Team Manager Plant Assurance

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

Team Manager Plant Assurance

Role type: Fixed-term/secondment until 30 Jun 2026

Location: Wellington

Salary band & range: General Salary Range C: $117,035 to $136,961 depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

We are looking for a fantastic people leader with strong technical knowledge and programme management experience to join the Plant Assurance Team.

As Team Manager Plant Assurance, your primary responsibility is to ensure the export assurance systems for plants, forestry, horticulture and seed meet the Ministry for Primary Industries' (MPI) expectations.

You'll lead a group of motivated individuals to maintain and strengthen the systems that underpin exports of plant & plant products from New Zealand. Our work supports a range of official assurances including phytosanitary (plant health) certification, and varietal certification for seeds. The team also leads a programme of work to develop an export assurance framework for horticulture food safety.  

In addition, you will contribute toward the wider work programme of the Plant, Wine and Organic Assurance group, including regulatory and technical advice to stakeholders, oversight of certification, monitoring and verification programmes, and working across the Assurance Directorate to ensure consistency of systems.

About You – Mōu

You will be an experienced manager with sharp facilitation, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills. You will be an excellent communicator (both written and verbal) who can lead a team with a supportive, collaborative style that supports both vertical and lateral stakeholders.

To be successful in this role, you will also have:

• a relevant tertiary qualification
• at least five years of relevant technical/professional experience
• knowledge of international agreements and standards for plant & plant products
• knowledge of internal audit/quality standards
• knowledge of New Zealand's regulatory environment

About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū

The Plant Assurance Team is part of the Plant, Wine & Organic Assurance Team (PWO) which is responsible for the Plant export assurance programme, Wine assurance programme and Official organic assurance programme. PWO's work supports over $15 billion in export trade, including the horticulture, wine, forestry, seed and organic sectors and plays a key role in assuring the integrity, safety and reputation of New Zealand's exported food and primary products. 

The Team Manager, Plant Assurance will have five direct reports. This is a mix of Advisers and Senior Advisers. You will report to the Manager, Plant & Wine Organic Assurance (PWO) and work closely with the Team Manager Wine Assurance.

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” 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 Wednesday, 16 July.

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

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