Team Leader Certification at Ministry for Primary Industries, Auckland MPI Centre

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Team Leader Certification

Role Type: Permanent, Full-time

Location: Auckland MPI Centre

Salary Range: VTS 6: $113,838 progressing to $142,297 per annum - Depending on skills and experience of the successful applicant

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

 We have an exciting opportunity for a veterinarian to lead the Certification North team based in Auckland and Hamilton. This team plays an important part in the New Zealand public sector, where you will issue export certificates for animal products to facilitate trade from New Zealand to overseas countries.

Reporting to the Certification Team Manager, this position plays an important role in creating a great working environment for staff, while ensuring that all expected operational, quality, project and certification outcomes are delivered. As a strong leader, you will promote a culture of continuous improvement and a solution focused mind set, to ensure a high level of quality and service in your team. Excellent communication skills and attention to details will be essential in succeeding in this role, as well as a demonstrated ability to manage staff in a high throughput technical environment.

As Team Leader Certification North, you will lead a team of veterinary certifiers that are capable of delivering nationally consistent, high quality certification services. This position works within the national Certification team, alongside two other Team Leaders and a Specialist Adviser - Certification. For this position, the Certification Team works together with Bilateral Relations & Trade and Food Assurance to deliver a high standard of certification that meets regulatory and Overseas Market Access Requirements for all animal products including meat, seafood, honey and dairy.

This is an office-based role at the Auckland MPI Centre, working Monday to Friday between 8.00am – 5.00pm typically.

This is a unique opportunity to lead and make a difference. If you want to become part of a diverse and fascinating organisation that offers a wide range of exciting career options and want to make a real difference then you need to apply and join us on our exciting journey growing and protecting New Zealand!

The following key tasks will be part of your challenging and varied role:

• Responsible for the day to day operations of the department
• Lead and motivate your team to deliver a professional standard of customer service, and maintain a positive and cooperative attitude towards clients and team members
• Issue official assurances in the form of electronic health certificates and issue eligibility documents for exporters and RMP business operators
• Keep up to date on Overseas Market Access Requirements (OMAR) notifications
• Ensure that official assurances issued are valid and will withstand third party audit
• Accept accountability for decisions and actions taken in discharging the legal powers and duties as specified in the Animal Products Act.
• Handling calls and emails from clients, troubleshooting and providing guidance.
• Investigation of complaints and non-conformances and completion of corrective actions
• Ongoing identification of quality, operational and efficiency improvement opportunities

Mō tō mātou Rōpū - About the Team 

Reporting to the Team Manager, Certification, the role sits within the Circuit & Specialists group of the Verification Services directorate. MPI Verification Services (MPI VS) provides a range of food safety and biosecurity verification and certification services to support market access strategies and setting standards.

About You - Mōu 

We are looking for a candidate who would like to lead people, can demonstrate strong judgement and decision-making skills, as well as the ability to work collaboratively with a diverse team of specialists and external operators.

The successful candidate will be:

• Be a New Zealand registered Veterinarian with the Veterinary Council of New Zealand

• Highly motivated and driven with professional attitude to lead and deliver a world class service
• Solutions focused with ability to problem solve and adapt under pressure
• Continuous improvement mind set and quality conscious
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Experience in managing relationships with an assortment of external stakeholders and customers
• Integrity and trust, ethics and values, resilience, adaptability and openness

Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua - About MPI 

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 

• Additional MPI leave days
• Reduced premiums for Group Healthcare Schemes
• Professional membership reimbursement

See the benefits of working at MPI

Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake? - Are you ready to make a difference?

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 midnight on Sunday 25 May 2025.

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

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