KEY POINTS:
Helen Clark is tipped to retire from Parliament within a year to take up an international posting.
John Key's new Government will back her in the international back-room lobbying that would be required for a post like Unesco director-general, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or International Labour
Organisation director-general.
Clark has been a staunch supporter of the role of the United Nations, as a defender of small nations in a world again dominated by superpowers.
But Peter Davis, her husband, told the Herald on Sunday that the couple would also like to remain close to family here in New Zealand, so that would be a factor in any decision.
Clark and outgoing deputy prime minister Michael Cullen will stand down from Labour's front bench early this week, in Phil Goff's first proper reshuffle.
There will be at least three vacancies in Labour's shadow Cabinet, as tourism minister Damien O'Connor lost his seat at last weekend's election.
Strong contenders for promotion will include Darren Hughes and Sue Moroney. Goff said he had consulted Clark and Cullen in making decisions.
Clark has temporarily taken the role of Labour spokesperson on foreign affairs, but her international aspirations are thought to reach far further than that _ most likely to Europe.
The Paris-based Unesco role, held by Koichiro Matsuura of Japan, will be up for grabs next year. Unesco is charged with promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture.
In Geneva next year, Chilean Juan Somavia will conclude his second five-year term as International Labour Organization director-general.
And the High Commissioner for Refugees post, also in Geneva, is expected to become available in 2010, when Antonio Guterres, of Portugal, completes his five-year term. Clark's record on supporting refugees, including accepting the Tampa asylum-seekers, would set her in good stead for such a role.
Goff, the new Labour Party leader, said the New Zealand Government should "jump at the opportunity" to promote Clark to one such role.
She would excel in a role like leading Unesco or UNHCR, he said. "She has the intellect, she has the determination, she has the energy, she has the experience, and she has the international contacts. In any top level position internationally, she would do superbly well.
"These positions are under enormous competition, of course, and there are countries larger than New Zealand that will be putting up candidates.
"But I think if it were based on merit and suitability for the task, she would have the capacity to carry out the functions of any of those positions and more beyond," Goff added. "Much as we would like to hold on to her experience in the caucus, if the opportunity arose there would scarcely be a fair-minded New Zealander who wouldn't think that New Zealand as a country should push for her elevation to such a role."
Clark has not spoken publicly in the past week but husband Davis said they had made no decisions about where they might go next: Paris, Geneva, even New York.
"I know that Helen always had a Plan A and that was it," he said. "Her life has changed many times in politics _ I mean, that's the nature of it."
But Clark has elderly parents in New Zealand.
Davis said being with family was important, even though they would consider living overseas.
"New Zealand is my home and you do get to the stage where home is where the heart is. One downside of politics, especially at Helen's level, is that there is a danger that you don't do enough with your family and your true friends.
"So frankly, from my point of view, that's quite a good thing to be thinking about and working on rather than thinking about overseas jobs."