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New Zealand Government Procurement set to open applications for 2027 graduate program

New Zealand is investing in the next generation of procurement professionals, with applications for the 2027 New Zealand Government Procurement Graduate Programme (NZGPGP) opening this July ahead of a February 2027 intake.

The two-year initiative, delivered by Augment Resources for New Zealand Government Procurement (NZGP), will recruit 10 graduates to undertake four six-month placements across various government agencies in Auckland and Wellington, providing broad exposure to public sector procurement and commercial practice.

Designed to develop future procurement leaders, the graduate pathway combines on-the-job experience with structured mentoring and support towards an internationally recognised procurement qualification, giving graduates the opportunity to build technical capability while working on government procurement projects.

“Procurement is the strategic engine of government agencies. It goes far beyond basic buying by managing vendor relationships, mitigating market risks and working across government,” said NZGP Procurement Workforce and Capability Manager Pamela Glass.

“The graduate programme empowers people to train up, develop a sense of what they want from their careers, grow their sense of public service, and begin to push the boundaries of what is possible for themselves and the procurement community.”

Unlike traditional graduate roles that place participants within a single organisation, the NZGPGP exposes graduates to multiple procurement teams, allowing them to experience different procurement strategies, markets and stakeholder environments. 

Participants will work across the full procurement lifecycle, from strategy and market analysis through to sourcing and contract management.

The program has been running for several years and has become an established pathway into government procurement, with previous graduates going on to secure careers in procurement across both the public and private sectors, while government agencies have benefited from a pipeline of emerging talent.

Applications for the 2027 cohort will open on 17 July 2026 and close on 17 August 2026. For more information, contact Augment Resources or the NZGP capability team.