Looking for a job where you can make a real impact?
Interested in being on the front line, playing a vital role in securing our borders?
Want interesting career progression opportunities - professional development and training?

We're looking for Trainee Customs Officers for intakes in February and March/April 2025. Don't miss this opportunity to start a career with purpose! Apply now to become a Customs Officer and join us in protecting Aotearoa's borders, facilitating trade, and making a real difference. A career at Customs | Te Mana Ārai could take you anywhere.

About this role | Mō tēnei tūranga mahi
Customs | Te Mana Ārai is the government agency responsible for ensuring the security of Aotearoa's borders, regulating international trade, upholding Customs, Immigration and Excise laws. We operate at the forefront of the Aotearoa's security and economic activities.
We believe it's our people that make the difference. Customs | Te Mana Ārai is a "welcome home and a welcome here". People are at the heart of what we do. We believe compliance should be easy to do and hard to avoid. We are here to protect and promote Aotearoa New Zealand through world class border management.
We have a variety of Trainee Customs Officer roles available as follows:

• Deployment: You will have the opportunity to choose to work in our deployment teams who work on rostered shifts ( 6 days on 3 days off) and who move through a variety of work areas and locations, including Auckland International Airport, the International Mail Centre, Air Cargo Inspection Facility, Sea Cargo Inspection Facility (based at Ports of Auckland), as well as our Integrated Targeted Operations Centre and Service Delivery which are based at Customhouse in central city Auckland.
• Trade, Revenue & Compliance: We also have static Trainee Customs Officer roles working in our Trade, Compliance and Revenue group - the Trade Assurance roles are based at Customhouse working standard Monday to Friday and typical business hours, while other roles (in Assurance) will be based at the Air Cargo Inspection Facility (Auckland Airport) working shifts mainly Monday to Friday (7am - 7pm) with some flexibility of operational activities to work outside of these hours.

What you'll do | He aha tāu e mahi ana

Our deployment Trainee Customs Officers will:
Conduct inspections, examinations, and audits to ensure compliance with Customs laws and regulations, and prevent the illegal import or export of goods

• Screen passengers and cargo for the detection of prohibited items such as drugs and objectionable material, security threats to NZ, and goods subject to duty and GST
• Work alongside law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders at the border to combat illegal activities.
• Provide professional assistance to international travellers, answering questions and facilitating their transit
• Engage in risk assessment techniques and intelligence gathering to identify potential threats and trends that contribute to the security of NZ.

Our static Trade, Revenue & Compliance Customs Officers can be based in either Trade Assurance or Assurance and work as follows:
Trade Assurance: Based at Customhouse, in Auckland city, as part of this team you will work Monday to Friday during normal business hours (this is a non-shift work role) undertaking a mix of desk-based and offsite evaluation of transactional entries, post-clearance audits and assessments to verify compliance. A good level of physical fitness is required.
Assurance: This team is based at ACIF at Auckland International Airport and works on a rostered pattern shift (across the hours of 7am-7pm) Monday to Friday. You'll be conducting inspections/search activities to validate compliance or identify non-compliance. There is work that happens at offsite locations so you will need a good level of physical fitness.

Pay rates:

• Deployment: As a Customs Officer working in deployment* your base salary will be $58,718 per annum. An additional allowance for working across a range of shifts including weekends, nights and public holidays (on a 6 days on and 3 days off roster) is paid per annum of $15,860.

(*) Deployment Trainee Customs Officers: are rotated through different operational areas of Customs including airports, marine, client services and inspections over a period of 7 years. You'll spend a year in each operational area. Throughout your career in Customs, you'll be continually expanding your technical and leadership skills. Learning opportunities include specialist technical skills through to university level study in security and border management.

• Trade Assurance team - as a Customs Officer working in our Trade Assurance team, your base salary will be $58,718 per annum.
• Assurance - as a Customs Officer working in our Assurance team, your base salary will be $58,718. Additionally, an annual hours of work allowance is paid of $7,248 per annum.

We will train you for these roles - which includes both on the job and classroom training including Officer Safety Tactics (self-defence) training. We'll also provide you with a full uniform.

Mahi ki te Mana Ārai o Aotearoa | Working for Customs …
To join Te Mana Ārai in any role you must be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident*.
(*) A New Zealand Citizen or New Zealand Permanent Resident who has resided continuously in New Zealand for the last 5 years and resided here continuously 5 years ago from the date of this application. You must also be residing in New Zealand at the time of this application.
OR a New Zealand Citizen or New Zealand Permanent Resident who:

• resided in NZ for the last 5 years
• resided in NZ 5 years ago from the date of this application
• resides in NZ at time of this application but may have been absent from New Zealand for periods of not more than 6-9 months within the past five years (preferably in one or more of the following countries: either Australia, Canada, UK or the USA). Note, you will be required to provide overseas police certificates for these periods spent outside of New Zealand.

You must have a background history that is verifiable and can be assessed as appropriate by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service towards a recommendation of suitability for security clearance at a higher level.
Due to the nature of Customs work you must have a clear Police record. Successful applicants are also required to pass a medical assessment and drug test and need to hold a full NZ Drivers' licence.
Customs does not currently require new employees to be up to date with vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Customs may however reintroduce a requirement to be vaccinated if our health and safety risk assessment or government requirements change.

Ko wai koe | About you…
We're looking for people with…

• a passion for protecting our borders and affinity with what Customs does
• excellent communication skills and the ability to handle diverse situations professionally and tactfully
• great attention to detail and the ability to make sound judgments under pressure
• a high level of integrity and a commitment to upholding laws, policy and procedures
• ability to adapt quickly, work in an often, fast-paced environment and be comfortable embracing technological advancements and procedural changes
• a good fitness level and who can manage the requirements (where applicable) to work a mixture of 24/7 shift work and normal business hours depending which area you are deployed to.

New Zealand Customs Service | Te Mana Ārai o Aotearoa is a member of Diversity Works New Zealand and is committed to developing a diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities and welcome applications from everyone who can meet the requirements of the role.

Why join us?

• A dynamic work environment where no two days will be the same! You'll be on the front line, playing a vital role in securing our borders.
• Career progression opportunities. We invest in your professional growth through training, development programs, and a clear career path.
• Competitive compensation package. Enjoy a competitive salary, along with health and wellbeing benefits including Kiwisaver.
• Make a difference. Protecting New Zealand's border security and trade interests is not just a job, but a chance to serve your country and shape the future.

Me pehea te whakauru | How to apply
Please apply online - we cannot accept applications directly - you must apply via the link provided.
Please note, we are recruiting for intakes commencing in mid February and late March 2025.

Applications* close on 31st October 2024. We will be holding a variety of assessment centres during the weeks commencing 30th October and 11th November.
(*) Please apply as soon as you can as we process applications as they are received and will fill places on our assessment centre, so this opportunity may close earlier. Note that if you are unable to attend an assessment centre we will be unable to progress your application at this time.

Don't miss this opportunity to start your career. Apply now to become a Customs Officer and join us in protecting Aotearoa's borders, facilitating trade, and making a real difference.