Regulatory Manager

Open Country | Compliance | Auckland

Lead regulatory strategy, certification confidence and market access across the Open Country Dairy Group. This senior role provides expert direction across regulatory affairs, export and specialty certification, traceability and validation, and represents the business with regulators, industry bodies and key stakeholders.

About The Role

Reporting to the Group Compliance Manager, you will act as the senior regulatory subject matter expert for a complex, export-focused compliance portfolio. You will translate MPI, importing country, industry and religious certification requirements into practical, risk-based direction that supports strategic decisions, operational consistency and audit-ready outcomes across the group.

Key areas of influence

• Translate MPI, importing country, industry and religious certification requirements into clear, risk-based business direction.
• Represent Open Country in MPI forums, industry working groups and market access discussions, including submissions, position papers and regulatory responses.
• Anticipate regulatory change and strengthen compliance frameworks, policies, procedures and systems so they remain current, practical and audit-ready.
• Own validation frameworks for infant grade and relevant non-infant grade products, ensuring robust, defensible outcomes aligned with regulatory expectations.
• Provide senior oversight of Trade Certification, traceability, product registrations, Free Sale Certificates, product release and market eligibility matters, including escalation of complex issues.
• Lead Halal, Kosher, Quota, Grass-Fed and other specialty certification programmes, maintaining confidence with certification bodies, regulators and customers.

About You

You will be a credible senior regulatory leader with sound judgement, technical depth and the ability to bring clarity to complex compliance matters. You will be confident influencing senior stakeholders, balancing commercial context with regulatory integrity, and building trusted relationships across internal teams and external agencies.

What you’ll bring

• Significant senior experience in dairy, food technology, regulatory affairs, quality or compliance, supported by a relevant tertiary qualification or equivalent technical background.
• Deep understanding of MPI systems, export certification, traceability, market access, validation requirements and specialty certification in complex food or dairy environments.
• Proven ability to translate complex regulatory requirements, submissions and position papers into practical, risk-based business processes and recommendations.
• Credibility engaging with regulators, certification agencies, industry bodies and senior internal stakeholders.
• Strong written communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to provide clear, well-reasoned advice on complex matters.
• Postgraduate or specialist regulatory, food safety, dairy technology or auditing qualification.
• Experience with Navision or similar ERP systems.
• Specific experience with infant formula validation protocols.

Desirable experience

• Postgraduate or specialist regulatory, food safety, dairy technology or auditing qualification.
• Experience with Navision or similar ERP systems.
• Specific experience with infant formula validation protocols.

Why join us?

Join a business where your regulatory expertise will have visible impact across market access, certification confidence and customer trust. You will partner with senior stakeholders and technical specialists to support practical, future-focused compliance outcomes.

Apply now

If you are ready to bring senior regulatory expertise to a role with enterprise-wide impact, we would welcome your application. Please apply with your CV and cover letter outlining your relevant regulatory, certification and stakeholder engagement experience. Applicants must have the legal right to work in New Zealand.

Applications close on 21 October 2026, unless an appointment is made earlier.

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