-newsmalles.png){kind=logo}
About the Government and Local Government Sector in New Zealand
Local government promotes the well-being of local communities. Government officials are appointed by the public, but there are many branches of government that employ people internally to help with the formation and implementation of policies and processes.
There are 78 local authorities in New Zealand comprising 11 regional councils and 67 territorial authorities (unitary authorities, city and district councils).
Government workers sometimes meet with the public to get ideas for policy and services. As members of the government, they are representative of the wider population, so it’s important for them to be in close contact with the public.
Government may be for you if you are interested in:
Politics, current events, and law
Writing, researching, analysing and evaluating information
Public speaking
Negotiating
Planning and organising.
Locations of Government Jobs
Local authorities vary considerably in size. At the previous Census (March 2013) the largest regional council was Environment Canterbury (population 539,433), the smallest was West Coast Regional (population 32,148).
The largest proportion of the Public Service workforce (42.7%) is located in the Wellington region which comprises both regional and head office based staff. The Beehive is also located in Wellington, which is responsible for this high concentration.
Other regions have 57.3% of the workforce, led by Auckland (20.4%), Canterbury (9.0%) and Waikato (8.0%). The regional distribution of Public Service employees has been relatively stable in recent years.
Within the state sector lies the state services, and within this lies the core public service.
The Composition of the Wider Public Sector
The public sector employed around 403,000 people (headcount) in 2018, 18% of New Zealand’s total workforce (2,238,000), as measured by Stats NZ’s Business Demography data. The majority (88%) work in the State sector (354,000) and 12% in local government (49,200).
Over the last five years, the overall public sector workforce increased by 8% (with the State sector up 7% and local government up 11%). This compares with a 16% growth in the private sector over the same period.
The sector composition of workforce varies amongst the regions.
Permanent and Fixed-Term Employment
At 30 June 2018, 92.5% of Public Service employees were on permanent employment contracts with the remaining 7.5% of employees on fixed- term contracts.
There are a number of agencies with a high proportion of staff on fixed-term employment contracts, including: Pike River Recovery Agency (100%), Social Investment Agency (66.7%), Ministry for Culture and Heritage (27.3%), Ministry for Women (20%) and the Department of Conservation (18.9%). These are usually in response to short-term requirements as the result of emergencies or social pressures.
Fixed-term employees are employed on a full-time or part-time basis for a specified period of a project or event. The proportion of fixed-term employees has remained stable over the last three years.
Public Service employees are engaged in a wide range of jobs spread across 252 different occupations in 2018.
The two largest groups are ‘Inspectors and Regulatory Officers’ and ‘Social, Health and Education Workers’ accounting for 39% of the Public Service workforce.
Broad Occupational Groups for Government Jobs
-
Inspectors and Regulatory Officers
-
Information Professionals
-
Managers
-
Contact Centre Workers
-
Social, Health, and Education Workers
-
Clerical and Administrative Workers
-
Policy Analyst
-
Legal, HR, and Finance Professionals
-
ICT Professionals and Technicians
Featured Jobs
There are no Jobs available with your search criteria
Please try with another Job Sector or City
Or Check for spelling mistakes.
Senior and Principal Policy Adviser
City:
Wellington
Job Type:
Full Time
Date:
19/01/2026
Are you ready to shape big policy, build real influence, and thrive in an election‑year environment?
Lead high‑priority programmes and system‑wide initiatives
• Meaningful work contributing to Aotearoa’s future
• Exciting opportunities for experienced policy professionals
Mō te tūnga | About the Opportunity
As we head into an election year, the Wellington policy landscape is evolving rapidly. Shifts in strategic priorities, fiscal pressures, and an increased focus on delivery mean agencies
Software Engineer
City:
Job Type:
Date:
Posted on 08/01/2026
Ko wai te Pakihi nei | About the Organisation: This is a high-growth New Zealand technology business tackling complex, highly regulated problems at scale. They are in the middle of a strategic shift to significantly increase their in-house engineerin…..
Kaitūhono Te Whiringa - Funding Advisor
City:
Job Type:
Date:
Posted on 08/01/2026
• Relationship and contract management with an eye for detail • Navigate funding agreements and provide advice • Confidence in te ao Māori and solid capability in te reo Māori needed Ko wai te Pakihi nei | About the Organisation: Te Māngai Pāho is th…..