Team Manager Investigations

Ministry for Primary Industries; Auckland; Remote; NZD 122,000 - 131,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Additional MPI leave days

Extra annual leave

Annual Wellness payment

Job summary

Ministry for Primary Industries in Auckland seeks a Team Manager Investigations to lead regulatory investigations across broad legislation, including animal welfare, biosecurity, fisheries, food safety and forestry. You will coach investigators and analysts, manage caseloads and collaborate with MPI and external partners.

The role involves field activities and occasional travel. We value resilience, sound judgement, and clear direction in evolving priorities.

Qualifications

• Experience leading criminal or regulatory investigations.
• Strong knowledge of investigation and prosecution processes.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to interpret and apply legislation.
• Current full New Zealand driver licence required.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex regulatory investigations from initiation through to prosecution.
• Coach and develop investigators and analysts.
• Drive team performance and capability.
• Make sound case-direction decisions and manage workloads, risks and escalations.
• Support operational field activities and occasional travel.

Skills

Leadership

Investigations

Regulatory knowledge

Stakeholder management

Coaching

Communication

Decision making

Field operations

Job description

Job title: Team Manager InvestigationsRole Type: Permanent, full-timeLocation: AucklandSalary band & range: General Salary Range C $121,764 to $131,438 depending on skills and experienceAbout the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga As Team Manager Investigations, you will lead a team responsible for delivering complex regulatory investigations across the wide range of legislation administered by MPI, including animal welfare, biosecurity, fisheries, food safety, and forestry. This is a varied and rewarding leadership role operating within a dynamic regulatory environment where priorities can shift quickly. You will lead investigators and analysts through challenging and high-profile matters, ensuring investigations are progressed effectively and meet evidential, disclosure, and prosecution requirements.You will oversee investigations from initiation through to prosecution, providing coaching, guidance, and support to investigators and analysts while actively managing risk and escalation. You will make sound case-direction decisions, maintain oversight of team workloads, and ensure appropriate support is in place to deliver high-quality investigative outcomes. Success in this role requires resilience, sound judgement, and the ability to provide clear direction in situations where information may be incomplete or priorities are rapidly evolving.While predominantly office-based, the role includes opportunities to support operational activities in the field, including search warrants, interviews, field enquiries, and hands-on coaching. You will work closely with colleagues across MPI and external partner agencies, translating complex legal and technical information for a range of audiences. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced investigations leader who enjoys variety, values continuous learning, and is passionate about developing people while driving investigative excellence.In this role, you will:Lead complex regulatory investigationsCoach and develop investigators and analystsDrive team performance and capabilityMake sound case-direction decisionsBuild effective stakeholder relationshipsManage caseloads, risks, and escalationsSupport operational field activitiesFoster a high-performing team cultureOccasional travel is required and, while we aim to provide as much notice as possible, some travel may be at short notice. From time to time, the role may also require work outside normal business hours, including evenings, weekends (with Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) arrangements), and limited overnight travel.About You - Mōu You will bring significant experience leading complex criminal or regulatory investigations, with a strong understanding of investigative processes from case initiation through to prosecution. You will be confident interpreting and applying legislation, exercising sound judgement, and making decisions in complex and often high-pressure environments. Experience within a regulatory setting is highly desirable, although applicants from other investigative backgrounds will also be considered.You will be a capable people leader with a passion for developing others and sharing your expertise. An excellent communicator, you will build credibility with a wide range of stakeholders and be able to present complex information clearly and persuasively. You will combine strong technical investigation skills with resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to achieving high-quality outcomes.To be successful in this role, you will have:Experience leading criminal or regulatory investigationsStrong knowledge of investigation and prosecution processesProven leadership, coaching, and mentoring capabilityExcellent communication and stakeholder management skillsExpertise interpreting and applying legislationExperience preparing high-quality investigation filesStrong interviewing, evidence-gathering, and analytical skillsKnowledge of evidence, disclosure, and criminal procedure requirementsSound judgement in complex and high-profile mattersRelevant investigation training or specialist investigative experienceYou must have a current full New Zealand driver licence (not temporary, learner, or provisional) or equivalent full foreign drivers licence, and any endorsements required for the type of driving you'll be doing.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 RōpūThe Investigations team sits within the Investigations and Compliance Support directorate and is responsible for delivering investigation services across a broad range of legislation administered by MPI. We investigate matters under Acts without a dedicated compliance function, accept referrals from other business groups and co-regulators, and provide specialist investigation support across the organisation. Our work is varied, challenging, and plays an important role in supporting regulatory outcomes across New Zealand.Our team is made up of investigators and investigation analysts who bring a diverse mix of regulatory, enforcement, analytical, and technical expertise. Working across a wide range of legislation creates opportunities to learn from experienced colleagues, build broad investigative knowledge, and contribute to complex and interesting work. We are a collaborative, supportive, and positive team that values knowledge sharing, continuous learning, and delivering high-quality outcomes together.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 daysAbility to purchase extra annual leaveAnnual Wellness paymentSecurity checks - NgāTakiWhakahaumaru This role requires a New Zealand national security clearance. To be considered for this role, you must meet the eligibility criteria set out below.SECRET / TOP SECRET national security clearanceYou must be a NewZealand citizen or hold a NewZealand residence‑class visa (including permanent residence).You must have a minimum ten (10)‑year background history that can be verified and assessed by the NewZealand 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 toolhere.If you do not meet these minimum criteria, we will not be able to accept your application.Credit check - Tirotiro namaPlease 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.To view the position description and/or apply online, please click APPLY FOR THIS JOB or visit the MPI Careers Site. To apply, you must hold the right to work in New Zealand or be eligible to obtain it - clickhereto find out more about work visa eligibility and options.Applications close at 11.59pm Sunday 11 October 2026 If you have any questions about the role, please email [e-mail] MPI here - Whāia ngā tūhononga ki MPI i konei Links toFacebook,MPI Careers,LinkedIn,X