Position:POI Editor/Senior POI Editor

Children’s WorkerNo

Location:National Office, Wellington

Business Unit:Privacy and Official Information Services

Group:Organisational Governance

Reporting to:Team Leader POI Services

Issue Date:April 2016

Delegated Authority:Nil

Staff Responsibility:Nil

Our Role

The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is the lead agency for the social sector. We help the Government to set priorities across the sector, co-ordinate the actions of other social sector agencies and track changes in the social wellbeing of New Zealanders.

The Ministry provides policy advice, and delivers social services and assistance to children and young people, working age people, older people, and families, whānau and communities. We work directly with New Zealanders of all ages to improve their social wellbeing.

We serve over a million people, working out of more than 250 centres around the country. It is likely that every New Zealander will come into contact with the Ministry at some point in their life.

Our work, together with our social sector partners, is essential to achieving a sustainable and prosperous future, where all New Zealanders are able to take responsibility for themselves, be successful in their lives and participate in their communities.

Our Purpose

We help New Zealanders to help themselves to be safe, strong and independent.

Ko ta mātou he whakamana tangata kia tū haumaru, kia tū kaha, kia tū motuhake.

Our Principles

MSD people: All own what we all do | Take responsibility for what we do | Understand our role in the big picture, who can help us and who we can help | Navigate through ambiguity and the opportunity it brings to create better ways of doing things | Act with integrity, courage and transparency | Celebrate our achievements and those of our clients

PositionDescriptionApprovedBy:

______
Deputy Chief Executive, Organisational Governance
Date: ……/……/……

Group:

The role of Organisational Governance is to support the Chief Executive and the Leadership Team to govern the Ministry as a single enterprise and ensure the Ministry meets its obligations as a public sector entity. Organisational Governance provides technical and professional advice to the Ministry’s Leadership Team and the business groups within the Ministry. Strategic partnering and reciprocal understanding of DCE groups and the broader operating environment context ensures Organisational Governance supports LT in its role to effectively deliver the strategic direction and objectives of the Ministry.

To discharge its role, Organisational Governance provides high quality services relating to the Ministry’s accountability and reporting processes, managing relationships with Ministers’ Offices, managing its external relationships, managing risk, audit and assurance services, addressing historic and contemporary claims, providing government services and supporting corporate projects.

Organisational Governance comprises of the following business units:

  • Strategy and Governance (S&G)
  • Communications
  • Ministerial and Executive Services (MaES)
  • Office of the Chief Executive
  • Risk and Assurance
  • Claims Response

The size, strategic importance, and complexity of the Ministry requires the branch to be a centre of excellence and expertise for strategic governance, policy and practice in the public sector.

Business Unit:

MaES’ work includes dealing with Official Information Act requests, Privacy Act requests, Parliamentary questions, correspondence to Ministers and to the Chief Executive, and supporting Ministerial offices. MaES is divided into three specialised teams: Privacy and Official Information (POI); Official and Parliamentary Information (OPI); and Ministerial and Executive Correspondence.

The Privacy and Official Information Services team (POI) is responsible for responding to requests made under the Privacy Act and Official Information Act for information held on Child, Youth and Family client files. The team provides information to current and former clients of Child, Youth and Family, their family members and advocates, and other government agencies

MaES is a high performing and highly regarded team made up of staff interested in the democratic process, and in serving the Ministry’s clients and Ministers

Purpose of the Position:

The role of a POI Editor is to apply legislation to requested documents ensuring compliance with the relevant Acts, and draft appropriate responses to requests and correspondence from clients. The POI Editor works as part of an integrated Privacy and Official Information group to ensure the preparation and delivery of high quality and timely responses to requests for private information. Editors will also be involved from time to time in exercises to review and strengthen POI capability. They may also be involved in the training and quality assurance for new and developing editors.

Senior POI Editors work with Team Leaders and the POI Manager to manage workflow within their teams, identify and lead improvement of processes and systems, manage relationships both within and outside of the Ministry, coach, mentor and QA new and developing editors, take on project management roles and contribute to development and management of knowledge within the team.

Working Relationships

Internal:

  • POI management and POI Associates/Coordinator group
  • MaES and Organisational GovernanceManagers and staff
  • MSD Legal Services
  • CYF Corporate Support
  • Social Workers
  • Ombudsman and Privacy Act Complaints team

External:

  • General public
  • Lawyers and Advocates
  • Other government agencies

Key Accountabilities:

Key Result Area / Accountabilities
Receiving and processing POI requests /
  • Respond within legal timeframes to requests for information made pursuant to the Privacy Act and Official Information Act
  • Provide accurate editing of the requested information ensuring compliance with privacy principles and the provision of the relevant legislation
  • Identify and process all relevant information held in electronic and paper format
  • Make clear decisions based on logical analysis
  • Provide quality assurance of edited responses
  • Develop and maintain knowledge of policy, legislation and the environment relevant to POI work.
  • Evaluate risks associated with various responses and recommends a preferred option.
  • Seek advice as required
  • Any other allocated activities within the purpose of the position stated at the beginning of this position description
Senior POI Editors will also:
  • Provide advice to Managers in Ministerial and Executive Services and other MSD staff as required.
  • Independently manage complex pieces of work or issues

Relationship Management /
  • Ensure a seamless relationship between POI Editor and POI Associates/Coordinator teams
  • Communicate with allocated social worker when the request involves an active file
  • Assist colleagues from other parts of the Ministry with queries relating to POI work
  • Communicate with staff from other agencies requiring information held in CYF files
Senior POI Editors will also:
  • Work with POI leaders to ensure effective and seamless relationships across POI teams
  • Develop and manage relationships with stakeholders in other areas of the Ministry, and in other government agencies.
  • Contributes to team work on relationship management.

Privacy and Official Information Systems and Procedures /
  • Contribute to the development and implementation of POI policies and procedures.
  • Contribute to training and workshops delivered by the POI group – including preparation of materials and delivery of training as requiredDevelop an understanding of POI functions within the context of MaES, the Ministry and the public sector environment
Senior POI Editors will also:
  • Identify the need for improvement, and lead improvement of processes and systems within the team.
  • Contribute to the development and implementation of POI and MaES policies and procedures.
  • Contribute to training and workshops delivered by Ministerial and Executive Services – including preparation of materials and delivery of training as required.
  • When required, manage the provision of information to other MaES teams for Ministerials, Parliamentary Questions, Official Information Act requests, Ombudsman correspondence, select committee questions and correspondence for the Chief Executive.

Team Work and Supervision /
  • Develop an understanding of the POI functions and their relationships within the context of MaES, the Ministry and the public sector environment
  • Support the team to carry out its work
  • Actively participate fully in the team, and in Ministry activities.
Senior POI Editors will also:
  • Assist their Managers with workflow within their teams
  • Coach and mentor new and developing editors taking on responsibility for management of editor development where requested
  • Provide quality assurance checks on the team’s work
  • Take on a project management role, or roles in working groups within MaES or in other parts of the Ministry
  • Contribute to development and management of knowledge within the team
  • Act as deputy to their Team Leader, when required

Planning and Organising /
  • Manage self so that priority tasks are achieved
  • Work independently with a methodical and systematic approach to plan workloads and develop effective action plans to achieve objectives
  • Reviews and adjusts priorities as circumstances change
  • Track progress against job expectations in order to make adjustments to performance as required

Client focus /
  • Make contact with the requestor to clarify the precise requirements and scope of request - if necessary
  • Take client requests and answer client queries on POI team phone line
  • Provides support to requestors and clients as required
  • Deliver superior service to clients

Technical/Professional Knowledge and Experience
POI Editors and Senior POI Editors will have:
  • A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent relevant work experience.
  • Good knowledge of the applicable legislation, i.e. Official Information Act, Privacy Act.
  • Working knowledge of the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act.
  • Experience working with public service department policies, systems and processes.
  • Experience in or understanding of working with vulnerable clients
  • Experience working with standard office software products e.g. Word, Excel
  • Demonstrated ability to work in collaborative peer and other stakeholder relationships.
  • Knowledge of records management systems.
  • Basic understanding of the structure of relevant statutes, rules and regulationsGood knowledge and experience working with standard office software products e.g. Word, Excel
  • Proven ability in performing a range of tasks under competing demands, and producing a quality result, on time.
  • Demonstrated excellence in the provision of customer focussed, administrative and corporate advice and services to managers and staff.
  • The ability to manage sensitive and confidential information in an appropriate manner.
Senior POI Editors will also have:
  • Experience with risk assessment or dealing with issues and identifying solutions.

Attributes/Success Factors
POI Editors and Senior POI Editors will have:
  • Excellent attention to detail at all times
  • Ability to quickly read and assess large volumes of information.
  • Effective organisation, planning and time management skills
  • Ability to make clear decisions based on logical analysis
  • Understanding ofclient needs, concerns and priorities of clients
  • Openess to new ideas and better ways to do things
  • Drive and energy in achieving goals and perseveres when obstacles arise
  • Commitment to a welcoming, productive climate, good morale and co-operation within and between teams
  • Value for others' input and expertise and contribution
  • Ability to manage sensitive and confidential information in an appropriate manner
  • Sensitivity, understanding and respect for Māori, Pacific Peoples and other cultures
  • Commitment towards positive outcomes for children, young people and their families.
  • Strong relationship management skills – able to develop effective working relationships and establish rapport with all relevant stakeholders
  • Excellent interpersonal skills – able to communicate clearly in a variety of medium
  • A demonstrated achievement orientation - showing resourcefulness, self-sufficiency and persistence and adaptability
Senior POI Editors will also have:
  • Strong leadership and motivational skills - able to effectively lead, motivate, develop and coach others towards the achievement of goals, understands leadership styles and their influence
Other Requirements
  • Workload in the MaES team does fluctuate, due to the time of year, stage in the electoral cycle, or particular tasks or pieces of work being assigned to the team, or moved from the team. Staff are assigned to a home team within MaES, but need to be flexible enough, and willing, to work in another team within MaES where workload requires this. MaES staff may also be asked to work as part of another Organisational Governance teams where their skills and knowledge are required in that team.

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