Executive Coordinator

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI); Wellington; On-site; NZD 69,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Additional MPI leave days

Annual Wellness payment

Bi-annual eye test & lenses

Job summary

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is seeking an Executive Coordinator in Wellington to support two Directors within the NZ Food Safety business unit. The role focuses on proactive executive support, diary and priority management, and coordinating governance and reporting across directorates.

You will foster strong stakeholder relationships, ensure timely information flow, and contribute to wider directorate operations while maintaining discretion and high professional standards.

Qualifications

• This role requires proactive executive support and anticipation of needs.
• Exceptional diary, inbox, meeting and priority management skills.
• Strong ability to build and maintain stakeholder relationships with senior leaders.
• Ability to ensure the flow of information between Directors and directorates.
• Discretion handling sensitive information with professionalism.
• Excellent organisational skills with attention to detail.
• Experience identifying and implementing process improvements.
• Comfort using Microsoft 365 and related tools to coordinate multiple directors.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive support to two Directors across busy portfolios.
• Manage complex diaries, meetings, correspondence and priorities.
• Coordinate reporting, governance and business support activities.
• Build strong relationships across MPI and external stakeholders.
• Support directorate planning, events and operational processes.
• Improve systems and ways of working to enhance team effectiveness.

Skills

Executive support

Diary management

Stakeholder management

Information flow

Discretion

Organization

Process improvement

Microsoft 365

Tools

Microsoft 365

Business systems

Digital tools

Job description

Job Description

Job title: Executive Coordinator

Role type: Permanent

Location: Wellington

Salary band & range: $69,011 to $80,346 depending on skills and experience

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role supporting the leadership of the Assurance and Food Science & Risk Assessment directorates within the New Zealand Food Safety business unit at MPI.

You will provide proactive executive management support to two Directors, helping them manage priorities, navigate competing demands, maintain strong stakeholder relationships, and ensure the effective flow of information across their directorates. You'll synthesise key information and insights, support informed decision-making, and continuously look for opportunities to improve processes and ways of working.

You’ll also contribute to wider directorate activities, helping ensure business operations run smoothly and efficiently.

• Provide executive support to two Directors across busy portfolios
• Manage complex diaries, meetings, correspondence, and priorities
• Coordinate reporting, governance, and business support activities
• Build strong relationships across MPI and external stakeholders
• Support directorate planning, events, and operational processes
• Improve systems and ways of working to enhance efficiency

This is a varied role where you'll be a trusted partner to senior leaders, providing the coordination, foresight, and organisational support that enables the Director offices and wider directorates to deliver their priorities effectively.

About You - Mōu

You’ll thrive in a fast-paced environment where no two days are the same. You enjoy keeping senior leaders organised, connected, and focused on their priorities, while managing competing demands and ensuring work flows smoothly across a range of activities, stakeholders, and business priorities.

This role provides executive management support to two Directors and contributes to the effective operation of the wider directorates, so you’ll be comfortable working across multiple areas while maintaining a high level of professionalism and discretion.

As an Executive Coordinator you will have:

• Proven ability to provide proactive executive support, anticipate needs, and effectively manage competing priorities in a complex environment.
• Exceptional diary, inbox, meeting, and priority management skills.
• Strong ability to build and maintain effective stakeholder relationships, with confidence working with senior leaders and a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven ability to ensure the effective flow of information between Directors and the directorates, synthesising and communicating key messages, risks, and insights to support informed decision-making and organisational alignment.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgement and handle sensitive information with professionalism and discretion.
• Excellent organisational skills with a track record of delivering high-quality, accurate work and strong attention to detail.
• Experience identifying opportunities for process improvement and implementing efficient ways of working to enhance team effectiveness and business outcomes.
• Confidence using Microsoft 365, business systems, and digital tools to coordinate multiple directors and their leadership teams.

You’ll be known for building trusted relationships, staying one step ahead, and creating the structure that enables leaders to focus on strategic priorities. Your ability to coordinate competing demands, connect people, and keep work moving will support the success of two busy Director offices and the wider directorates they lead.

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

Working closely with two Directors and their leadership teams, you’ll be part of a collaborative and high-performing environment that values strong relationships, continuous improvement, and service excellence. The team works across a diverse range of technical, regulatory, operational, and strategic priorities, providing plenty of variety and opportunities to build connections across MPI.

About MPI

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

• 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?

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 midnight on Sunday 4 October 2026.

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

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