Senior Adviser Red Meat | Wellington City

Job Description

Job title: Senior Adviser Red Meat

Role type: Permanent, full-time

Location: Wellington City, other NZ locations considered

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

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

As a Senior Adviser Red Meat in the Meat & Organics team, you'll support the food safety systems for New Zealand's beef, sheep, deer, pork and petfood industries.

In this role you will work closely with the processors, their industry associations, verifiers, and evaluators to find smarter, more effective ways to regulate a diverse sector and ensure compliance with the Animal Products Act and other relevant food safety standards.

This is a dynamic and proactive role that requires adaptability, strategic thinking, and a commitment to continuous improvement. You'll be part of a team who work in a fast-paced environment with diverse sectors and enjoy tackling complex challenges.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading or supporting the development, review, and implementation of food safety standards for New Zealand's beef, sheep, deer, pork and petfood industries
• Leading or supporting complex and highly visible projects and working with diverse stakeholder groups to achieve effective outcome
• Representing NZFS at meetings and forums as required and engage with stakeholders across government, industry and international partners to ensure our regulatory systems are robust and future focused
• Providing high-quality technical advice to other NZFS business units, MPI branches and Government, and relevant external stakeholders
• Support strategic planning, priority setting, and capability development within the team through mentoring and collaboration

About You – Mōu

To be successful in this role, you will understand the food safety system, regulatory frameworks, and the operating environment of the red meat sector. You'll bring a thoughtful, analytical approach to your work, with the ability to interpret complex information and translate it into practical, accessible advice. 

We're looking for someone who has:

• Knowledge and understanding of food safety regulatory frameworks and legislation, particularly the Animal Products Act 
• Understanding of animal products production, supply and processing operating environments in both an international and domestic context 
• Experience leading or contributing to complex and highly visible projects and working with diverse stakeholder groups to achieve effective outcomes 
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to present technical or policy information clearly to diverse audiences 
• Demonstrated success in building and maintaining collaborative relationships with stakeholders 
• Excellent problem-solving, organisational, and decision-making skills 

As important as your technical skills and experience, you're confident working independently, building collaborative relationships, and presenting technical or policy information to a range of audiences. You're organised, proactive, and solutions-focused, with the ability to balance competing priorities and making informed decisions.

We are open to secondments with industry partners on a case-by-case basis. If this is something you are interested in, please apply.

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's 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. 

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 

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/about-mpi/careers/working-mpi/benefits/ 

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.

Applications close at 11:59pm on Tuesday, 3rd March 2026.

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

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