Business Adviser - Cost Recovery Oversight | Wellington City

Job Description

Business Adviser, Cost Recovery Oversight

Location: Wellington City

Role type: Permanent, full-time

Salary band & range: General Salary Range F: $76,463 to $89,215 depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

As a Business Adviser, you will link financial information, operational activity, and regulatory settings. Your work will involve analysing data, supporting reviews of charging structures, forecasting revenue and expenditure, and preparing clear documentation to support both regulatory change and day‑to‑day operations.

This role supports how New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) designs, reviews, and implements cost recovery frameworks for food safety services. You will help ensure that fees, charges, and levies are transparent, robust, and aligned with legislation.

You will work closely with colleagues across finance, policy, procurement, and NZFS operational teams, as well as other MPI business units. The role offers varied work, including supporting new charging regimes and reviewing existing ones, while building a strong understanding of regulatory systems and financial performance across the food safety portfolio.

Key mahi: 

• Analyse cost, revenue, and expenditure data to support forecasting and reporting
• Support the design, review, and implementation of cost recovery fees, charges, and levies
• Assist with implementing cost recovery mechanisms across the business
• Draft and maintain cost recovery documentation, guidance, and procedures
• Monitor memorandum accounts and support financial reporting for industry
• Work closely with finance teams, NZFS managers, and subject matter experts across MPI
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders

About You - Mōu

You enjoy working with data and information and can turn analysis into clear, practical advice. You take a methodical approach, ask good questions, and are comfortable working across multiple priorities in a busy environment.

You communicate clearly and confidently, both in writing and verbally, and can explain financial or regulatory concepts in a way others can easily understand. You are organised, detail‑focused, and reliable under time pressure.

You work well with others, build strong relationships, and contribute positively to a team culture. You bring a solid analytical foundation and an interest in how cost recovery supports effective public services and good regulatory outcomes.

We're interested in people who bring:

• A relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent experience in finance, accounting, business, commerce, or similar
• Experience providing financial, analytical, or business support
• Strong analytical skills, including cost, pricing, and reporting
• Ability to identify issues and contribute to clear, well‑structured advice

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

You'll join the Cost Recovery Oversight Team within Regulatory Support & Performance at New Zealand Food Safety. We are a collaborative, multi‑disciplinary group working closely with finance, policy, operational teams and NZFS leaders to deliver high‑quality, transparent cost recovery systems across Aotearoa's food safety regulatory landscape.

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

• Annual Wellness payment
• Career development and internal opportunities across the branch and organisation
• Professional membership reimbursement

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 11:59pm on Sunday 3rd May, 2026.
If you have any questions about the role, please email Abby.Walker@mpi.govt.nz

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