National Judicial Resource Advisor | Wellington City

Job Description

National Judicial Resource Advisor, Chief District Court Judge's Chambers

Permanent Full Time

Te Haeata/The Opportunity

This is a rare opportunity to lead a nationally significant rostering function that underpins timely access to justice for the District Court of New Zealand. You will oversee the national judicial roster, under the direction of the Chief District Court Judge, for more than 200 District Court Judges and Judicial Officers. You will be responsible for the efficient planning and allocation of judicial resources so that cases across all jurisdictions of the District Court can be heard without delay.

The role works closely with the Chief District Court Judge providing strategic and operational advice that directly supports Chief Judge's statutory role of ensuring the orderly and efficient conduct of the business of the court. You will report to the Director, Chief District Court Judge's Chambers.

You will lead a high-performing team of Judicial Resource Managers and a Principal Advisor responsible for end-to-end rostering activities. Your focus will span day-to-day rostering and longer-term planning, including forecasting of judicial resources, reporting on workload trends and developing innovative tools, systems and processes that reduce the time it takes for cases to be heard and determined.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the strategic planning, delivery and continuous improvement of the national judicial roster
• Lead, coach and develop the Judicial Resourcing team
• Provide high quality advice and options to the Chief District Court Judge, balance competing demands and respond to change at pace
• Work in collaboration with the National Scheduler to ensure that rosters and schedules are created in accordancewith the directions of the Chief District Court Judge
• Use data, spreadsheets and rostering systems to analyse, model scenarios, and recommend optimised allocation of judicial time
• Build strong relationships across the judiciary, Ministry of Justice and sector partners to achieve successful outcomes
• Provide strategic and operational change leadership, thought leadership, direction and guidance to the team in support of the new digital caseflow management system for courts and tribunals.

Ō pūkenga/Skills and Experience

No candidate will meet every single desired qualification. If your experience looks a little different from what we have outlined and believe you can bring value to the role, we'd love to hear from you!

• Proven leadership experience in a complex and large organisation
• Proficient in the use of spreadsheets and systems (such as Excel) with an ability to analyse information, identify trends and make recommendations
• Experience in an environment where decisions and actions are governed by legislation, policy and procedure
• Experience in considering alternative perspectives from a capability of strategic and big picture thinking

What you need to be successful:

• A sound understanding of the structure, business and operation of the District Court in all its jurisdictions  
• Ability to pivot and respond to changing needs and competing priorities
• Proven critical thinking and strong decision-making skills
• Excellent relationship skills and confidence to engage with the judiciary
• Previous experience in workforce planning, rostering or scheduling is desirable

Mō mātou/About us

At Te Tāhū o te Ture - the Ministry of Justice, we're committed to strengthening people's trust in the law of Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The Chief District Court Judge's Chambers / Te Whare o Ngā Kaihautū Waka o Te Kōti-ā-Rohe o Aotearoa is a small, high-impact team that provides administrative, advisory, operational and strategic support to the District Court Judicial Leadership team, the Kaihautū, comprising the Chief District Court Judge, Principal Family Court Judge, Principal Youth Court Judge and the National Executive Judge. This support enables the Kaihautū to undertake their statutory and non-statutory functions and their overall leadership and administration of the District Court to ensure the delivery of timely, impartial and open justice.

Joining Te Tāhū o te Ture – Ministry of Justice means you will become part of an organisation that welcomes and supports people of all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, disabilities and religions. 

Ngā painga o tēnei wāhi mahi/What's great about working here

We offer you a range of benefits to support your wellbeing and help make the Ministry a great place to be. These include:

• 4.4 weeks holiday leave
• flexible work hours where possible
• an online professional development portal
• access to a variety of inclusive and proactive networks

See our full range of benefits here.

With a wide range of jobs, you also get the chance to gain a variety of skills and experience while developing your career.

Utu ā-tau/Salary

The appointing salary for this role will be between $130,129 - $168,062 based on skills and experience.

Tono mai/Apply

To apply, click the Apply button below to be directed to our Careers Website. You can view a detailed position description here, as well as complete an online application form by attaching your CV and cover letter.

Applications close on 13 March 2026; however, we will be reviewing CVs as they come in and inviting successful candidates to interview before the close date.

If you have any questions, please contact recruitment@justice.govt.nz

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