Senior Advisor (Food & Seafood Standards) | Wellington City

Job Description

Senior Adviser (Food & Seafood Standards)

Role type: Permanent, full-time

Location: Wellington

Salary band & range: General Salary Range D: $100,934 to $118,005 depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

Do you care deeply about the safety and quality of the food we eat? Are you ready to use your technical expertise and food manufacturing experience to help shape New Zealand's food safety system and support food businesses into the future?

As a Senior Adviser in the Food & Seafood Standards team, you'll help develop and maintain food safety standards that are practical, evidence-based, and aligned with international best practice.

You'll work closely with food producers, processors, and exporters to ensure our food is safe, trusted, and meets consumer expectations.

This is a chance to make a real impact—supporting food businesses, contributing to international standards, and helping New Zealand food reach more tables around the world.

More specifically, your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading the development, review, and implementation of domestic food standards and guidance material.
• Providing high-quality, evidence-based technical advice to support policy and operational decisions.
• Drafting clear, robust standards and guidance documents related to food safety and suitability.
• Monitoring and reporting on emerging trends, risks, and innovations in food and seafood production.
• Partnering with stakeholders to co-design innovative regulatory and non-regulatory solutions.
• Leading and contributing to food safety initiatives and risk management strategies.
• Managing complex projects, including planning, stakeholder engagement, and resource coordination.
• Coaching and mentoring team members to build capability and supporting team development.
• Facilitating pragmatic approaches to regulatory challenges that improve compliance and reduce unnecessary complexity.
• Contributing to strategic planning, priority setting, and performance reporting.
• Preparing reports and briefings to senior officials and Ministers.

About You – Mōu

To be successful in this role, you will have strong experience and knowledge of New Zealand's regulatory system and legislation concerning food standards and a strong understanding of the Food Act 2014, Animal Products Act 1999, and the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Additionally, your experience and skills will include:

• Proven knowledge of food and production and processing practices.
• Expert technical knowledge of food safety systems, related regulation, and policies.
• Expert knowledge of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), risk management and food compliance.
• Developing and implementing food safety regulation and policy.
• Proven ability to gather, analyse, and synthesise complex information to inform decision-
• Broad understanding of the wider policy and regulatory environment, including institutional knowledge.

In addition to your technical skills, you'll also have strong written and verbal communications skills, (and able to convey complex information clearly), excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills (and able to lead and facilitate technical discussions and forums), and the ability to mentor and support team development.

About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū

The Food and Seafood Standards team holds specialised knowledge in the areas of food safety and aquaculture. They are responsible for ensuring our standards are evidence based, ensure food in New Zealand is safe. The team ensures our rules are fair, reasonable and easily adopted by Food Businesses.  

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 fibre 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 via this advert 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, 31 August.

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

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