Position description
Position
Chief Executive and Secretary for the Environment
Department
Ministry for the Environment
Context
The Ministry for the Environment’s (the Ministry’s) purpose is to provide
“environmental stewardship for a prosperous New Zealand”. It is the Government’s
primary advisor on the institutions, laws, regulations and policies that set the
framework for environmental management in New Zealand.
The Ministry is increasingly expected to have an overview of the environmental
management system, including through administering the Resource Management
Act which is implemented by local government and the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). The Ministry’s broad spectrum of challenging work includes major
fresh water and resource management (RM) reforms, climate change policy,
building the environmental reporting framework, improving the management of the
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and waste management.
Since 2009 the Ministry has been instrumental in the drive for collaborative and
integrated policy advice on water reform, including through the Land and Water
Forum and multi agency ‘Water Room’. It has led the development of a Natural
Resources Sector (NRS) analytical framework. The challenge continues to be
integrating economic and environmental policy issues, which are increasingly
intersecting in the environmental management system. Part of this challenge is to
maintain relationships and foster constructive debate across a diverse set of
stakeholders with interests in environmental management, including the NRS,
Local Government, business communities and iwi.
To continue the next ‘step change’ required for New Zealand’s environmental
management, the Ministry will need to continue building on improvements, and
continue the momentum.
As noted in the Ministry’s recent Performance
Improvement Framework (PIF) Follow-up Review, continued focus is needed on
deepening environmental management strategy though building a set of more
defined outcomes. The Ministry also needs to continue building engagement and
strategic dialogue with stakeholders, and continue building capability for integrated
policy advice.
Key external relationships
Government and Parliament:

Minister for the Environment (responsible Minister)

Minister (and Associate Minister) for Climate Change Issues

Other Natural Resource Sector Ministers.
Sector:
The Ministry works very closely with many agencies in pursuing the
Government’s priority outcomes, especially the NRS grouping of government
agencies responsible for the management and stewardship of New Zealand’s
natural resources. The NRS comprises of chief executives of seven agencies
and is led by the Ministry’s Chief Executive. This group acts as a sector
leadership team for delivering the Government’s natural resources work
programme in Central Government. As well as the Ministry, the group includes:

the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)

the Department of Conservation (DOC)

Land Information New Zealand (LINZ)

Te Puni Kōkiri (TPK)

the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE)

the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA).
The Ministry works with Local Government, including

11 regional councils that coordinate and set policy for natural resource
management, including water quality and allocation, air quality, soil
conservation, flood control, drainage and pest management (and transport)

62 district and city councils (territorial authorities) that manage land use and
subdivision and Building Act controls, and tend to own and operate assets
for drinking, storm, and waste water, and community facilities such as parks
and reserves (and roading other than state highways)

5 unitary authorities that combine the functions of regional and district
councils (including Auckland Council).
Communities, Iwi and the public:
The Ministry works with a wide range of private and non-governmental
organisations (NGOs), including:

primary sector and industry and groups, such as Business New Zealand

organisations representing the interests of Māori/iwi

environmental groups such as Forest and Bird and Fish and Game.
Performance profile
Accountabilities
The Chief Executive/Secretary for the Environment is accountable to the Minister
for the Environment. The general responsibilities of the Chief Executive are set out
in section 32 of the State Sector Act 1988 and sections 34-35 of the Public Finance
Act 1989. The functions of the Ministry for the Environment are set out in the
Environment Act 1986.
The Ministry seeks to provide environmental stewardship for a prosperous New
Zealand through:

advice to the Ministers for the Environment and Climate Change Issues
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
support of the Minister for the Environment in their responsibilities for the
governance and performance of the EPA

environmental management systems, including laws, regulations and national
environmental standards

national directions through national policy statements and strategies

guidance and training on best practice

information about the health of the environment.
The Secretary for the Environment is the administrative head of the Ministry, and is
charged with advising and assisting the Minister in the performance of the
Minister's functions.
Other specific responsibilities of the Chief Executive/Secretary are set out in the
Climate Change Response Act 2002, Waste Minimisation Act 2008, and Exclusive
Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act 2012.
The Ministry has 320 staff, organised in four business units, reporting to the Chief
Executive and Secretary for the Environment.
For the 2014/15 financial year the Ministry’s operating appropriation is
approximately $54 million. The total Vote Environment appropriation is
approximately $313 million.
Further information on the Ministry for the Environment is available at:
http://www.mfe.govt.nz/
Medium-term priorities
Security Clearance

Freshwater reform: implement quality reforms e.g. National Policy Statement
on Freshwater Management; and progress quantity reforms for efficient use
and allocation e.g. rights and interests.

Climate change: set a post-2020 international emissions target; review the
current Emission Trading Scheme settings; and assess options and
implications of potential international emissions targets.

Hazardous Substances and New Organisms: review to encourage innovation,
especially in the primary sector.

Resource management reform: implement planning and consenting reforms;
and consider improving the wider resource management and planning system
to improve overall integration and effectiveness.

EPA: progress review of the effectiveness of functional implementation.

Environmental reporting: implement the new legislation; and gather, synthesis,
and publish environmental domain data to inform policy debate and decisions.

PIF Action Plan: building a set of more defined and measurable environmental
domain outcomes; building engagement and strategic dialogue with
stakeholders; and building capability for integrated policy advice.

Core Government priorities: delivering Better Public Services; responsibly
managing Government’s finances; supporting the Christchurch recovery; and
building a more competitive and productive economy.
Appointment will be subject to a New Zealand Government Secret security
clearance.
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Person profile
Leadership within the
Public Service
The Chief Executive will be required to provide leadership to lift the productivity of
the public service. Excellent leadership by State Sector chief executives is
essential to high performing departments and a high performing public service.
Chief executives are required to collaborate within their sector and across the
system towards the overall goal of a system of world class, professional State
Services, serving the government of the day and meeting the needs of all
New Zealanders. Chief executives are responsible for stewardship of their
organisation, including information and privacy stewardship, legislation
administered, assets and liabilities of the Crown and increased coordination
across the system. The Secretary for the Environment will have a stewardship
role as part of the chief executive cohort in supporting system reform.
Person profile
The ideal candidate will have the following proven skills and experience:

abilities to integrate economic and environmental perspectives and to sponsor
creative approaches to policy development

experience in environmental or natural resource management, science and/or
economics

capacity to work with multiple Ministers and their differing portfolio
perspectives

strong engagement skills with a diverse range of stakeholders, and ability to
manage constructive debate amongst multiple and often competing interests

a focus on ensuring policy frameworks take into account the practical
implications of regulation for stakeholders

a track record of success in building an agency (or in a role of similar size to a
chief executive’s) within a sector for collective impact (e.g., across the NRS)

ability to drive strategy and performance in a devolved system, including
working with local government and NGOs

good understanding of New Zealand culture and history, particularly the
cultures of Māori/iwi, and of the Treaty of Waitangi.
In terms of personal qualities, the Secretary for the Environment will need:

complete personal and professional integrity

courage and resilience

excellent problem-solving abilities

ability to collaborate with others and build strategic partnerships

ability to design and develop people capacity and capability.
Position specific
competencies
The descriptors below summarise the aspects of a successful leader the Chief
Executive and Secretary, Ministry for the Environment, will need to demonstrate,
based on the Ministry’s current situation. The full Leadership Success Profile
setting out the behavioural competencies expected from chief executives is
located at http://www.ssc.govt.nz/senior-leader-development
Deliver results through
vision
Set a coherent and achievable strategy, aligned with system and sector priorities,
with challenging objectives and success measures.
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Develop and generate common ownership of the strategy with sector Ministers,
sector and agency leadership and delivery partners.
Deliver results with
people
Ensure the workforce has the capacity and diversity to deliver on its vision and
strategy, proactively recognise and remedy any diversity and capability gaps or
shortfalls.
Identify, nurture and mobilise leadership and management talent in individuals,
planning effectively for succession in key posts and sharing talent across the
system.
Deliver results through
execution
Manage performance and efficiency.
Utilise high quality, timely and well-understood performance information to track
and manage performance and risk.
Sustain ongoing continuous improvement and reform of the current system.
Deliver results through
self
Demonstrate political ‘nous’ and navigate complex political situations effectively,
stepping up in the face of political tensions and public scrutiny.
Remain calm and objective in the face of conflict and criticism.
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