Programme Lead - Red Meat initiatives | Wellington City

Job Description

Programme Lead Red Meat Initiatives

Role type: Fixed-term until 30 October 2026, full-time

Location: Wellington

Salary band & range: General Salary Range C: $119,376 to $145,000 depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

This role leads a programme across New Zealand Food Safety aimed at reducing cases of Yersiniosis in New Zealand, this involves coordinating, directing and influencing a multidisciplinary project team to design and implement targeted interventions.

A key focus for the role is to strengthening relationships across the pork supply chain including with NZ Pork, pig farmers, processors, wholesalers, distributors and retailers, to foster a collaborative approach.  This will involve establishing a governance structure with broad industry representation.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Lead a cross-directorate programme to reduce notified Yersiniosis cases through coordinated interventions.
• Direct and influence a multidisciplinary project team to ensure effective planning, implementation and evaluation of initiatives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships across the pork supply chain, including industry bodies, producers, processors, and retailers.
• Develop and implement a governance framework with representation from key stakeholders.

About You – Mōu

We're looking for someone with a track record of driving successful delivery of complex work programmes.  You will be politically aware and understand how government works. You'll be a confident communicator with a proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships across diverse stakeholder groups, navigating complexity with diplomacy and tact.  You will be highly collaborative and thrive on working with others. 

You will also offer:

• Demonstrated experience in planning, managing and delivering complex programmes or workstreams, ideally with regulatory and food safety context.
• Proven ability to build and maintain effective relationships with diverse external stakeholders, including industry bodies, producers, and government agencies.
• Experience working across internal business groups and external agencies to support coordinated programme delivery.
• Skilled in establishing and managing governance groups, including coordinating meetings, agendas, and decision-making processes.
• Ability to lead and influence others to achieve programme outcomes, including guiding cross-functional teams and external contributors.
• Experience mentoring or supporting staff to build capability and ensure effective implementation of work programmes.
• Strong skills in identifying risks and issues, and in monitoring and reporting progress to senior leaders and governance bodies.

About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū

The Meat & Organics team sits in the Food Risk Management directorate of New Zealand Food Safety. Food Risk Management is responsible for setting standards for food production, processing, importing and exporting; identifying emerging food safety risks; and delivering an agile and evolving food compliance and response system.

Based primarily out of Wellington in Pastoral House, our team is hard working and friendly. People enjoy working in this team because we have an energetic and positive team environment. Our work spans across many areas and so there will always be opportunities to learn, grow and try new things.

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.

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 Sundya, 15 October.

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