About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

Are you passionate about the growth of New Zealand and the contribution to be made by our food and fibre businesses?

The Regulatory Advice Service is a key function within MPI that communicates on a day-to-day basis with businesses around New Zealand to support their growth and a thriving New Zealand economy. We support business by providing competent advice on the regulations that underpin New Zealand's food and fibre exports and food imports. We do this by providing guidance, webinars and online tools and through email queries and phone calls. We are undergoing a period of change as we expand into supporting food importers and applying what we have learned to enable New Zealand food and fibre business to successfully export products.

We are after an experienced and catalytic Principal Adviser to work alongside the Manager and team to lift the profile and performance of the Service. Your core responsibility will be to provide thought leadership and support to the Manager, designing and supporting the Regulatory Advice Service strategy and communication plan. You will communicate and monitor the performance against our plan and look for ways we can improve on our service delivery.

More specifically, you will:

• Support the RAS Manager in developing and implementing aspects of the work programme
• Provide original thinking, anticipate issues, and explore ideas and opportunities to improve the customer experience
• Consult widely with customers, external stakeholders and within MPI
• Improve RAS performance through influencing, developing, and championing initiatives and new ways of working
• Monitor performance against plans and provide reporting into MPI systems
• Provide input into the priorities for the RAS work plan
• Identify and lead agreed areas of work
• Communicate issues and facilitate clarity of understanding

About You - Mōu

To be successful in this role, you will have significant experience in programme planning and delivery, with the proven ability to provide strategic thinking and input. Your experience will likely include extensive knowledge of government agency functions, strategies, and primary sector legislative frameworks.

It will be useful to have some regulatory experience, food & fibre business experience, operations management, or experience in a customer service environment.

In addition to your specific technical experience, you will have excellent stakeholder engagement abilities, with both internal and external customers, and be confident in establishing and maintaining relationships with a wide variety of people.

Your experience will include:

• Project/programme management, Service design/design thinking, process improvement experience
• Conceptual and analytical skills and systems thinking ability, and able to deal comfortably with ambiguity and complexity
• Excellent communication and listening skills – be able to understand technical issues objectively, consider options and translate into simple, easily communicated information
• The confident and ability to undertake higher complexity tasks and manage complex projects
• Knowledge of the principles, practices, operation, and environment of primary product exporting
• Applying analytical frameworks and understanding the nature of technical issues & problems and identifying a range of possible solutions
• Ability to make tough decisions and balance competing issues, when decision making is delegated.

About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū

The Regulatory Advice Service of MPI provides support for New Zealand exporters, importers, and food businesses on regulations administered under legislation that supports the New Zealand food and fibre sector. It enables businesses to better understand its requirements for export from New Zealand and its obligations in export markets, thereby directly supporting the growth of New Zealand's international export trade. It also supports importers to know their obligations under New Zealand food safety legislation, helping to ensure suitable and safe food is imported, protecting the reputation of the New Zealand food system

About MPI - Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) partners with New Zealand's food and fibre sector to be the world's most trusted provider of high-value food and primary products.

To find out more about the Ministry and what we do please click here.

Benefits of working at MPI - Ngā hua o te mahi i te Manatū Ahu Matua

• Additional MPI leave days
• Annual Wellness payment
• Bi-annual paid eye test and contribution to the costs of corrective lenses/frames

Are you ready to make a difference? - Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake?

We are committed to being a good partner under Te Tiriti o Waitangi which includes working closely with iwi, hapū, whānau and hāpori.

We aspire to reflect the diverse communities we serve, so we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, and identities. As an organisation, we are committed to making Manatū Ahu Matua Ministry for Primary Industries a great place to work for all.

In your cover letter we'd like to know about you, your values; your interest and motivations for this role; the abilities, strengths, personal attributes and diverse perspectives you will bring to the role and this organisation, which may have also been gained outside of the workforce.

To view the position description and/or apply online, please apply for this job or visit the MPI Careers Site. To apply, you must hold the right to work in New Zealand or be eligible to obtain it – click here to find out more about work visa eligibility and options.

Applications close at 11:59pm on Thursday, 20 March

If you have any questions about the role, please email shane.gooch@mpi.govt.nz

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