Commercial Portfolio Manager

• Be part of a collaborative, high-energy team that values connection, innovation, and shared success
• Lead enterprise-level commercial strategy and delivery of strategic projects
• Drive supplier relationship management and commercial performance across a critical portfolio
• Influence supplier performance and service delivery across a critical facilities and corporate services portfolio
• As a member of the Procurement and Commercial Services Leadership Team, you will help shape the future direction of MSD's commercial and procurement function while providing enterprise-wide commercial leadership across a critical portfolio.

About our team | Mō te tīma

At the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), our Procurement and Commercial Services team is the driving force behind sourcing the products and services that keep our organisation thriving. We're a well-established team with a vibrant culture, a bold vision, and a drive for delivering excellence.

With several high-impact initiatives launching across MSD, we’re looking for a passionate, sharp-minded procurement and commercial professional to help us take our delivery to the next level. If you're ready to make a real difference and grow with a team that values innovation, collaboration, and results, we want to hear from you.

About the role | Mō te tūnga

As a senior commercial leader and trusted advisor within the Procurement and Commercial Services team, you will influence outcomes across MSD through expertise, relationships and strategic leadership. You’ll provide enterprise-wide commercial leadership across a diverse portfolio of professional services contracts.

Working closely with teams across MSD, you will shape and implement commercial strategy, lead strategic sourcing initiatives, optimise supplier performance, and ensure high-quality workplace and corporate service outcomes.

Your influence will help shape the way we partner, procure, and deliver value across the organisation while supporting MSD's strategic priorities.

Here’s how you’ll make an impact: 

• Lead the development and delivery of portfolio roadmaps and sourcing pipelines, ensuring strategic alignment across the full commercial lifecycle.
• Recommend commercial models and lead development and implementation of Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) strategies.
• Lead high-stakes negotiations to secure robust commercial outcomes and ensure supplier commitments support our strategic goals.
• Lead and support high-value, complex, and cross-agency projects from planning through delivery, providing strong commercial leadership across business case, market engagement, evaluation, negotiation, and implementation.
• Foster strong supplier partnerships that unlock innovation, resilience, and value beyond cost.
• Craft and execute sourcing strategies that align with MSD’s long-term vision and meet the evolving needs of our stakeholdersLift organisational capability in contract management through coaching, tools, and practice improvement.
• Manage critical relationships across all levels—internally and externally—to drive collaboration and commercial success.
• Identify and manage commercial risk, ensuring robust governance and sustainable outcomes across complex supplier arrangements.

This is a fixed term opportunity to 30 June 2027, based at our National Office in Wellington.

What you bring | Ōu pūmanawatanga

We’re looking for a senior commercial professional who combines strategic insight with practical know-how. 

You’ll thrive in this role if you have: 

• Significant procurement and commercial management experience within complex organisations.
• Proven success developing and implementing commercial strategies and leading complex procurement, sourcing, or commercial initiatives.
• Strong supplier relationship management experience, including oversight of strategic or high-risk suppliers. Demonstrated ability to manage commercial risk and complexity across enterprise-level supplier arrangements.
• Qualifications in procurement, commercial management, law, business, or a related discipline, with MCIPS or equivalent highly regarded.
• Experience operating successfully within governance, assurance and public accountability frameworks. 

Experience managing facilities management, property, workplace services, or related corporate services portfolios would be highly regarded. 

• High-level commercial acumen and the ability to balance strategic, financial, contractual, and operational considerations.
• Advanced stakeholder engagement, negotiation, and relationship management skills.
• Experience leading change and embedding best practice procurement and commercial approaches.
• Strong understanding of New Zealand Government procurement settings and machinery of government, or the ability to quickly build this knowledge. 

Position Description | He Whakaahuatanga Tūnga

A copy of the position description can be found here. Commercial Portfolio Manager, position description

Salary | Utu-ā-tau: $163,429.00 - $217,905.00

Applications close | Ka kati ngā tono hei te: 11.59pm, Tuesday 27 October 2026

About us | Mō mātou

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is a people-centred organisation. We’re in communities across the motu, working with partners to help New Zealanders be safe, strong and independent.

We provide social policy advice to government, and assistance including income, employment and housing support to people of all ages, families, whānau and communities.

As a Te Tiriti o Waitangi partner, we are committed to supporting and enabling Māori, whānau, hapū, Iwi and communities to realise their own potential and aspirations.

Our people are as diverse as the communities we serve. We care about the wellbeing and success of our people and provide a supportive and inclusive working environment where people can thrive and be who they are.

How to apply | Me pēhea te tuku tono

Before you submit your application, please take a moment to review our guidance to understand how AI can best support your application. Candidate Guidance - Responsible AI use in recruitment

To apply, click the 'Apply Now' button to upload your CV, cover letter and complete the online application form.

Note: Your cover letter will be a key part of our assessment process. Please highlight how your skills and experience relate to the key responsibilities listed in the position description and job advertisement.

All applications must be made online. If this is not possible or if you have any queries, please contact us at jobs@msd.govt.nz

Internal MSD Employees – please apply through your myHR portal at work. This will ensure that your myHR employee profile is visible as internal candidate.

Joining us | Ko te hono mai

Joining MSD means being part of a whānau that celebrates the diversity each individual represents.

We show manaaki, we care about the wellbeing and success of people and want everyone to thrive and be who they are in a supportive and inclusive working environment. We work together to make a difference for communities while doing the right thing with integrity. You can find out more about our values here.

If you have any support or accessibility requirements, we encourage you to tell us when you apply so we can assist you through the recruitment process.