Early in careers - Foreign Policy Officer opportunities | New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Let us introduce you to the world of policy, and we’ll show you how you can make a difference for New Zealand's place in the world.

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Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade runs an annual Policy Officer intake - check out our video on what we do and how to apply.

Our people are New Zealand's specialist trade, development and foreign policy advisers, international legal advisers and negotiators. Every day we work to build a safer, more prosperous and sustainable future for New Zealanders. Many of our people began their careers as Early in Careers (EiC) Foreign Policy Officers.

Details on the 2026 intake will be posted from July 2025.

Got some questions?

Email us at: graduaterecruitment@mfat.govt.nz or call Samara on 021 650 475.

A note on the application process:

Successful candidates will be notified of their status, exact date for each assessment and any necessary requirements at each stage of the recruitment process, via email.

Minimum requirements

Criteria	More details
Hold New Zealand citizenship
Able to obtain and maintain an appropriate security clearance	Security clearance requirements
Have completed a minimum of a bachelor’s level qualification by February 2025	Our foreign policy officers have a wide variety of degrees, e.g nursing, law, commerce, science, marketing, veterinary science
At least 3 months’ work experience during (or following on from) your studies	Any type of work experience: part time/full time, internships, hospitality, retail, office work, etc
Less than 3 years' experience in Public Policy (or similar)	This is a role for people early in their careers. If you have more than three years' experience working in Policy, you may be too experienced for this intake.
A willingness to be posted overseas and travel for work	Travel is a key part of the role, however you will be initially based in Wellington headquarters

Desirable skills

In addition to the above, we're looking for people who have some of the following skills or experience.

Experience/skill	Example
Mātauranga Māori	Strong skills, perspectives and knowledge from the Māori world, including Māori culture and the Treaty of Waitangi.
Interpersonal/relationship building skills	This may be gained through work or volunteer work e.g., Community, youth groups, aid work, coaching, religious or cultural groups
Academic	Outstanding academic achievement demonstrated by: excellent grades, or a tertiary academic award or scholarship, or further postgraduate studies
Languages	Te Reo Māori at an intermediate level or above, or another language at an advanced level/work proficiency; e.g. Pacific languages, North Asian languages, Arabic, etc.
Cross Cultural Skills	Understanding, experience and ability to engage effectively with Pacific, Pasifika or Māori communities. The ability to move between cultures.
Leadership experience	School prefect, head of university student club/association youth leader, community initiatives, religious or cultural groups, workplace etc

Myth busters — Job requirements

Mythbusters

Here are some myths about our student graduate and intermediate policy officer roles requirements.

Do I need a double degree or post graduate qualification to be eligible?

Our minimum requirement is now a bachelor’s level qualification. If you are successful and keen to do further study down the track, we can explore this with you.

Are only those with law degrees considered?

We're keen to see different skills from a mix of academic backgrounds, so, as long as you have a genuine interest in the work we do, we’ll consider any bachelor’s degree.

Do I need to be an A+ student?

We don’t have a minimum grade requirement. We’re looking for people with a balance of academic achievement and great people skills. For example, we value the skills that your experience in moving between different cultures can bring, as well as any volunteer or leadership experience you may have.

Do I need to speak another language?

It’s an advantage if you have language skills from a country where MFAT has a presence; you might even speak Te Reo or a Pacific language at home, but it’s not compulsory. Opportunities are available if you’re interested in learning another language.