Veterinary Technical Supervisor Reliever

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI); Oamaru; On-site; NZD 118,000 - 148,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional membership reimbursement

Wellness benefit for employees

Reduced premiums for health schemes

Job summary

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Verification Services seeks a Veterinarian Reliever to lead verification activities across Otago and Southland. The role supports meat export standards, conducts audits, and coordinates with operators and MPI teams.

Ideal candidates are NZ-registered vets with a clean license, strong communication, and organisational skills, able to adapt to variable shifts, travel, and safety requirements.

Qualifications

• NZ registered veterinarian or eligibility to register with VCNZ.
• Full and clean NZ driver's licence.
• Verbal and written communication skills; analytical reasoning.
• Demonstrated integrity, ethics, resilience and adaptability.
• Experience persuading, influencing, teamwork, planning and organizing.
• Computer literacy: standard software such as word processing, Excel and email.

Responsibilities

• Verify export product assurances and audit operator processes.
• Ensure timely corrective actions and preventative actions by operators.
• Collaborate with regional MPI team and external stakeholders including farmers.
• Tailor communication to operator staff from plant managers to frontline workers.
• Attend and facilitate internal, external and market access reviews with operators and MPI.
• Use time and resources efficiently in a dynamic verification environment.

Skills

Verbal skills

Written skills

Analytical reasoning

Integrity & ethics

Teamwork

Organising & planning

Education

New Zealand Veterinary Registration

Tools

Word processing

Excel

Internet

Email

Job description

Job Description

Job title: Veterinarian Reliever (Veterinary Technical Supervisor Reliever)

Role type: Permanent, full-time

Location: Oamaru/Otago region

Salary range: VTS Salary Range 6: $118,437 to $148,046 per annum

Starting salary will be dependent on skills and experience of the successful applicant.

In addition to salary, we offer overtime, penal time, and shift allowances.

About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga

The role sits within the Establishment group of the Verification Services directorate. MPI Verification Services (MPI VS) provides a range of food safety and biosecurity verification and certification services to support market access strategies and setting standards.

The purpose of this position is to travel around the Otago and Southland region to provide verification services that confirms food safety objectives, market access, and Biosecurity requirements have been met at the exporting meat works establishment thereby permitting the issue of official assurances. You may also be required to travel to other regions on occasion for this position. An MPI fleet vehicle will be provided for work related travel.

The successful applicant for this position would ideally be based in or close to Oamaru.

Our Oamaru-based team is six strong and includes two relievers.

As a VTS Reliever, would also be expected to lead and where necessary coordinate verification activities over a varied range of animal products as well as manage the key primary relationship with operator and act as a conduit between operators and MPI.

• Ensure that official assurances issued for export products are valid and withstand third party reviews through audit and verification of the operators and their processes.
• Ensure that operators put into place timely and effective corrective and preventative actions.
• Work successfully with & support the regional MPI team, as well as the wider MPI team such as the technical team and other external stakeholders such as farmers.
• Work with operator personnel of different levels from plant manager to frontline staff and will be able to tailor your communication with them effectively.
• Attend and facilitate internal, external and market access reviews. Demonstrate the process to these reviewers and facilitate, in conjunction with the operator and MPI, resolution of any review findings.
• Ensure efficient use of time and resources.

About The Branch - Mō Te Peka

With an MPI office based in Dunedin, this role will report to the Team Manager Establishment and would primarily involve relieving at premises in the team, from Oamaru to Invercargill. As a Veterinarian Reliever, you will work closely with industry professionals as well as other departments within MPI to support the delivery of national and regional verification. As we are primarily based at meat exporting establishments there is a variety of shift patterns within the region, and there are extra benefits for late nights or early starts when the reliever works these shifts. This relief work will include some night shifts and weekend work.

Oamaru, in North Otago is famous for its Victorian Heritage, Steampunk and the little blue penguin colony. The area has an excellent climate and great access to walking and cycling tracks, with the Alps2Ocean being one of the most popular. North Otago is also home to the Unesco-recognised Waitaki Whitestone Geopark and numerous lovely beaches.

• Watch some of our team describe why they love the role that they are in and their journey into a career with Verification Services.

Veterinary Careers in New Zealand with MPI Verification Services | VSGD Interview the Team | Videos & Movies on Vimeo

About You - Mōu

The role is best suited to someone who is experienced in premises verification and who is organised and flexible as well as able to take the initiative to get tasks done. However, all qualified candidates will be considered.

The successful candidate will:

• Be a New Zealand registered Veterinarian (or be able to obtain registration with VCNZ);
• Hold a full and clean New Zealand driver's licence (or be able to obtain a licence by converting a current overseas driver's licence)
• Have verbal and written skills, and analytical reasoning skills;
• Demonstrate integrity and trust, ethics and values, resilience, adaptability, and openness;
• Have experience persuading and influencing, teamwork, planning and organising;
• Have computer literacy - can operate standard and customised software to an acceptable standard e.g. word-processing, excel, internet, email.

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 sustainable provider of high-value food and primary products.

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

• Professional membership and annual practicing certificate reimbursement
• Wellness benefit for employees
• Reduced premiums for Group Healthcare Schemes

Drug and Alcohol Screening - Whakamātau Whakapōauau me te Waipiro

Please note, given this position is safety sensitive the preferred applicant/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 under the application process, on pre-employment checks page.

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, whanau 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 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 Monday 28th September 2026

If you have any questions about the role, please contact our Talent Advisory team by emailing [e-mail]

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