Richard Kelly — Manager IT
What first struck me about Te Manatū Waka was its vibrant, friendly and fun culture. I find everyone very approachable and happy to help.
Along with the above, Te Manatū has a strongly engrained flexible working culture – this is important to me as a parent of young children. As a result, I feel supported to get my work done as well as to attend my kids’ sports events!
Joanne Leung — Chief Economist & Manager, Domain Strategy, Economics and Evaluation
Being the Chief Economist at Te Manatū Waka, my work involves leading the Domain Strategy, Economics and Evaluation team to support policy teams throughout the policy development lifecycle (from defining policy problems to evaluating achievement of policy outcomes). We foster greater use of evidence and analytics in policy decisions. I am proud of the team as they are smart, committed and passionate about their work.
What I like about working at Te Manatū Waka is that it has a positive, inclusive and collaborative culture. With around 300 people, Te Manatū Waka has a relatively flat organisation structure. Everyone is invested in their work which makes it possible to deliver a large portfolio of quality work for our size.
You will never get bored working at Te Manatū Waka as there are ample opportunities to work on different interesting projects that help shape the wellbeing and liveability of the current and future generations of New Zealand.
Naomi Sadlier — Senior Adviser Hei Arataki Strategy, Engagement & Communications
I am passionate about creating and implementing strategy into our Ministry.
Working with the rautaki Māori strategy here at Te Manatū Waka gives me a sense of pride knowing that I am a part of a collective who continue to work towards bringing out the meaning of partnership.
Sebastien Crane — Facilities Adviser
I started at Te Manatū Waka in 2020 as a Facilities Coordinator in the Business Support Team. I was drawn to the role for a number of reasons including the great waterfront location (did a walkaround the premises before hitting the ‘submit’ button), remaining in the transport family and the smaller size of the organisation.
The early part of the role was centred around improving the facilities as we shifted to a more flexible work model. There was also a steep learning curve in matters of finance and procurement as I began to see the full cycle of purchasing. Various opportunities for collaboration included establishing Te Manatū Waka’s Carbon Neutral Government Programme (CNGP) brought great variety to the role.
I am very passionate about business travel and how we intertwine the need to reduce our emissions whilst retaining the capability to deliver on so many issues that are critical to the success of the transport sector. A small organisation where everyone matters, knowing almost everyone individually in the organisation (they have to endure my building tours) is a big driver for me. I am here to ensure everyone feels they have the tools and support they need to succeed.
I recently returned to places I used to call home in London & Paris. If the ability to be the other side of the world in a day wasn’t enough to highlight the intrinsic value of transport then the strike action on London rail services certainly was.
Roselle Thoreau — Principal Analyst, Data & Analytics
I joined Te Manatū Waka in 2018 in the Data and Analytics team. We work with everyone from policymakers within the Ministry to analysts in other organisations to the wider public. We don’t just report on transport statistics – we undertake research and analysis of complex and sensitive issues to bring evidence and insights into transport decisions.
When I started here I wasn’t expecting the wide range of skills which I would be able to utilise. Some days I am a data analyst, some days I am a researcher, some days I am a sector knowledge expert. Whatever day it is – whatever work I am undertaking it is always intellectually stimulating and rewarding.
Since joining the Ministry I have worked on such a wide range of projects from the Household Travel Survey to the Transport Knowledge Hub. I have really enjoyed working on road safety projects including Road to Zero; from the very early stages of its development through to where we are now in its implementation. This is a program that will save lives and its great to have a role in that.
The Ministry feels like one big inclusive team. There is always someone who will offer their help with a project so you always have the support you need. We are all trying to achieve the best results for New Zealanders, and this is evident in the collaborative vibe of our work-place. This is a place for people who want to get stuck in and make a difference.