Skip to main content

General List Officer

Job Group

  • Officer

Job Availability

  • Full Time
  • Part Time

The Role

Officers are the leaders of the New Zealand Army. They are the managers and strategists. Their decision-making skills and problem-solving abilities enable them to plan and execute tasks in wide-ranging conditions. It is their job to earn trust and respect, and to display the strength of character to inspire their soldiers in potentially difficult situations.

After completing Officer training, you will join a corps, specialising in combat, engineering, intelligence, communications or logistics.

JOB ON CAMP

As a General List Officer you are the frontline leader of the Army, to begin with, as a junior officer, you will be expected to;

    •    Organise and conduct training.

    •    Budget and managing of resources assigned to you.

    •    Work alongside the troops you lead, participating in training and exercises.

    •    Take on an instructional role, passing on knowledge to your troops.

    •    Manage and coordinate field exercises.

JOB ON DEPLOYMENT

Officers are deployed all around the world, including UN missions (e.g. as an observer in Lebanon or Syria) and Afghanistan as part of our Provisional Reconstruction Team. Officers
also have the opportunity to be chosen for exchange postings or conduct professional training and development overseas.

CAREER PROGRESSION

As you continue in the organisation, you will move between your primary specialty and into areas such as capability, project management (procurement of Army equipment), Human
Resource Management and Training and Development

Pay & Benefit Details

The minimum remuneration you will be paid on enlistment is $31,894. Your remuneration will increase upon graduation of your officer course to $46,190 and will increase on promotion and seniority.

General Requirements

  • You must be at least 17 years of age, but preferably 19-20 years old.

  • You must be a NZ citizen (some exceptions apply).

  • You must be of good character – assessed by a study of testimonials and a police record check.

  • You should be self-motivated and display leadership potential.

Educational Requirements

  • You must have completed a minimum of 50 credits NCEA at Level 2 with at least 12 credits in Level 2 English

  • For General List Officers, it is preferred that you are degree qualified or part way through completion of a degree.

  • You must meet the academic requirements for your chosen scheme.

Fitness Requirements

  • You must be medically fit for service.

Period of Service

  • There is a 15 year offer of service.

Training

Basic Training

Upon successful enlistment into the Army you’ll be posted to Waiouru Army base. Here you will do a 6 week Initial Officer Training (IOT) course to find out if you have got what it takes to be in the Army, and learn various subjects including:

  • Navigation

  • Weapon handling

  • Leadership

  • Communication Skills

  • Living in the outdoors

TF (Part time) Officer Cadets conduct a modular training course over a two year period designed to achieve the same outcome as the Regular Force course.

All Regular Force (full time) Officer Cadets complete the New Zealand Commission Course over 11 months at Officer Cadet School. This follows on directly from the IOT and is physically and mentally demanding. This is where your grounding as officers begins. If you pass, you will be commissioned into the Officer Corps at a graduation ceremony.

Job Training

JUNIOR OFFICER TRAINING

Junior officer training within the New Zealand Army includes further formal courses. Officers are expected to complete these courses in their first 1-4 years. These are:

YOUNG OFFICERS CORPS COURSES

The aim of an officer's initial corps course is to prepare the officer to assume a junior command appointment within his or her corps. This training is conducted as soon as possible after an officer completes his or her initial officer training. In most cases this training is conducted in New Zealand at the officer's parent corps school however, for selected corps, an officer's initial corps course may need to be conducted at an overseas training establishment.

JUNIOR STAFF OFFICERS COURSE

The Junior Staff Officers Course is designed to prepare officers to perform the non-operational duties of an officer at unit and formation headquarters level. This training is sponsored by the School of Army Administration and is delivered by distance education and residential training.

Ongoing Training

INTERMEDIATE OFFICER TRAINING

Intermediate Officer Training within the New Zealand Army includes three formal courses aimed at further developing leadership,
command tactics and planning skills.
 

Specialist Training

You may be required to conduct other courses or training depending on how your career progresses.

Location Details

Officers are needed wherever the New Zealand Army operates. Within New Zealand, we have major camps at Linton, Burnham, Trentham, Wellington, Papakura and Waiouru.