Manager Performance, Investment & Commercial

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI); Wellington; On-site; NZD 165,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Additional MPI leave days

Annual Wellness payment

Professional membership reimbursement

Job summary

The Ministry for Primary Industries seeks a strategic leader to manage Performance, Investment & Commercial within Biosecurity New Zealand. Based in Wellington CBD, you will drive performance reporting, investment planning and commercial insights to inform leadership decisions and resource allocation.

You will shape a newly formed team, deliver meaningful insights, and partner with senior leaders to optimise value for money, contracts and cost recovery while building capability and

Qualifications

• Significant experience leading performance, planning, investment, and cost recovery functions.

Responsibilities

• Lead Biosecurity New Zealand's performance planning and reporting approach.
• Provide strategic advice to senior leaders to inform investment decisions and priorities.
• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, efficiency and value for money.
• Oversee key strategic contracts, cost recovery, funding reviews and affordability discussions.
• Build team capability and foster a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Investment planning

Commercial acumen

Public sector experience

Performance reporting

Education

Business/Finance degree

Tools

Financial modelling

Job description

Job Description

Job Title: Manager Performance, Investment & Commercial

Role type: Permanent, full time

Location: Wellington CBD

Salary band & range: General Salary Range A: $165,336 to $189,858 depending on skills and experience.

We're looking for an experienced leader to join Biosecurity New Zealand in our Strategy, Performance & Treaty Partnership directorate as Manager Performance, Investment & Commercial.

This is an opportunity to partner with senior leaders to support decision making ensure our resources, investments, and performance frameworks deliver value for New Zealand.

About the role - Kōrero mō te tūranga

This is a new role, reporting to the Director Strategy, Performance & Treaty Partnerships, that brings together performance, planning, investment, commercial and cost recovery to support and enable decision making across Biosecurity New Zealand. With the opportunity to shape a newly formed team, you'll establish how the function delivers meaningful performance, investment and commercial insights that support leadership decision making and organisational outcomes.

You’ll play a critical leadership role by:

• Leading Biosecurity New Zealand's business and investment planning and performance reporting approach.
• Providing strategic advice to senior leaders to inform investment decisions, and on performance, priorities, challenges and opportunities.
• Identifying opportunities to improve productivity, efficiency and value for money.
• Overseeing key strategic contracts, supporting cost recovery, funding reviews and affordability discussions.
• Building team capability and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration.

Mōu | About you

We're looking for a strategic and commercially-minded leader who enjoys making sense of complexity and helping organisations perform at their best.

You’ll bring:

• Significant experience leading performance, planning, investment, commercial, finance or cost recovery functions in operational organisations and complex environments.
• Strong understanding of public sector planning, accountability and performance frameworks.
• Experience developing business cases, investment proposals and strategic plans.
• Sound financial, investment and commercial acumen.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills, with experience working with senior leaders.
• Proven ability to build trusted relationships and influence senior leaders, translating business needs into meaningful performance, investment and commercial insights.
• The ability to translate data, insights and evidence into clear recommendations and decisions.
• Proven people leadership experience and a track record of building high-performing teams.
• Knowledge of government processes and operating environments would be advantageous.
• A relevant tertiary qualification in business, commerce, finance, law or a related discipline is highly desirable.

About the team - Mō tō mātou rōpū

The Strategy, Performance & Treaty Partnership directorate plays a key role in shaping the future direction of Biosecurity New Zealand. We bring together strategy, organisational performance, investment, planning and Treaty partnership expertise to support effective decision‑making and delivery across the business.

This is an exciting time to join Biosecurity New Zealand. As a newly formed team, we're bringing together talented people from across performance, planning, investment and commercial disciplines, creating an opportunity to establish new ways of working and deliver greater value to the organisation. You'll lead a capable team and play a key role in shaping its future direction, capability and impact.

This role provides a unique opportunity to influence outcomes at an organisational level and contribute to protecting New Zealand's biosecurity system for future generations.

Credit check - Tirotiro nama

Please note, given this position is identified as carrying financial risk, the preferred candidate(s) will be required to satisfactorily pass a credit check.

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

• Additional MPI leave days
• Annual Wellness payment
• Professional membership reimbursement

About MPI - Mō Te Manatū Ahu Matua

The Ministry for Primary Industries works to safeguard New Zealand's way of life and supports a future where New Zealand is the world's most trusted provider of high-value food and fibre products. We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and supportive workplace where everyone can thrive.

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 midnight on Monday 19th October 2026 at 11:59pm.

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