Kōreromō te tūranga - About the Role

If you are you are a veterinary verifier looking for the next step in your career, we have an opportunity available for a Supervising Veterinarian (VTS1) based at Alliance Pukeuri.

MPI Verification Services (VS) provides a range of food safety and biosecurity verification and certification services to support market access strategies and setting standards.

Our core purpose is to deliver independent, cost-effective, and high-quality verification, certification, inspection, and clearance programs that meet all regulatory requirements. We're committed to providing a range of food safety and biosecurity verification and certification services to at least 2,000 processing companies across New Zealand, including the meat, seafood, game, and dairy industries.

Shift patterns will depend on time of the year which includes either 4 days x 10 hours or 5 days x 8 hours. For half the year, shifts will include Monday - Friday, with occasional Saturday work and for the other half of the year shifts will include Monday - Saturday, with occasional Sunday work.

Within this role you will be expected to:

• 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.
• Manage x2 veterinarians (VTS2) on site and ensure efficient use of time and resources.
• Responsibly manage the workload for the VS team, including;
  • Recognising workloads and ensure that tasks are completed accurately and in a timely manner.
  • Ensure efficient use of resources and hours.
  • 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.

Mō te peka - About the Branch

As a VTS1, you will be based at Alliance Pukeuri which is a beef, sheep and bobby calf processing plant which operates on both day and night shifts, 7 days a week. This is a busy exporting plant so this position would be a great opportunity for an experienced veterinarian with a demonstrated track record of effective technical, communication and stakeholder relationship skills.

This position reports to the Team Manager Establishments Dunedin and has a reporting line of two veterinarians on site (VTS2). The VTS1 works predominately on the morning or dayshift and will rotate to the nightshift in accordance with MPIVS business rules. Any overtime is compensated and early starts, or late finishes are recognised with penal time payments, as well as shift leave accumulation.

The premises is located in Pukeuri just outside of Oamaru in the Otago region. It is 80 kilometres (50 mi) south of Timaru and 120 kilometres (75 mi) north of Dunedin on the Pacific coast; State Highway 1 and the railway Main South Line connect it to both cities. The Otago region has a wide range of hiking and cycling trails that feature a dramatic landscape of the adjacent Otago Peninsula, home to colonies of albatross, sea lions and rare yellow-eyed penguins.

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

Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua - About MPI

Our role includes seizing export opportunities for our food and fibre sector, improving sector productivity, ensuring the food we produce is safe, increasing sustainable resource use, and protecting New Zealand from biological risk.

Ngā Pūkenga me ngā Wheako - Skills & Experience

The successful candidate will:

• Be a New Zealand registered Veterinarian (Or be able to obtain registration with VCNZ)
• Hold a full New Zealand driver's licence (or be able to obtain a full NZ licence by converting a current overseas driver's licence)
• Experience as an establishment VTS is preferred or demonstrated experience working as a senior veterinarian in a large organisation.
• Have verbal and written skills, and analytical reasoning skills
• Experience of demonstrating resilience and working under pressure and managing stakeholder relationships
• Persuading and influencing, teamwork, planning and organising
• Computer literacy - can operate standard and customised software to an acceptable standard e.g. word-processing, excel, internet, email, database, secure sites, electronic certification, residues etc

It is advantageous if you have knowledge of HACCP/Quality Assurance in Food Safety however, this is included in your training.

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

• Professional membership reimbursement
• Wellness benefit for employees
• Reduced premiums for Group Healthcare Schemes

See the benefits of working at MPI

Whakamātau Whakapōauau me te Waipiro - Drug and Alcohol Screening

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.

Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake? - 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, 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.

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 - click here to find out more about work visa eligibility and options.

Me pēhea te tuku tono - How to Apply

To view the position description and/or apply for the role please click "APPLY FOR THIS JOB" or visit the MPI Careers Site. For tracking and reporting purposes, all applications must be submitted through our online career's portal.

Applications close at midnight on Sunday 24 March, however suitable applicants will be considered and contacted before this date.

If you have any questions about the role, please email Louise.Devine@mpi.govt.nz

Whāia ngā tūhononga ki MPI i konei - Follow MPI here

Links to Facebook, MPI Careers, X