Head of People and Capability

Head of People and Capability

•          Wellington

•          Grade 22 – $155,956 to $199,278

•          Fixed-term/Secondment

Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand is New Zealand’s Firearms Regulator. Our Vision is to ensure the possession and use of firearms in Aotearoa is the safest in the world.

To achieve this, Firearms Safety and Education delivers four core functions: effectively implementing the firearms licensing systems; managing the Firearms Registry; educating people to enable compliance with their legislative responsibilities; and promoting the safe possession and lawful use of firearms. 

We are committed to fostering a culture of safe and responsible firearms use, gun ownership and awareness by working collaboratively with the firearms community, our stakeholders, and fellow agencies.

About the role

We’re seeking an experienced People and Capability leader to join us for six months to support the establishment of FSE as an autonomous agency.

We’re embarking on an exciting journey to design the future evolution of our organisation following recent legislative changes and our new status.

You’ll bring together existing teams and experts across different HR streams, provide strong leadership to great people, and drive the development of a cohesive people experience for our kaimahi.

Key Deliverables:

• Provide strong leadership and direction to direct and indirect reports


• Provide strategic people advice to the leadership team


• Collaborate with colleagues at Police to map out the host agency working arrangements and services end-to-end


• Design and implement initiatives to support the development of our employee value proposition


• Work with colleagues across other teams to pull together our people data and turn this into insightful reporting

Working at Firearms Safety and Education NZ

Come and join a team passionate about supporting the safe, lawful, and responsible possession and use of firearms in Aotearoa New Zealand. Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand (FSE) is the new autonomous firearms regulator. It replaces Te Tari Pūreke – Firearms Safety Authority.

As the firearms regulator, we work closely with the Ministry of Justice and New Zealand Police as part of the wider firearms regulatory system. Together, we continue to strengthen and improve the services, processes, and outcomes that support safe and lawful firearms ownership.

At Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand, we are committed to creating a workplace where our people feel valued, supported, and empowered to succeed. We foster a collaborative and inclusive culture and encourage our people to continuously develop their skills, knowledge, and expertise.

While skills and experience are important, we also value integrity, accountability, a commitment to service, and the ability to work collaboratively as part of a team.

We are looking for people who are motivated to make a positive difference and who take pride in delivering quality outcomes for the public.

If you are looking for meaningful work, enjoy supporting others, and want to contribute to a safer New Zealand, we'd love to hear from you.

To view the position description for this role please copy and paste this link into a new browser:  https://www.firearmssafety.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2026-10/Head%20of%20People%20and%20Capability.pdf

Salary

This position is covered by a collective agreement and salary will commence at $155,956 to $199,278 dependent on skills and experience relevant to the role.

Apply Now

If this position sounds like you, click apply now. You will be required to submit an application form and a CV. Before confirmation of hire, pre-employment checks will be undertaken.

For further information on the application process, please copy and paste this URL: https://www.police.govt.nz/careers

All applications must be submitted online and will not be accepted directly via email. All applicants must have the right to work in New Zealand. If you are an internal applicant, you must apply internally through the police system.

If you have any questions about this vacancy, please contact [email protected]

Please note: Applications close at 5pm, 1 November 2026. We encourage early applications, as this vacancy may close prior to the advertised closing date if a high volume of applications is received