Senior People Adviser at Ministry for Primary Industries, Wellington City

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Job Title: Senior People Adviser

Role Type: Fixed term through to June 2027, full time preferred (minimum 32 hours/week)

Location: Wellington City

Salary band & range: General Salary Range D: $100,934 to $120,000 depending on skills and experience

 

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

This pivotal role provides expert guidance across a broad spectrum of HR functions, contributing to organisational performance and strategic outcomes. You will support workforce planning, remuneration, culture development, employment relations, performance management, and change leadership. As a trusted adviser to People Leaders and leadership teams, you will bring a proactive, customer-focused approach to delivering People and Capability services. Working within a dynamic environment, you will help embed MPI's systems and processes while shaping a resilient, agile, and future-ready organisation.

 

Operating in an exciting space that contributes to positive outcomes for New Zealand, you will engage with diverse teams and stakeholders across a wide range of work. You will support complex problem-solving, provide trusted employment relations advice, and work collaboratively with unions, while strengthening talent, capability, and workforce planning outcomes. This role offers varied and meaningful work, with opportunities to learn alongside others and contribute to a connected and high-performing organisation.

 

Your impact will be felt through:

• Building people capability across a diverse and skilled workforce
• Delivering customer-centric solutions as a responsive and trusted adviser
• Strengthening connections across the People and Capability Directorate, MPI, and external partners

 

About You – Mōu

You are a relationship builder, strategic thinker, and confident communicator who thrives in complex environments. You bring a calm, solutions-focused approach to performance, employment relations, and organisational change, tailoring your support to meet stakeholder needs. You build trust quickly, work effectively across diverse groups, and contribute to a collaborative, high-performing team environment.

 

To succeed in this role, you will have:

• An HR qualification or equivalent practical experience of seven years or more
• Strong generalist HR experience in complex organisations
• Sound knowledge of employment legislation and navigating collective agreements
• Proven experience supporting and embedding organisational change
• A solutions-focused approach to stakeholder needs
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to build trust quickly
• Confidence engaging with leaders, staff, unions, and representatives
• Public sector experience (preferred)

 

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

Our People Advisory team spans Wellington, Christchurch, and Auckland, bringing together a collaborative, high-performing group of experienced professionals. We provide strategic and operational support across employment relations, remuneration, leadership development, change management, and business unit projects. Working closely with leaders and teams, we focus on building capability, strengthening culture, and enabling people to thrive in a dynamic environment.

 

You'll be joining a supportive, friendly, and highly capable team with strong tenure and deep organisational knowledge. We value connection, shared learning, and delivering quality outcomes together, while creating an environment where everyone feels welcomed. If you're passionate about people and want to make a meaningful difference, this is a team where you can grow, contribute, and be part of something truly impactful.

 

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
• Ability to purchase extra annual leave
• Reduced premiums for Group Healthcare Schemes

 

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 Tuesday 16 June 2026  

 

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

 

Follow MPI here - Whāia ngā tūhononga ki MPI i konei

Links to Facebook, MPI Careers, LinkedIn, X