Strategic Supplier Relationship Manager

Job title: Strategic Supplier Relationship ManagerRole type: Permanent, full-time (part-time considered, minimum 25 hours per week)Location: WellingtonSalary band & range: GSR C $121,764 to $156,743 depending on skills and experience  About the Role - Kōrero mō te Tūranga This is a newly created role offering a rare opportunity to shape how MPI manages and grows value from strategic supplier relationships. Working across a broad range of stakeholders, you will connect people, insights, and commercial opportunities, engaging with everyone from senior leaders and contract managers through to supplier representatives. You'll bring strong communication and relationship management skills, along with a sound understanding of commercial realities, helping balance organisational needs with supplier opportunities and constraints. As the Strategic Supplier Relationship Manager, you'll establish frameworks, identify opportunities for improvement, and help create long-term value from key supplier partnerships. You'll work closely with contract managers and business experts to strengthen capability, enhance relationships, and drive strategic outcomes. This is a role you can truly make your own, leaving a lasting mark on how supplier relationships are managed across the organisation. In this role, you will:Develop frameworks that strengthen supplier partnerships.Support contract managers with commercial insights.Lift capability and share best practice across teams.Balance operational needs with strategic opportunities.Influence positive outcomes through strong collaboration. About You - Mōu You are a confident relationship builder with strong commercial acumen and a talent for bringing people together to achieve shared outcomes. An effective communicator, you thrive in complex environments, working across multiple stakeholder groups and balancing organisational needs with commercial realities. You can confidently engage with contract managers, senior leaders, and suppliers, providing insight, challenge, and advice that supports better decision-making. You enjoy taking a strategic view while staying connected to operational delivery and can identify opportunities to improve supplier performance, relationships, and value. Comfortable navigating competing priorities, you influence outcomes through collaboration, sound judgement, and a focus on continuous improvement. This role will suit someone who enjoys shaping new approaches, building capability, and leaving a lasting impact. To be successful in this role, you will have:Experience managing strategic supplier relationships.Strong commercial contract management expertise.Ability to influence across diverse stakeholder groups.Experience resolving complex supplier issues.Strong governance, reporting, and risk management skills.Ability to identify strategic opportunities and improvements.Strong analytical and performance insight capabilities.Experience engaging effectively with senior leaders.Proven ability to drive value realisation outcomes.A relevant tertiary qualification, MCIPS, WorldCC qualification or equivalent experience.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 RōpūYou'll join a collaborative and supportive team that is committed to achieving great outcomes together. Led by an approachable and experienced people leader, the team fosters a positive environment where knowledge is shared, questions are welcomed, and everyone is encouraged to contribute. While this role has its own areas of responsibility, you'll be surrounded by colleagues who are willing to help, provide guidance, and work together to solve challenges and create opportunities. The team values strong relationships, open communication, and a collective focus on delivering the best outcomes for MPI. 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 paymentBi-annual paid eye test and contribution to the costs of corrective lenses/frames 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. 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 - click here to find out more about work visa eligibility and options. Applications close at 11.59pm Sunday 18 October 2026 If you have any questions about the role, please email Sophie.Hallett@mpi.govt.nz  Follow MPI here - Whāia ngā tūhononga ki MPI i konei Links to Facebook, MPI Careers, LinkedIn, X