Job Description

Te Papa stands proud as an iconic national building housing the treasures of the nation and is a vibrant destination for both national and international visitors. Te Papa is a Tiriti based organisation and is designed to explore the contribution of Māori language and culture to the life, culture and activities of the museum in small and large ways. Te Papa fosters and nurtures cross-cultural capability, the ability of people of different cultural backgrounds to interact with one another in positive and uplifting ways.

Te Papa's security team is responsible for providing the highest level of security for our people, collections, exhibitions and facilities within a dynamic and busy environment. We are looking for a Security Officer with previous security experience to join our 24-hour, 7 day a week operational in-house Security team. The position offered is required to work permanent night shifts, currently 7.00pm – 7.00am as rostered.

Te Papa's Security Officers are accountable for all relevant security matters during the night shift, including keeping informed on daily activities or events that may have a bearing on the security of Te Papa's buildings, contents or occupants; ensuring the buildings and grounds are secure, safe and run smoothly; performing maintenance checks to ensure visitor security and safety; conducting routine security administration and preparing reports on security incidents.

Successful applicants will be able to demonstrate:

• availability to work permanent night shifts as rostered
• previous, well-regarded experience as a member of a security team, working within a formal set of security procedures, preferably within a museum or arts setting
• positive ‘team player' attributes
• reliability and honesty
• ability to take charge in an emergency situation
• excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, including security incident report writing
• a high level of self-motivation, the ability to prioritise tasks, manage time, and multi-task  
• an openness to on-going learning and the ability to positively respond and adapt to changing conditions and requirements
• competence in computer-based packages e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel, CCTV operation, access control and other technical based applications, or the ability to learn these
• a high standard of personal presentation

Applicants must have the:

• ability to obtain a full, clean Class 1 driver's licence
• availability to work nights and weekends on a rotating roster of shifts from 7.00pm – 7.00am
• ability to get to and from work outside of public transport hours
• ability to obtain a Certificate of Approval (COA) issued by the NZ Ministry of Justice

The nature of security work necessitates some walking and standing and therefore requires that you have a good standard of physical fitness. A current first aid certificate is desirable but not essential.

Please submit your application including a cover letter (highlighting your claims for the role and confirming you meet the ‘must have' criteria set out above), your CV and any other relevant supporting documentation. Shortlisted applicants will be required to complete a short security related report writing assessment.

The starting salary for this position will be between $57,827 to $63,000 per annum, with further room for progression through the band. Offers will be made within that range to reflect the skills and experience offered by the candidate and those required of the role, and internal relativities with other employees.

Applications close: 31 March 2026

Applicants must have the ability to obtain and maintain the legal right to work in New Zealand.

Prior to Te Papa confirming any offer of employment, pre-employment checks will be undertaken including Police Vetting, medical and reference checking as a minimum.