- Redesign laboratory workflows for a new world-class facility
- Drive speed, accuracy, and scalability in diagnostic delivery
- Lead innovation across systems, processes, and ways of working
About MPI | Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has a vision to see New Zealand become the world's most trusted provider of high-value food and primary products. Biosecurity New Zealand, a branch of MPI, is central to that mission, protecting our environment, economy, and way of life.
About the Role | Kōrero mō te Tūranga
As Manager, Workflow Innovation & Efficiency, you will lead the redesign of how diagnostic laboratory work is performed, shaping modern, efficient, and future-ready workflows for the new Plant Health and Environment Laboratory (PHEL).
Reporting to the Assistant Director, PHEL Transition & Operations, this role focuses on how work gets done. You will re-engineer end-to-end laboratory workflows, embed digital-first and scalable processes, and ensure quality systems support speed, accuracy, and surge capability as PHEL transitions into a new world-class facility. Critically, you will lead and influence an existing workforce through this change, working alongside experienced scientists and technical staff to co-design solutions, build trust, and embed new ways of working.
While the Assistant Director owns the overall business transition, and the Manager Biosafety ensures systems are safe and compliant, your role is to ensure operations are smart, efficient, and designed for the future, not constrained by legacy ways of working.
You will be accountable for:
- Redesigning laboratory workflows to support a modern, high-volume diagnostic environment
- Embedding digital-first, data-enabled, and scalable processes into day-to-day operations
- Modernising quality and assurance systems, including ISO/IEC 17025 alignment
- Identifying and eliminating legacy workarounds and inefficient practices
- Improving speed, accuracy, and consistency of diagnostic outputs
- Partnering closely with scientists, IT, engineers, and operational leaders
- Leading and developing teams as workflow and innovation capability grows
About You | Mōu
You are a pragmatic transformation leader who enjoys unpicking complex systems and redesigning them to work better, who brings the people leadership skills needed to lead existing teams through change.
You bring experience improving workflows, systems, or operating models in complex environments and are comfortable working across technical, operational, and digital domains. You don’t need to be the deepest technical expert, but you must be able to engage credibly with those who are, building trust and bringing people with you as new ways of working are introduced.
The ideal candidate will bring:
- Experience redesigning workflows, processes, or operating models in complex settings
- A strong continuous improvement mindset, focused on outcomes not theory
- Comfort working across digital, technical, and operational disciplines
- The ability to challenge entrenched practices and bring people along with change
- Strong collaboration and influencing skills across diverse stakeholder groups
- Proven people leadership capability, including leading existing teams through change and embedding new ways of working
Backgrounds in public sector, science, diagnostics, manufacturing, infrastructure, consulting, or regulated environments are all welcome. What matters most is your ability to lead and motivate people, simplify complexity, design better systems, and deliver measurable improvement.
Ready to Make a Difference? | Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake?
This is a rare opportunity to fundamentally reshape how one of New Zealand’s most critical biosecurity laboratories operates, ultimately delivering lasting impact well beyond the transition period.
IN SIDE Recruitment are assisting MPI with the recruitment of this role. If you are interested, please apply now and include your cover letter and CV.
For a confidential discussion contact either Jeremy McLeod at jeremy@inside.co.nz or Fraser Leith at Fraser@inside.co.nz.
Applications close Monday 2nd February at 2pm.
Note: Eligibility to work in New Zealand is mandatory. This role requires a Ministry of Justice criminal history check and the ability to obtain security clearance.
