion for data and analytics
Careers — Department of Conservation for those looking to develop a mixture of practical and theoretical skills in conservation from a Māori worldview
Ngā kaupapa tāuraGraduate programmes
If you have a tertiary qualification, we offer a variety of programmes to help kick-start your career in our Public Service. Here are some links to agency programmes that may provide:
- early in career exposure to a range of professions, functions, and areas within an agency like HR (Human Resources), Policy, Finance, Commerce, and so on.
- access to staff networks and senior officials
- formal training as well as on-the-job learning opportunities designed to challenge and stretch you
- a supportive development programme to provide you with feedback and guidance to help you progress
- a competitive salary
- promotional opportunities.
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Finance
Te Tari Taiwhenua — Department of Internal Affairs for graduates seeking finance careers (Public Sector Finance Graduate Programme).
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IT
Kaupapa Paetahi Matihiko Pūmanawa — GovtTechTalent Graduate programme for graduates wanting to work in the digital space.
Beyond ordinary careers — Government Communications Security Bureau Te Tira Tiaki is a great transition career pathway for engineering (software systems, network), computer science, telecommunications, network analysis and/or cybersecurity.
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Legal
Te Tari Ture o te Karauna — Crown Law Office for law graduate opportunities through the Government Legal Network.
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Policy
Hikina Whakakatutuki — Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment for a career in policy.
Manatū Aorere — New Zealand Foreign Affairs and Trade offers internships for Māori and Pasifika as a transition to career in foreign policy and diplomacy.
Te Tai Ōhanga — The Treasury for graduate analysts, within 3 streams:
- capital and commercial
- macroeconomist
- Policy, Performance and Advisory (summer and winter cohorts).
Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga — Ministry of Education has an extensive policy community with teams, covering areas of education from Pacific education, early childhood, Māori education, tertiary, learning support, infrastructure and international, to name just a few.
Ethnic Communities Graduate Programme — Ministry for Ethnic Communities provides a meaningful first employment opportunity in the public sector for skilled graduates from ethnic communities.
Tahū o te Ture — Ministry of Justice an ideal first step into your career in the Public Service.
Find out more about the policy profession and see the development pathway for the policy profession in the Public Service.
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Primary industries
Manatū Ahu Matua — Ministry for Primary Industries offers a graduate programme for work in areas such as biosecurity, forestry, fisheries, food, response, regulation, policy. MPI also runs a programme targeted at those who have connections with Māori and Pacific communities.
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Procurement
Graduate Programme — New Zealand Government Procurement for graduates from any discipline seeking a career in procurement. This is a public sector wide programme with rotations across a range of partner agencies.
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Graduate jobs
Find a job in our Public Service at any tier, profession or location making a meaningful difference for New Zealanders.
Ngā mematanga rōpū ngaioProfessional memberships
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Institute of Public Administration New Zealand (IPANZ)
If you are new to our Public Service an IPANZ New Professionals membership might be for you. Most government agencies are corporate IPANZ members, or you can also become an individual member. Members can access:
- professional development and social events in Wellington and Auckland
- networking opportunities across the public sector and related agencies
- career development including mentoring.
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Leadership Development Centre
The Leadership Development Centre supports Public Service leaders to grow and build their careers.
Te Kaihautū | New People Leader Development — Leadership Development Centre
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Māori emerging leaders development programme
The Māori Emerging Leaders Programme is a development programme for rangatahi Māori across the Public Service who are wanting to grow and develop their capacity and capabilities to lead and serve. We are seeking nominations for rangatahi and mentors (chief executive and deputy chief executive level) for this programme.
Rangatahi Maori Emerging Leaders Programme Mentors Guide
Rangatahi Maori Emerging Leaders Programme Information Sheet
Contact us at rangatahidevelopment@publicservice.govt.nz if you have any questions.
Find more information about Public Service leadership.
He pāronga mō te kaimahi pūmanawa tangata Information for HR practitioners
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Hiring people with disabilities
If you are considering hiring people with disabilities for internships, this guide provides advice about recruitment, interviewing and induction that will help you ensure that becoming a summer intern is accessible for everyone.
Summer Internships — Ministry of Social Development
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Using the Leadership Success Profile
The Leadership Success Profile establishes ‘what good looks like’ for leadership at all levels. Use the LSP when you’re recruiting to find people with leadership potential and the critical capabilities that will make a positive difference to performance.
Contact us for this information: leadershipandtalent@publicservice.govt.nz
Employee-led Networks
Employee-led networks are voluntary groups of like-minded people from public sector agencies around New Zealand that come together with common interests. They help you connect, share ideas, and provide support to help you reach your potential.