Team Manager Assurance, Biosecurity, & Containment

CGR Services; Wellington; On-site; NZD 122,000 - 142,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Additional MPI leave days

Annual Wellness payment

Bi-annual paid eye test and lenses

Job summary

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) in Upper Hutt seeks a Team Manager Assurance Biosafety, & Containment to lead biosafety and containment operations in a high-consequence lab setting. You will guide risk management, provide strategic assurance to senior leaders, and drive continuous improvement across systems and facilities.

You will oversee budgeting, staff development, and relationships with contractors while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and national security clearance

Qualifications

• Post-graduate qualification in microbiology or related science.
• Project or programme management qualifications.
• Minimum 3 years' experience in/supervising a microbiology laboratory.
• Strong biosafety risk management knowledge.
• Ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Budget and financial management experience.
• Experience with biocontainment facilities and procurement.
• Experience with QA and health and safety practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead biosafety and risk management of AHL activities.
• Provide assurance and strategic advice to senior leaders.
• Manage systems to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Oversee containment facilities, infrastructure, equipment.
• Lead incident investigations and follow-ups.
• Drive continuous improvement and staff development.
• Manage contracted lab services and relationships.
• Lead business continuity and emergency preparedness.

Skills

Leadership

Biosafety risk

Stakeholder mgmt

Communication

Decision-making

People leadership

Budget mgmt

Education

Post-graduate qualification in microbiology

Project or programme management qualifications

Experience in microbiology laboratory

Tools

Biocontainment systems

Procurement processes

Contracted service providers

Job description

Team Manager Assurance Biosafety, & Containment

Role type: Permanent, full-time

Location: Upper Hutt (Wallaceville)

Salary band & range: General Salary Range C - $121,764 to $142,494 depending on skills and experience

About the Role

Kōrero mō te Tūranga As the Team Manager Assurance, Biosafety, & Containment, you will play a critical leadership role in ensuring the Animal Health Laboratory's (AHL) high-containment facilities operate securely and in compliance with regulatory requirements.

• Lead the biosafety and risk management of AHL activities, ensuring work is conducted safely, securely, and in accordance with regulatory requirements.
• Provide assurance and strategic advice to senior leaders on the effectiveness of critical business systems and controls.
• Manage and continuously improve systems and processes to ensure compliance with legislative, regulatory, and organisational requirements.
• Oversee the maintenance and reliability of containment facilities, infrastructure, and specialist equipment to support safe and effective operations.
• Lead the investigation, reporting, and follow-up of incidents, including containment breaches and laboratory-acquired infections.
• Strengthen collaboration across teams by identifying opportunities to improve alignment, reduce duplication, and enhance ways of working.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement through staff development, innovation, research, and engagement with national and international networks.
• Manage contracted laboratory services and relationships to ensure quality outcomes and value for money.
• Lead business continuity planning, emergency preparedness activities, and response readiness for biosecurity and disease response events.
• Provide effective leadership, coaching, and management of the team, fostering a high-performing, engaged, and capable workforce.
• Manage resources, budgets, planning, reporting, and operational performance to ensure successful delivery of team objectives.

About You – Mōu

You are an experienced leader with a strong background in laboratory operations, biosafety, and risk management. You bring the technical expertise and sound judgement needed to operate in a complex, high-consequence environment, along with the ability to provide trusted advice and assurance to senior leaders.

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• A post-graduate qualification in microbiology or another relevant scientific discipline.
• Project or programme management qualifications.
• At least three years' experience working in, or supervising, a microbiology laboratory.
• Strong and demonstrable knowledge of biosafety risk management frameworks and practices.
• Proven ability to build and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to convey complex technical information to diverse audiences.
• Experience making sound decisions in high-pressure situations involving significant risks and consequences.
• Strong people leadership and team management capability.
• Budget and financial management experience.
• Experience in quality assurance and laboratory health and safety practices would be advantageous.
• Experience working with biocontainment building systems, procurement processes, and contracted service providers would be desirable.
• Qualifications or experience related to animal infectious diseases would be beneficial.

About the Team - Mō tō mātou Rōpū

The National Biocontainment Laboratory located in Upper Hutt is New Zealand's reference centre for exotic, new, and emerging terrestrial and aquatic animal diseases and contains both PC2 and PC3+ laboratory facilities. The Assurance, Biosafety, and Containment Team is a multi-disciplinary team responsible for a range of operational systems that ensure a safe operating environment and compliance to the required regulations and standards.

About MPI - Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua

We're a large organisation with massive scope from the frontline to policy development and beyond. To find out more about the Ministry and what we do please click here.

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

• Additional MPI leave days
• Annual Wellness payment
• Bi-annual paid eye test and contribution to the costs of corrective lenses/frames

Security checks – Ngā Taki Whakahaumaru

This roles require a New Zealand national security clearance. To be considered for this role, you must meet the eligibility criteria set out below.

• SECRET national security clearance
• You must be a New Zealand citizen, or hold a New Zealand residence‑class visa (including permanent residence).
• You must have a minimum ten (10)‑year background history that can be verified and assessed by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) to determine your suitability for a SECRET or TOP SECRET national security clearance (as applicable).

Find out more about the national security vetting process here and access the eligibility self‑check tool here.

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.

Drug and Alcohol Screening - Whakamātau Whakapōauau me te Waipiro Please note, given this position is safety sensitive the preferred candidates(s) for the position will be required to undergo a drug and alcohol pre‑employment screening test. Further information on this process can be found on our careers site, here.

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 11:59pm on Sunday, 16 September.

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