About OPC
When you work here you’re serving New Zealanders and their right to privacy. We’re a small but mighty Office full of well-read people who are interested in the world and what happens in it. Kindness matters here, which creates a great place to work.
Our Offices are in Auckland and Wellington
We have two offices, both in central city locations, and close to public transport hubs. Auckland is a small team of just over 10 people. Wellington is our biggest office with around 40 people. We work open-plan with our own desks. We have spacious desks, laptops for flexible working (and bags provided to keep them safe), plants, and a kitchen and kai space for eating and socialising.
Some of our roles have the option of working in either city. You’re always welcome in either office too if you need to travel.
We’re committed to Te Ao Māori
We mihi newcomers into the organisation on their first day.
We have a Pou Ārahi on staff, who guides our tikanga and reo practices. Everyone has time each week to take Te Reo classes, working at a level that suits them. And when we waiata we do it together in our open-plan office.
We know that diversity makes us stronger
We believe in having an inclusive and diverse culture where everyone can take part, thrive, and grow. An inclusive culture is one where we:
- encourage everyone to contribute
- seek out others with different perspectives
- listen to everyone's ideas
- support and develop our people
- give everyone equal access to opportunities
- allow people to be themselves at work.
We have flexible working, including at-home options
We appreciate that life happens, which is why we’re flexible. We have people with elderly parents, school holidays to manage, and GP appointments to get to so know that occasionally work has to happen in different ways. In addition most staff are able to work at home one or two days a week. We all connect every Monday at our all-staff Zoom meeting to talk about work going on across the office.
Wellness is important to us
On your first week at OPC you’ll have a professional workstation assessment because we want you to be comfortable at your desk.
Each year we all get a free flu jab (if you want it) and because we care for each other, we stay home or work from home when we have the sniffles to stop things spreading. We have free fruit and in Wellington we have strong coffee and donut days too.
Resting is important to us and over the Christmas-New Year period the Commissioner gives us three days extra leave to make sure we can have a proper break.
Sharing is caring
Each year we run an engagement survey and then change and improve the things people want changed. And if you need some help with work or life issues then we have free Employee Assistance Programme sessions.
We also run a beloved fortnightly newsletter where we welcome stories of what you do away from work, reviews of things you’ve loved or hated, and photos of family and pets.
We want you to grow and learn
Learning, and developing your skills, is important wherever you are in your career. We all have professional development budgets for formal training but can learn on the job too through a culture of feedback, skill sharing, and continuous improvement.
Many of our roles have career progression opportunities, allowing movement from Assistant, up through to Senior or Principal level. And most of our open vacancies are advertised internally first to encourage career progression, which includes being able to move between teams to broaden out your skills and experience.
And we quiz together
Which is the deepest lake in the world? Join the daily 3pm quiz and find out (or tell us). With our powers combined, and a little flexibility on answers, we usually make a respectable effort.
