Advisor, Food Standards at Ministry for Primary Industries, Wellington City

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Job Title: Adviser (Food and Seafood Standards)

Role type: Permanent, Full time 40hours

Location: Wellington City

Salary band & range: General Salary Range F depending on skills and experience.

 

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

As an experienced Adviser in the Food and Seafood Standards team, you will play an important role in supporting the development, maintenance, and communication of requirements and guidance for food and seafood produced and sold in Aotearoa New Zealand.

This role is well‑suited to someone who enjoys structured processes, produces high‑quality written work, and is confident coordinating documents, workflows, and stakeholder engagement. You will help ensure our standards, tools, and publications are accurate, accessible, and issued in line with regulatory requirements.

Key responsibilities include:

• Supporting the development and maintenance of food safety and suitability standards
• Contributing to the creation and updating of Food Control Plans, templates, tools, and guidance for food businesses
• Coordinating our standard‑setting and publication processes, ensuring documentation meets regulatory and quality requirements
• Maintaining public‑facing information and managing internal review schedules
• Preparing clear, well‑structured papers, minutes, and communications for stakeholder meetings, and tracking actions
• Contributing to the smooth operation of our internal systems and quality management processes

This is a great opportunity for someone who takes pride in well-organised work, enjoys communicating technical information clearly, and wants to help maintain a trusted, effective food regulatory system.

 

About You – Mōu

We are seeking an enthusiastic and detail‑oriented individual who enjoys working with clear processes and ensuring high‑quality, well‑structured outputs.

While an understanding of food safety is beneficial, we are especially interested in someone who can manage standards development processes, maintain our external publications and communications, and support our internal quality management systems with confidence and clarity.

Your strengths will include:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical information into clear, accessible content
• A strong process mindset—you enjoy following established procedures, ensuring all requirements are met, and keeping documentation up to date
• Good organisational and time‑management skills, with strong attention to detail
• Experience contributing to the development of standards, guidance, or other structured publications
• An interest in New Zealand's food regulatory system, including food safety principles and the regulation of food made and sold in New Zealand
• An understanding of the Food Act 2014, Food Standards Code, or legislative processes

You do not need to meet every requirement to be considered. If you are a strong communicator with a passion for clear processes, quality documentation, and supporting good regulatory practice, we encourage you to apply. We offer a supportive environment with opportunities for learning and professional development.

 

About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū

The Food and Seafood Standards team sits within the Food Risk Management directorate, plays a vital role in protecting New Zealand's food system.

This specialised team are responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining regulatory requirements and guidelines, as well as providing expert technical advice across their respective areas.  The other team members are available to provide support and guidance, ensuring you're well-equipped to contribute effectively. Working closely with other teams across the directorate, we take a collaborative, science-based approach to food safety and risk management.

This is a great opportunity to be part of meaningful work that supports food safety and the integrity of New Zealand's Food Safety System.

 

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.

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

 

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, Tuesday 17^th February.

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

 

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