Information for applicants

General information about ERO

Are you interested in becoming a review officer?

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Download the candidate application form [PDF 234 KB].

 

Review Officer - general information for applicants

1. What is our appointment process?

  1. Shortlisting - Applicants are short-listed on the basis of their cover letter, CV and Candidate Application Form
  2. Interview - This is a behavioural interview lasting about one hour. The interview questions relate to the review officer competencies and cover your experience and skills with things like project management, data management, communication and relationship management. Following the interview, preferred candidates will go through three further stages.
  3. Assessment – Psychometric tests, or work-sample tests may be undertaken
  4. Referee check - At least two referees from the three provided are contacted, one of whom will be the last employer.
  5. Background checks – we will require each potential appointee to go through a police vetting process before an offer of employment is made.

2. What do Review Officers do?

Review officers spend most of their time carrying out reviews in schools and early childhood centres. About half the time allocated to a review is spent at the school or centre. The rest is spent preparing for the review and compiling the public report on the review findings. Review officers may also be involved in other ERO activities such as special projects and reference groups.

3. Is there travel involved?

Review officers are required to travel and have overnight stays away from home. The number of nights away varies from office to office. All costs associated with this travel are paid for by ERO. To compensate for the time away review officers earn special leave at the rate of one day for each period of 10 nights away – up to 60 nights away. At that point the special leave accrues at one day for every five nights.

4. What initial training is given?

Training for review officers is comprehensive and ongoing. Typically it will include an induction programme in the local office to become familiar with education review procedures and the requirements of the role.

New reviewers are then attached to a review team for a time as an observer. Gradually, as they develop in confidence they are given work as part of a team. Where possible new review officers work first in education sector institutions where they have the most experience (early childhood, primary or secondary).

5. What is a typical week like?

There are really no typical weeks in ERO! Since 2021 ERO has been developing new ways of engaging with schools and early learning services, including working online. ERO review officers (including evaluation partners*) do visit schools and services in person, so this means travel is involved. It is a good idea to explore exactly what this might look like for the role you are applying for at the interview stage.

6. Do review officers work on their own?

ERO review officers (including evaluation partners) work collaboratively. Those working with early learning services tend to work in review teams pulled together for specific reviews (in other words, the teams change often). In the school setting each evaluation partner holds relationships with a caseload of schools on ERO’s behalf. They also collaborate with colleagues to build bespoke teams for evaluation purposes, and work together to review one another's others work, build capability, and engage in professional learning.

7. Do review officers work in all types of schools and early childhood centres?

ERO has a national team of specialist review officers (including evaluation partners) who work with either early learning services or schools. This is in response to sector feedback that working with a review officer or evaluation partner who holds some sector expertise is the generally preferred option.

8. Do review officers work in immersion schools and centres?

Review officers appointed to Te Uepū ā-Motu, ERO’s national team that reviews Ngā Kōhanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa Māori, will join other review officers fluent in Te Reo Māori in reviewing Māori immersion schools and centres.

Those who join Moana Pasefika, the Pacific unit based in Auckland, will review in Pacific early childhood centres and schools with high numbers of Pacific students, as well as other mainstream centres and schools.

9. Does we support gaining additional qualifications?

We have a strong tradition in supporting and encouraging staff to further their education in areas relevant to their role and each year a number of staff are supported to complete a qualification in evaluation. 

The first year as a review officer can be challenging so we encourage staff to keep study to a minimum in that early period.

10. What is the remuneration range for Review Officers?

The starting salary is $91,891 per annum. Review officers progress by incremental steps through a structured salary scale. A performance review is carried out at least annually. 

11 Superannuation

We support staff membership of the State Services Retirement Savings Scheme, Individual Retirement Plan and the Government Superannuation Fund. As required by legislation all new employee will be enrolled in KiwiSaver.

12. What are the leave provisions?

The leave provisions for permanent full time staff are:

  • five weeks' annual leave per annum
  • a sick leave entitlement of 10 days per annum, increasing to 15 days after two years' service.

Sick leave may be accumulated up to a maximum of 260 days.

A portion of unused sick leave from previous teaching or government service can be carried over to a maximum of 50 days.

 

*Note: Those employed to predominately review in ECE services and schools are designated as review officers. Those working in schools are often referred to as evaluation partners.