Principal Internal Auditor 

Department of Corrections | Ara Poutama Aotearoa 

About this role

• Support improvement in a complex operational agency. Varied and interesting work portfolios.
• Leading practitioner within the team – with a focus on developing capability.
• Fixed-term/secondment opportunity from March 2026 to January 2027 to cover parental leave.

Mō te tūnga | About the role

This role provides a real opportunity to support and strengthen the huge breadth of internal audit work we do across the Department. You'll be the leading practitioner in a team that works collaboratively with the Executive Leadership Team and senior managers, the Audit and Risk Committee and internal and external assurance providers. Recent work include has included reviews of Rehabilitation Programmes, Cyber Security, Custodial Overtime and Integrated Pathways.

As Principal Internal Auditor you'll be responsible for providing assurance and advisory services to the business to help them succeed.  You will provide technical advice across the internal audit programme and lead or undertake the more complex, responsive, and advisory work.  A core part of the role will be supporting the manager to build the overall capability of the team to ensure quality and consistency of practice and advice. 

Mōu | About you

You are an excellent communicator both in the written form and to support your engagement with people at all levels.  You will be a solution-oriented critical thinker able to provide practical recommendations and insightful advice to support continuous business improvement.  You will be able to apply this improvement focus to the Internal Audit Team too, supporting capability development and coaching other members of the team. And most importantly, you will be passionate about working with others to make a positive difference to Corrections, and ultimately to the people in our care.

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience

You will have a diverse range of skills including:

• Strong experience in Internal Audit, preferably in large or complex organisations.
• Experience in leading and undertaking complex assurance, advisory and review engagements.
• Proven ability to produce well-crafted, audience-friendly reports with practical recommendations that provide a platform for continuous improvement.
• The skills to develop and maintain positive and effective relationships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders, including at a senior management level.
• Proven experience in coaching, developing and mentoring individuals.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to the establishment, review and continuous improvement of audit and assurance processes and tools, including meeting relevant standards and good practice.

Ngā painga | The benefits

The midpoint of the salary range is $141,651 per annum and the full range (85%-120%) is $120,404 - $169,982 per annum. Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.

Mō mātou | About us

Join Ara Poutama Aotearoa - Department of Corrections, where your work will contribute to improving public safety, reducing re-offending, and address the overrepresentation of Māori in correctional facilities. As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship), and whānau (relationships) to guide our work and achieve the goals of our Hōkai Rangi strategy.

We value inclusion and diversity in our workforce, and as a Public Service organisation we are committed to building a workforce that reflects the public we serve. We strive to make our recruitment process fair, and we encourage you to discuss reasonable accommodations with us if required.

Tono ināianei | Apply HERE Now

To submit an application and view the position description, click the apply link. All applications must be submitted through our careers site to ensure transparency – applications received via email will not be considered.

When applying, submit a tailored CV and a cover letter describing your motivation for joining the department highlighting relevant skills and experience and the alignment to our work.

Applications close on: Sunday the 23^rd of November.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted in early-December for an initial chat, and formal interviews will be held after the holidays in mid-January.

If you have any questions or want to learn more about a career with us, contact Sarah.Newbold@corrections.govt.nz, or visit careers.corrections.govt.nz.