Adviser (Animal Approvals & Advice) | Wellington City

Job Description

Adviser (Animal Approvals & Advice)

Role type: Fixed until 12 June 2026, full-time

Location: Wellington

Salary band & range: General Salary Range F: $74,964 to $87,466  depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

As an Adviser within the Standards Implementation and Approvals group within Biosecurity New Zealand.

This team plays a vital role in ensuring New Zealand's biosecurity system remains robust and responsive by managing permits, approvals, and providing advice on live animal and animal product imports.

In this role, you'll assess and process permits, provide technical advice on non-conformance reports, and support the implementation of biosecurity standards.

You'll also work closely with internal and external stakeholders to ensure regulatory and non-regulatory tools are applied effectively and efficiently.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Assessing and advising on permits and equivalence requests for individual consignments.

• Providing advice on non-conformance reports and responding to enquiries.
• Supporting the development and delivery of systems for approvals and permits.
• Identifying and helping to resolve issues affecting the delivery of regulatory and non-regulatory tools.
• Maintaining and updating relevant databases and managing enquiries.
• Collaborating with a range of internal teams and external stakeholders to ensure practical, justified decisions.
• Participate in response activities as required under the New Zealand Coordinated Incident Management System (CIMS).

About You – Mōu

To be successful in this role, you are someone who brings a practical understanding of international trade of live animals and animal products.

You may have experience working in a regulatory or scientific environment, or come from an operational background, and will be confident navigating complex information, applying sound judgement, and communicating clearly and efficiently with a wide range of stakeholders.

You'll thrive in this role if you're adaptable, detail-focused, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment. You will enjoy solving problems, collaborating across teams, and contributing to the integrity of New Zealand's biosecurity system.

Your specific experience will include:

• A relevant tertiary qualification.
• An understanding of regulatory frameworks and their practical application.
• Relevant technical or professional experience, ideally in a regulatory, trade, or primary industries context.
• The ability to produce clear and accurate advice.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with sound judgement.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building abilities.
• Confidence working under pressure and managing competing priorities.

We are seeking someone motivated, collaborative, and keen to have a bit of fun along the way.

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 Animal Approvals and Advice team is made of four Advisers and two Senior Advisers, all based in Wellington City. The team implements the rules for safe trade in live animals and animal products.

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.

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 click “Apply” 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 Sunday, 18 May.

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

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