Senior Policy Analyst

This position sits at the heart of a significant government-led reform programme, where you will deliver high-quality, evidence-based policy advice while maintaining critical business-as-usual outputs. Acting as a trusted senior advisor, you will influence decision-making at a national level and help shape the future direction of health research investment.

Working within a small, high-performing team, this role offers strong visibility, genuine impact, and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully during a period of system transformation.

Key responsibilities

You will operate as a senior, trusted advisor - balancing strategic insight with rapid, pragmatic delivery:

• Provide high-quality, evidence-based policy advice to support reform initiatives and ongoing organisational priorities
• Respond to complex and time-sensitive requests for data, insights, and analysis from senior stakeholders
• Translate ambiguous or incomplete data into clear, actionable outputs for decision-makers
• Engage with key external stakeholders including government agencies, advisory groups, and funding bodies
• Represent the organisation in cross-sector discussions, contributing informed perspectives on health research policy
• Support knowledge transfer across the organisation, ensuring insights are effectively shared and utilised
• Lead and support a small functional team, fostering collaboration and delivery under pressure
• Adapt quickly to shifting priorities, balancing longer-term strategic work with immediate deliverables

Key requirements

To be successful in this role, you will bring a strong mix of policy expertise, analytical capability, and stakeholder credibility:

• Significant experience in policy analysis, preferably within health, science, or the public sector
• Advanced research capability (PhD or equivalent highly regarded)
• Proven ability to deliver high-quality insights under tight timeframes in complex environments
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, with experience working across government and sector organisations
• Demonstrated ability to navigate politically sensitive contexts with sound judgement
• Experience leading or mentoring others within policy or analytical teams
• Highly adaptable, with the ability to shift between strategic thinking and practical delivery
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate complex information clearly

About the organisation

This organisation plays a critical role in supporting and enabling New Zealand’s health research sector. Known for its expertise, strong sector relationships, and collaborative culture, it operates with a high level of influence despite its size.

You will be joining a close-knit, capable team that values knowledge sharing, agility, and delivering real-world impact. The organisation offers flexible hybrid working once onboarding is complete, along with the opportunity to contribute to work of national significance.