Integrity Briefing: The Integrity Institute is growing, and we need an Executive Assistant
This is just a quick update on progress with The Integrity Institute, and a plea for help finding a core new member of staff.
The Integrity Institute has now been going a few months now, and we are slowly but surely finding our feet and making an impact. So I want to keep subscribers informed about what we are doing.
Here’s a some of recent activities:
1) “NZ Lobbying & Influence Register”. We continue to build our register of businesses and organisations that have political influence in New Zealand. We now have over 220 entries of organisations from lobbying firms like Capital Government Relations, through to campaign groups like the Taxpayers Union, banks, agriculture interest groups like Federated Farmers, to obscure but powerful business groups like the Defence Industry Association. If we’re missing any significant entities, please let me know.
2) Investigations into lobbying and influential entities. The “Lobbying & Influence Register” allows the public to seek out some basic facts and details about politically influential forces. But The Integrity Institute is determined to bring together much deeper research on the political influence of the organisations on the register. Therefore, we’ve been establishing a programme of research so that expert reports and media articles get published on these businesses and organisations. We have employed researchers, as well as commissioning the media outlet Newsroom, to get robust and authoritative work out to the public.
3) Developing our online and communications. We continue to use Substack for these email newsletters (which get published on our online Substack here). But we also have a main website that we will develop as our main introduction to our work – this is here.
4) Explainer articles on core integrity issues. The goal of The Integrity Institute is to put integrity issues onto the political agenda and create debate and reform. Within this in mind, we have been creating some “explainer” articles for our website about the basic concepts that we’re concerned with, such as political donations and lobbying. We’re put together some introduction pieces that explain these concepts and why they’re important and how they impact everyone. And with each explainer piece, we’ve tried to provide a comprehensive list of links to work that has already been carried out in New Zealand on each respective issue.
Below are some of our first “explainers”, with more to come:
How Lobbying costs you big money – And what needs to be done about it
How Political Donations Are Rigging NZ’s Democracy – And Costing You thousands
Conflicts of interest: How Politicians Put Their Mates Before Your Interests
Jobs for Mates: How Political Cronyism is Rigging New Zealand’s System
Corporate Welfare in NZ: How Your Tax Dollars Are Handed to the Rich
5) Making submissions on Government legislation. This week we have made submissions to parliamentary select committees on the Regulatory Standards Bill and the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Amendment Bill. The latter is the bill put forward by bank lobbyists, which I wrote about in early April (see: Banking lobbyists 1, Justice 0)
6) The Integrity Institute is seeking a skilled Executive Assistant. We are currently expanding our capacity and need to employ someone to help keep us organised. If you or someone you know in Wellington is a skilled Executive Assistant who wants to help progress the integrity agenda, please get in touch. For some further details about the role, see below this email for the job advertisement.
Finally, staff at The Integrity Institute now have new email addresses. So please note that my new work email address is the following: bryce@theintegrityinstitute.org.nz
Dr Bryce Edwards
Director of The Integrity Institute
-------------------
The Integrity Institute is seeking a skilled Executive Assistant to join our team. As a recently-established research and advocacy organization in New Zealand, we are committed to enhancing democratic institutions through transparency, accountability, and policy reform.
I am privileged to lead this institute and am in search of a talented EA to provide crucial support in a dynamic environment. If you are interested in this role, please review the position description. For any inquiries or to apply, kindly send your CV and cover letter to bryce@theintegrityinstitute.org.nz. Applications close at 5pm on 4 July 2025.
Join us in making a meaningful impact at The Integrity Institute!
Details below:
-----------------
About the job:
The purpose of this role is to assist the Director with the administration and coordination of matters critical to the successful functioning of The Integrity Institute. In addition to undertaking the day-to-day administrative tasks outlined below, the Executive Assistant will effectively prioritise tasks and endeavour to proactively anticipate the Director’s work requirements.
Responsibilities:
1) Provide secretarial and administrative services, including organising the Director’s workflow to enable the Director to operate more effectively. This means that:
a) Confidentiality is maintained at all times
b) The Director’s diary is effectively maintained and managed according to priority and appropriateness of requests, and meetings with staff and others are scheduled as required
c) The Director’s emails are triaged effectively
d) Task management tools (e.g. Trello) are kept up to date and issues are flagged with the Director or other relevant contributors
e) Documents, information and other materials are collated and organised in a relevant and timely manner
f) Minutes are an accurate reflection of meetings and actions are followed up
g) Payroll and timesheets are managed effectively
h) Media content is harvested each weekday morning
i) Substack newsletter administration
2) Provide project management and administration support to staff at the Director’s request
3) Other tasks relating to the broader work of The Integrity Institute as requested by the Director
Necessary skills and attributes:
*At least five years’ prior experience working as an Executive Assistant or Personal Assistant
*Impeccable judgement and a high degree of discretion in managing sensitive and confidential information
*Organisational skills, especially the ability to multi-task and prioritise
*Proven experience with and knowledge of computerised financial systems and spreadsheet skills
*Excellent time management, communication and training skills
*Ability to work as part of a team
*A proactive, enthusiastic and energetic approach and an ability to work with a minimum of supervision on a day to day basis
*Competency with (or willingness to learn) the required systems and software, including but not limited to the Microsoft suite of tools, Spark email, Trello, and WhatsApp.
*The Executive Assistant must have demonstrated through previous work or community activities a commitment to social and/or environmental outcomes which benefit all New Zealanders.