Principal Inspector (Northern) | All Office Locations

Job Description

Principal Inspector (Northern) 12-month Secondment opportunity  

He aha te mea nui o tēnei ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. 
What is the most important thing in the world, it is people, it is people, it is people. 

About your team / Ko te tīma 

The Inspectorate at WorkSafe New Zealand plays a critical role in workplace health and safety. The Inspectorate's overall goal is to prevent workplace harm, promote a culture of health and safety, and hold organisations accountable for maintaining healthy and safe working conditions.   

Guided by evidence about acute, chronic, and catastrophic harm, WorkSafe prioritise high-risk sectors and high-risk activities. Across these priority areas, WorkSafe deliver enforcement, engagement and permitting activities to maximise our influence and achieve better, more equitable outcomes.   

About the role / Ō te tūranga 

This opportunity is a 12-month Secondment providing additional support to our existing Principal Inspector capability. This secondment is in addition to the previously advertised Principal Inspector role. The role can be based in any of our WorkSafe offices across Aotearoa, we would welcome applications from the Southern, Central or Northern regions. While in this secondment you will report to the Regional Manager Northern. The purpose of this role is to offer expert guidance and advice at a national level for the Inspectorate. 

In addition, the Principal Inspector will build strong, collaborative relationships with key stakeholders including other WorkSafe Mahi Haumaru teams, industry groups, and external organisations to support ongoing improvements in health and safety performance within the relevant industry. 

What You'll Do/ Ko tōu ake mahi  

• Ensure inspectors and kaimahi maintain high regulatory and technical standards through access to training, peer reviews, and shared expertise across teams through mentoring and coaching. 
• Implement WorkSafe Mahi Haumaru's principles of behaviour and regulatory practice.
• Lead highly complex and high-profile investigations and assessments.
• Oversee and provide practice leadership for all investigations and make recommendations to the Regional Manager. 
• Represent WorkSafe Mahi Haumaru's in litigation and in stakeholder forums.
• Prepare and contribute to reporting that tracks progress on risk management goals and identifies key issues needing attention. 
• Provide coaching and mentoring. 
• Undertake and/or assist with OIAs, ministerial questions etc and conduct Internal Reviews as required.  

What You'll Bring / Ko ngā pukenga ōu  

• Experience building successful partnerships, forming and maintaining positive and collaborative relationships with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders, at all levels. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills, influencing without authority and the ability to successfully coach at senior levels. 
• Experience as a trusted advisor, with a deep understanding of the sector and extensive knowledge and experience in health and safety systems, processes and practice. 
• Experience working with complex, ambiguous, and risky issues, and a successful track record of developing and implementing practical solutions. 
• Experience building frameworks, developing and implementing process and practices to ensure the delivery of high-quality programmes of work, including performance monitoring metrics and standards. 
• Significant experience developing, reports, business cases and other executive level documentation, for a range of audiences. 
• Demonstrated investigations experience is desired, but not essential.

Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi.  

With your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive.  

Additional duties allowance 

Check the Getting Paid policy for more information about allowances if you are seconded to a position in a higher salary band. 

How to apply / Me pēhea te tono  

Click the apply link, complete an application form and submit a copy of your CV and cover letter. For further information please contact careers@worksafe.govt.nz with any queries.  

Please speak to your manager and gain their support before applying for this secondment. 

If there is any support we can provide to ensure the recruitment process is accessible to you please let us know. We look forward to reviewing your application and getting to know more about you. 
 

Applications close on 11 March 2026