Commercial Manager (3-year fixed term)

Commercial Manager (3-year fixed term)

• Hold primary commercial responsibility within AMD’s project portfolio, ensuring robust financial and contractual oversight.
• Play a key role in internal governance by contributing to project steering and decision-making groups.
• Drive commercial excellence across complex initiatives, supporting successful project delivery in dynamic international contexts.

Lead commercial contract management for high-value projects across the Pacific, safeguarding MFAT’s strategic interests.

About the role - Kōrero mō te tūranga

Provide leadership for the Asset Management Division as a whole, to ensure excellent contract management practice across 

the Division. This is a 3-year fixed term opportunity.

• Work collaboratively across the AMD to build and maintain high levels of commercial awareness and application.
• Lead your portfolio in developing, communicating, and implementing commercial strategies and approaches for AMD.
• Maintain and influence a clear map of relationships with all key decision makers across your portfolio.
• Understand and apply the strategic context in which the Ministry operates, including priorities and perspectives of partner agencies and external stakeholders.
• Implement measures to ensure compliance and probity by the Ministry’s staff and contractors within the agreed Commercial Framework.

For more detail you can view the position description here.

The full salary range for this role is $124,674 and $168,676 total remuneration, inclusive of our 3% KiwiSaver employer contribution.

 Who are we looking for? - Mā‎ wai te mahi nei?

We’d like to hear from you if you are an experienced senior level with the following skills and experience:

• A relevant tertiary or professional qualification in a legal or commercial management discipline and a project management qualification would be an advantage. 
• Commercial leadership skills
• Experience in developing and implementing commercial strategies and plans for high value, complex international capital projects, including procurement, contracting and capital structuring.
• Experience of construction contracting and administration including the use of NZS3910, NZS3916 and FIDIC
• Excellent business acumen, planning and budgeting skills; and effective resource management.
• Understanding of The Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti, Te Reo Māori and Māori customs and protocols would be beneficial.      

Why MFAT? - Ngā hua o te mahi i te Manatū Aorere

We are committed to a focus on leadership, talent, training and development, and flexible work options consistent with guidance from the Public Service Commission.  Check out our benefits page to find out more about why we love working here.

MFAT is Rainbow Tick accredited. We value diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive culture where everyone feels supported, valued, and a sense of belonging.  We welcome applications from people from a diverse range of backgrounds. 

About us - Mō mātou

Our people represent New Zealand on and offshore, and in doing so make New Zealanders safer and more prosperous.  By building connections with and influencing other countries and international institutions, we advance New Zealand’s interests and pursue New Zealand's values.  We provide advice to the Government on the implications for New Zealand of what is happening in the world. 

To Apply/Interested? - Me pēhea te tuku tono

Apply today with your CV and cover letter.

Please email any queries to recruitment@mfat.govt.nz

To be considered for this position at Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade you must be a NZ citizen, or Permanent Resident. 

You must be able to obtain and maintain a Confidential security clearance. Ordinarily, to obtain this level of clearance candidates must have sufficient checkable background in countries where meaningful and reliable checks can be undertaken. Where requisite checks are unable to be made, the candidate application may not be able to be progressed.

Use this online tool to self-check your eligibility for a Confidential clearance. Please note that this tool is not part of the formal security clearance process: http://www.protectivesecurity.govt.nz/eligibility-tool

Please Let us know if you need any support or have any access requirements that will help you through the recruitment process.

Applications close at 6pm on Wednesday 23rd July 2025.

Please note: This is not a Foreign Policy/diplomatic role.  This is a ‘Corporate’ role (known here as a specialist role) based in central Wellington, NZ.  

While it is not usual for specialist staff to be ‘posted’ outside of NZ, from time to time a specialist role overseas becomes available at one of our embassies, high commissions, missions or consulates. To be considered for one of these positions you would need to apply and be considered via a competitive recruitment process.

If you do have an interest in an MFAT foreign policy/diplomatic career, you would be welcome to apply for this either via our graduate recruitment or mid-level foreign policy recruitment campaigns.