Training Specialist at Ministry for Primary Industries, Auckland City

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Training Specialist

Role type: Fixed-term until March 2029, full-time

Location: Auckland (St Johns)

Salary band & range: General Salary Range C: $119,376 to $139,700 depending on skills and experience

 

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

The Training Specialist plays a critical role in enabling organisational readiness for the transition to the new Plant Health & Environment Capability (PHEC) facility. This role is focused on understanding and defining capability needs across the organisation, ensuring staff and stakeholders are equipped to operate safely, compliantly, and effectively within a new PC2 and PC3 biocontainment environment.  As well as training facilitation, the role leads the analysis and planning required to identify who needs what training, why, and how it will be delivered to support both capability uplift and site transition.

Working closely with programme leads, subject matter experts, and key stakeholders, the Training Specialist provides end-to-end ownership of training readiness. This includes developing strategic training plans aligned to programme timelines and operational milestones, and supporting the organisation through significant change—such as understanding how the new facility design and fit-out enables new systems, equipment, processes, and regulatory requirements. The role is pivotal in ensuring training is embedded into business-as-usual operations, with a strong focus on compliance, risk management, and continuous improvement.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading comprehensive training needs analysis to identify capability gaps and training requirements across impacted groups
• Developing and maintaining Capability and Transition Training Plans aligned to programme timelines and operational readiness milestones
• Providing strategic direction and quality assurance for the design and coordination of training programmes covering capability uplift, site transition, and PC3 biocontainment requirements
• Ensuring training supports safe operation within new biocontainment boundaries, systems, equipment, workflows, and updated standards
• Planning and coordinating training delivery in line with programme schedules, proactively managing risks and dependencies
• Facilitating training sessions
• Guiding the development of high-quality training materials and resources, ensuring consistency and alignment with adult learning principles
• Partnering with programme leaders and stakeholders to support organisational change through targeted, practical training interventions and documentation
• Ensuring training outcomes support regulatory compliance, accreditation, and operational readiness at go-live, with effective transition into business-as-usual
• Establishing evaluation frameworks to measure training effectiveness, capability uplift, and operational impact, driving continuous improvement
• Overseeing training governance, records, and documentation to ensure audit readiness and compliance with organisational standards

 

About You – Mōu

You are an experienced training professional who designs learning with clear outcomes in mind—focusing on what people need to know, do, and apply in practice. You have a strong track record in large, complex programmes, leading training needs analysis, shaping strategic approaches, and delivering results through collaboration and influence. You operate confidently at both strategic and operational levels, partnering with stakeholders to translate business goals into effective capability solutions.

Your experience will include:

• A degree-level qualification or equivalent professional experience in a Training Specialist or similar role
• Over five years' experience as a highly regarded training or learning specialist
• Proven success leading training or capability initiatives within large, complex projects or programmes
• Strong experience in training needs analysis, including identifying performance gaps and defining capability requirements
• Demonstrated ability to design high-level training approaches, including assessment and evaluation frameworks
• Experience working collaboratively with stakeholders, including senior leaders, to align training with business outcomes
• The ability to navigate ambiguity and deliver results through relationships and influence
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly in both written and verbal formats
• Experience facilitating interactive learning and adapting approaches to suit diverse audiences
• Advanced thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to synthesise information into practical solutions
• Project management capability and experience working in environments focused on continuous improvement
• Expertise in digital or blended learning design and learning business partnering practices

You are also someone who builds trust quickly and works effectively with a wide range of perspectives, including strongly held views. You are adaptable, collaborative, and open to learning, while also bringing credible expertise that others rely on. Your ability to influence, partner, and guide others — combined with a willingness to roll up your sleeves and learn alongside subject matter experts — enables you to drive meaningful capability uplift in complex and evolving environments.

 

About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū

The PHEC Programme Training Specialist is part of a collaborative, cross-functional team responsible for effectively delivering training design and facilitation within the programme. The team includes programme and project managers, business analysts, change and communications specialists, technical experts, operational leaders and local site stakeholders, all working together to ensure continuity of service and alignment with programme objectives.

 

About MPI - Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua

We're a large organisation with massive scope from the frontline to policy development and beyond.

To find out more about the Ministry and what we do please click here.

 

Security checks – Ngā Taki Whakahaumaru

This roles require a New Zealand national security clearance. To be considered for this role, you must meet the eligibility criteria set out below.

CONFIDENTIAL national security clearance

• You must be a New Zealand citizen, or hold a New Zealand residence‑class visa (including permanent residence).
• You must have a minimum five (5)‑year background history that can be verified and assessed by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) to determine your suitability for a CONFIDENTIAL national security clearance.

Find out more about the national security vetting process here and access the eligibility self‑check tool here.

If you do not meet these minimum criteria, we will not be able to accept your application.

 

Drug and Alcohol Screening - Whakamātau Whakapōauau me te Waipiro

Please note, given this position is safety sensitive the preferred candidates(s) for the position will be required to undergo a drug and alcohol pre-employment screening test. Further information on this process can be found on our careers site, here.

 

Benefits of working at MPI - Ngā hua o te mahi i te Manatū Ahu

• 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 on Sunday, 31 May.

 

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

 

Follow MPI here - Whāia ngā tūhononga ki MPI i konei

Links to Facebook, MPI Careers, LinkedIn, X