About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

Sitting within the Assurance directorate and reporting to the Director, Assurance, the Manager Food and Live Animal Assurance is responsible for developing and maintaining fit for purpose animal products and live animal/germplasm official assurance programmes to support export trade.

The Manager Food and Live Animal Assurance contributes to leadership of the Assurance Directorate, which is responsible for instilling trust and confidence in New Zealand's regulatory and assurance systems.

The responsibliies of this role are three fold:

Technical Leadership:

• Assure the integrity, safety and reputation of New Zealand's primary products and enable market access for New Zealand's primary products by developing, maintaining and continually improving fit for purpose official assurance/certification systems for animal products and live animal/germplasm exports
• Monitor the performance of animal products and live animal/germplasm official assurance systems, including sector performance and verifier performance and calibration

Stakeholder Liaison

• Partner with stakeholders to facilitate innovative approaches to grow New Zealand's exports and meet emerging environmental challenges by maintaining robust and efficient official assurance programme
• Keeping Up-to-date knowledge of current trends in the international and domestic regulatory environments, particularly for animal products and food to effectively communicate with key stakeholders

People Management:

• Provide leadership and management to all staff within the function by ensuring robust processes for communication, engagement, learning and development and performance management are implemented
• Manage all resources and outcomes within the function through the effective implementation of organisational processes and procedures (e.g., health and safety, recruitment, financial, planning, monitoring and measuring, reporting)

About You - Mōu

We are looking for an excellent communicator (both written and verbal) who can lead a team of technical experts effectively. This role requires confidence, accountability, diplomacy and the ability to motivate others by leading from the front.

Our next Manager, Food and Live Animal assurance will be an assurance professional coupled with managerial experience. You will also bring a high level of experience in the development and implementation of organisational strategies and plans. You may come from an adjacent government agency or have a successful background in people leadership from industry.

A key aspect of this positon is relationship management. You must have exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to build rapport as well as influence across international borders and industries.

Your background will also have/include:

• Tertiary qualification relating to the primary or food sector
• Extensive knowledge with the Animal Products Act and Assurance
• Experience in gathering, organising, and communicating information. This includes being able to quickly understand the nature of problems, identify a range of possible solutions
• Understanding the theory of trade including the working of international trading arrangements, the WTO and various international agreements
• You do not need to meet all of the role requirements to apply. We offer a breadth of development and learning opportunities and will welcome an application if you think you could make a great fit.

About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū

The Food and Live Animal Assurance Team conducts a range of activities aimed at facilitating, maintaining, and enhancing trade, through the provision of trusted export assurances. These functions include, but are not limited to;

• Managing official assurances and export requirements for animal products, live animals and germplasm and halal products (meat, poultry and dairy).
• Managing reported non-conformances (Dairy Critical Exceptions, Exporter Non-Conformances and Product Dispositions).
• Maintain and improve the Animal Product (AP) E-cert system (being replaced by the new Trade Certification system)
• Monitor performance animal product, live animal and germplasm sectors, including recognised persons/agencies and help them maintain or improve their competencies.

About MPI - Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua

Our role includes seizing export opportunities for our food and fibre sector, improving sector productivity, ensuring the food we produce is safe, increasing sustainable resource use, and protecting New Zealand from biological risk.

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

• Additional MPI leave days
• Ability to purchase extra annual leave
• Annual Wellness payment

Security checks - Ngā Taki Whakahaumaru

Low level Security Clearance

most preferably a New Zealand citizen, who has resided continuously in New Zealand for at least the last five (5) years, OR
is a citizen of, and/or has resided continuously in one or more of the following countries for the last five (5) years: either Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (UK) or the United States of America (USA); and has a background history that is verifiable and can be assessed as appropriate by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) towards a recommendation of suitability for a security clearance at this level.
click here to find out more about the national security vetting process and access the eligibility self-check tool.
If you do not meet these minimum criteria, we will not be able to accept your application.

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 click “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 midnight on Sunday 27th April 2025.

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

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