What's your job about?
MFAT is one of New Zealand’s primary ways of interacting with other countries on the world stage and my current job is to make sure that New Zealand is partnering with the Pacific to ensure a peaceful, stable, prosperous, and resilient region.
For me, that means working with countries like Japan and South Korea on Pacific issues, as well as partnering with Pacific countries’ capabilities in areas like policing and customs. Days are dynamic and rarely follow a pattern. One day I might have a meeting with a foreign embassy briefing them on what New Zealand thinks about an issue and the next I could be working with another New Zealand agency coordinating programmes designed to support Pacific nations against transnational organised crime.
MFAT is a hugely unique workplace in that travel and works overseas often come with the territory. You may find that you have to travel overseas to support your manager on a trade negotiation or diplomatic meeting. If you become a policy officer you’ll almost certainly have the chance to live overseas after a few short years, working in one of our many embassies or consulates anywhere in the world.
What's your background?
I was born in Tauranga and raised in South Auckland before moving to Wellington to take up this job. I took a couple of years off after school to work and do missionary work for my church. That gave me time to reflect on what I really wanted to do for a career and I realised that studying would be key to getting me where I wanted to go. I studied full-time, worked a 20-hour week at Auckland Transport (as well as other jobs at times!) got married and had two kids while I studied. Things have always been a bit hectic, but that keeps things fresh.
I entered my degree knowing what job I wanted. I tailored my degree around what being a Foreign Policy Officer would entail and made sure I had lots of life experience to supplement my academic qualifications. I’ve been fortunate to be a Policy Officer since February 2022.
Just because I wanted this job doesn’t mean it was all smooth sailing getting there. I applied for the Aorere Internship and wasn’t selected. I took it hard at the time, feeling that despite all my efforts I wasn’t getting anywhere. However, I was encouraged by my family and pushed ahead, broadening my experiences, getting better grades and talking to people already on the job for pointers.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Absolutely! MFAT is filled with people from all walks of life at all different stages. We employ people who are flexible, resilient and able to learn quickly on the job. A degree is required but you don’t have to be a top scholar – just demonstrate that your study has contributed to your critical thinking, analytical ability and clear writing. People who have had extracurricular experiences, whether through university, being active in the community or living overseas, will find it valuable to showcase these experiences and how they ‘round out’ a person, including their relationship-building skills. Just show how what you learned through those things has influenced you and increased your ability to relate to others and adapt to new situations.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
I love the scope of the issues that we cover. What I do impacts, not just the ministry, but New Zealanders and countries in the Pacific, as well as their people. It’s overwhelming being asked to coordinate meetings between New Zealand and major allies or ensuring that we fund programmes to the tune of millions in order to contribute to the safety and security of others in the Pacific. You’re given a lot of responsibility right out of the gate as well, which can feel like a lot, but the trust they give you immediately is very reassuring that you are given a lot of space to grow and gain new skills.
What are the limitations of your job?
Depending on your role a project may demand a lot of your time, sometimes requiring work outside normal hours, especially where multiple time zones are involved. The delegation of responsibilities can feel like a heavy load, especially when you’re a new starter.
3 pieces of advice for your university self?
First – Get to know a lot of people, it’s really useful to expand your network and to make good friends in general, you never know how long a friendship may last!
Second – Take every opportunity to travel, to get scholarships, to get involved in clubs etc. You’ll meet people, grow your skills and learn new things.
Third – Try to strike a balance between being kind to yourself and setting realistic expectations. That means setting goals that stretch and grow your ability, while also realising that you don’t have to be perfect all the time – its okay to stumble, as long as you keep moving forward.