Senior Adviser Food Act Businesses | Auckland MPI Centre

Job Description

Senior Adviser (Food Act Businesses)

Role type: Permanent, full-time

Location: Auckland

Salary band & range: General Salary Range D: $102,953 to $120,365 depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

Are you an experienced food industry professional, with a knack for building strong business networks, and condensing complex technical information into actionable and accessible advice?

We are looking for a driven and vibrant Senior Adviser to help grow and refine our service offering, improving access to key food safety information for domestic food businesses. This is an exciting and developing area of the team, so although there are strong foundations in place, there is plenty of scope for the right person to shape what comes next and have a lasting impact.

The Senior Adviser will be accountable for assessing, building, and delivering a work programme that establishes/grows channels to deliver support and regulatory guidance to food businesses operating in the domestic market, with a particular focus on ‘one-to-many' advice channels. As the work develops, this role will also support the transition from an initial project phase, into an established ‘BAU' service.

Key deliverables include stakeholder mapping and building/growing relationships with strategic stakeholders (such as wholesalers, distributors and ingredient suppliers) in the domestic market, as well as identifying how these and other channels can be best used to efficiently deliver guidance and regulatory advice to small businesses from trusted and accessible sources.

Key responsibilities of the role will include:

• Building and maintaining relationships with key industry stakeholders and other sources of trusted advice for small food businesses
• Making information easier for food businesses to find, use and understand, and tailoring this for different market segments
• Developing relationships and contacts throughout MPI, and connecting and translating internal expert knowledge into accessible advice that is easy for businesses to understand and action
• Using data to identify trends, issues, patterns and pain points for different sectors and businesses.
• Representing New Zealand Food Safety at key industry events (occasional domestic travel required).

Due to the nature of the role, an element of adaptability and flexibility is required as the work develops.

About You - Mōu

• Excellent communication and listening skills – be able to understand technical issues and translate into simple, easily communicated information
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a wide variety of people, including demonstrated success working across business groups in a collaborative manner using effective influencing skills
• A strong track record of leading and delivering results, including planning and organising work
• Experience understanding the needs of clients in diverse segments, identifying and managing their needs effectively
• Ability to navigate organisational dynamics and seek alignment on diverse priorities while maintaining a strong professional presence
• Confidence to prioritise and deliver on your work programme in a high visibility role that requires reporting and working with senior leaders and stakeholders
• A tertiary qualification (or minimum 3yrs equivalent experience)
• Food tech or science knowledge is not compulsory but would be useful
• Experience navigating food rules and/or working in the food sector (food manufacturing, hospitality, auditing, consultancy etc.) is highly advantageous but not compulsory

About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū

The Regulatory Advice Service (RAS) is a key function within MPI that communicates on a day-to-day basis with businesses around New Zealand to support their growth and a thriving New Zealand economy. We support business by providing advice on the regulations that underpin New Zealand's food imports, domestic operations, and exports. We do this by providing guidance, webinars, and online tools, and answering direct queries.

The Imported and Domestic Food Regulatory Advice (IDFRA) team within RAS specifically focuses on supporting importers and domestic businesses operating under the Food Act. We are a collaborative and interactive team that enjoys working together to provide a customer- centric approach to our work.

While the team is primarily based in Wellington, this role is based in our Auckland (Māngere) office due to proximity with key stakeholders and industry events.

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.

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 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 midnight on Wednesday 5 August 2026.

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

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