Adviser

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI); Wellington; On-site; NZD 78,000 - 91,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Additional MPI leave days

Ability to purchase extra annual leave

Annual Wellness payment

Job summary

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) in Wellington seeks an Adviser for the Fisheries Contracts Portfolio to provide trusted procurement and contract management guidance across a portfolio of fisheries research and services contracts. You will coordinate procurement, contracting and governance activities with project leads, suppliers and specialist teams to support planning and sound decision-making.

The role emphasizes end-to-end process management, risk identification, and report-ready

Qualifications

• Experience providing advice and coordination support in procurement, contracting, projects or another structured operational environment.
• Experience managing end-to-end process activities, preparing documentation, coordinating approvals and maintaining reliable records.
• Sound analytical and problem‑solving skills, including identifying risks, issues, dependencies and improvement opportunities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear, practical guidance.
• Strong planning and organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and fixed deadlines.
• The ability to build trusted working relationships and collaborate with technical specialists, managers, suppliers and subject matter experts.
• A relevant tertiary qualification, or equivalent experience in contract management, procurement, commercial practice, finance, business or a related discipline.
• Knowledge of government procurement and standard contract management practice, or experience in government, fisheries, science, research or another regulated environment, would be beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end procurement activities for assigned projects, including documentation, reviews, approvals and evaluation support.
• Coordinate contract establishment, renewals, variations and closures, ensuring agreed actions and records are progressed accurately and on time.
• Provide practical advice on procurement approaches, contracting requirements, compliance obligations and process risks.
• Maintain schedules, registers and portfolio information, and report on progress, deadlines, risks, issues and exceptions.
• Build effective relationships across project teams, suppliers, Procurement, Legal, Finance and technical specialists.
• Contribute to improved templates, guidance, workflows, reporting tools and portfolio systems.

Skills

Procurement advice

Contract management

Stakeholder coordination

Risk management

Documentation

Communication

Education

Tertiary qualification in related field

Job description

Adviser, Fisheries Contracts Portfolio

Job Description

Role type: Fixed Term until June 2027, Full-Time

Location: Wellington

Salary band & range: General Salary Range F - $77,992 to $90,999 depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

This role provides trusted procurement and contract management advice while coordinating procurement, contracting and portfolio activities across Fisheries New Zealand's research and service contract portfolio. You'll work with project leads, suppliers and specialist teams to support planning, risk management, governance, reporting and sound decision-making.

Key responsibilities of this role include:

• Manage end-to-end procurement activities for assigned projects, including documentation, reviews, approvals and evaluation support
• Coordinate contract establishment, renewals, variations and closures, ensuring agreed actions and records are progressed accurately and on time
• Provide practical advice on procurement approaches, contracting requirements, compliance obligations and process risks
• Maintain schedules, registers and portfolio information, and report on progress, deadlines, risks, issues and exceptions
• Build effective relationships across project teams, suppliers, Procurement, Legal, Finance and technical specialists
• Contribute to improved templates, guidance, workflows, reporting tools and portfolio systems

About You - Mōu

You are a well-organised and collaborative adviser who can bring structure to complex processes, provide clear and practical guidance, and keep work moving across multiple stakeholders and deadlines.

You will bring:

• Experience providing advice and coordination support in procurement, contracting, projects or another structured operational environment
• Experience managing end-to‑end process activities, preparing documentation, coordinating approvals and maintaining reliable records
• Sound analytical and problem‑solving skills, including identifying risks, issues, dependencies and improvement opportunities
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear, practical advice
• Strong planning and organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and fixed deadlines
• The ability to build trusted working relationships and collaborate with technical specialists, managers, suppliers and subject matter experts
• A relevant tertiary qualification, or equivalent experience in contract management, procurement, commercial practice, finance, business or a related discipline
• Knowledge of government procurement and standard contract management practice, or experience in government, fisheries, science, research or another regulated environment, would be beneficial.

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

You'll join the Fisheries Contracts Portfolio team within the Science and Information Directorate, Fisheries New Zealand. The team works across Fisheries New Zealand and MPI to support procurement and contracting for fisheries research and services. You'll collaborate with science, data and information specialists, project leads, suppliers, Procurement, Legal and Finance to help activities progress efficiently, consistently and in line with organisational requirements.

About MPI - Mō Te Manatū Ahu Matua

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
• Ability to purchase extra annual leave
• Annual Wellness payment

Security checks – NgāTakiWhakahaumaru

This role 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 NewZealand citizen, or hold a NewZealand residence‑class visa (including permanent residence).
• You must have a minimum five (5)‑year background history that can be verified and assessed by the NewZealand 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.

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.

Applications close at 11.59 Tuesday 20 October

If you have any questions about the role, please email [e-mail]