Max Sakarai-Sarll

Bringing fresh eyes to complex challenges.
Because sometimes not knowing everything yet is an advantage.

About Me

I'm a second-year Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in Public Policy and minoring in International Relations at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. I'm also doing some accounting on the side to understand the financial systems underpinning the world of government and politics.
I've been regarded amongst the top-performing students in courses across multiple disciplines, including politics, economics and accounting. My professional interests involve any policy careers within government; however I also strongly value any opportunities to upskill.

Experience

My work and other experience has given me strong skills in working with diverse individuals and programme facilitation. I strive to develop these alongside my leadership skills and ability to work under pressure.

  • Accounts Payable Administrator (January 2024 - present), where I currently manage accounts payable processes and financial reconciliation in Xero at Parallel 42, a Christchurch-based business intelligence consultancy. I also support senior management with administrative operations when necessary.

  • Teaching Assistant (February 2026 - June 2026) at Victoria University of Wellington. Here, I help facilitate practical exercises to reinforce learning, mark student's work and help students one-on-one where necessary.

  • Volunteer at Victoria University of Wellington (January 2025 - present). Significant work here includes providing support services to international students and promoting university volunteer programmes. I also participated in the NZELTO CP programme, meeting weekly with government officials to improve their English.

  • Student Consultant with Ako in Action (July 2025 - September 2025, March 2026 - June 2026), a Victoria University of Wellington-based programme. In this role, I co-led collaborative teams of students and lecturers to enhance university teaching practices through classroom observations and assessment redesign.

Projects

  • POLS112. This group presentation involved building the ideal political system for a closed-loop society, for which I contributed significantly towards the rights framework and exchange system.

  • POLS114. This group project involved analysing how concepts correlate to real-world events. I took on a leadership role for this project, analysing how nationalism influenced the 2025 Gaza War and coordinating meetup times to discuss the project.

  • ACCY130. This essay involved analysing how different companies are meeting ESG requirements in New Zealand, for which I received full marks.

Personal Interests

In my spare time, I enjoy participating in case competitions with the Victoria Business Consulting Club to further develop my teamwork, problem-solving and public speaking skills. I also enjoy tramping to increase my physical fitness, be out in nature and see parts of the country I would not get to otherwise. This interest has also allowed me to gain a First Aid certification in July 2025 through the tramping club at Victoria University of Wellington and Triple One Care.

Contact

Let's connect! I'm always eager to discuss opportunities to upskill.