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AgVetLink April 2005 

NZFSA 2005

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority’s review of its internal structure and processes to ensure it is ‘fit for purpose’ and properly positioned to meet the future requirements of consumers of New Zealand food, both domestically and internationally, is well underway.

Directors for the new functional rather than sector-based groups have been confirmed.  All existing directors have been reconfirmed or reassigned within the new structure, reinforcing the emphasis that this change is  ‘evolution rather than revolution’.

Andrew McKenzie, NZFSA’s Executive Director, has announced the following appointments:

• Geoff Allen as Director Compliance and Investigation

• Carol Barnao as Director Export Standards

• Sandra Daly as Director Communications and Infrastructure

• Steve Gilbert as Director Verification Agency (which remains entirely unchanged in focus and structure)

• Steve Hathaway as Director Science

• Carole Inkster as Director Policy and Director Joint Food Standards   

• Tim Knox as Director New Zealand Standards

• Debbie Morris as Director Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines and Director Approvals

• Tony Zohrab as Director Market Access

 

Andrew regards the appointments as “the first key step in our realignment process”. The next step will involve more detailed organisational design showing the functions of the groups in each of the above directorates.  This will be announced in May.  

NZFSA 2005

The restructure project, called NZFSA 2005, is focusing on the internal structure of the organisation and looking at how it fits with processes such as registrations and approvals, standards setting for the domestic and export markets, and market access. 

Functional approach

“At present we have a number of groups whose work is centred on industry sectors and existing legislation,” says Andrew.  “I believe that it is timely to evolve NZFSA in line with our risk management framework, with a key change being to move those parts of NZFSA that are vertically or sector-based to a more horizontal or functional approach. This will allow us to work smarter and create an environment in which NZFSA is better able to operate from producer to consumer and about using the technology available to sophisticate processes and systems.” 

Organisational design

During Andrew’s consultation with staff regarding plans for NZFSA organisational design, several ‘themes’ emerged. Some of these themes and Andrew’s responses follow. 

1.  The need to retain sectoral association within the functional groupings

AM:  There is no intention to lose our focus on specific sectors and, in fact, I want to retain and build on the strong connections NZFSA and its people already have with industry sectors.  Consultation (and the attendant relationship building) with the sectors will continue to be a crucial part of NZFSA’s modus operandi to better ensure that our strategies are aligned with industry needs and standards are appropriate. Our programmes must be designed with the necessary flexibility, be cognizant of the differences between sectors and be tailored accordingly.

I want to change the focus of the current groups from one based on the legislation they administer into a more horizontal approach to the function, which will ensure consistency in application of the legislation and across the sectors.

There will be a continuing need to have sector-specific expertise and contact points within the new structure.  We will have to work our way through the difficulties that will likely arise where the sector specific expertise is vested in more than one functional group.

The bottom line is that we must not lose sight of our linkages and relationship with the industry sectors.

2.  The need to ensure that accountabilities are clear

AM:  I will ensure accountabilities are clearly defined for the Directors of the functional groups and their components.  They will, in turn, clearly define accountabilities of people reporting to them.  This is a must.

3.  Have we gone far enough in the changes for particular functional groupings?

AM:  At present, I intend still having a Director for ‘Joint Food Standards’ (which are the standards produced under the Joint Food Standard Setting Treaty with Australia), and a Director for most of the aspects of the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act.  Both have a political element to them.  In the latter case, the legislation is not only ‘complementary’ to the Food Act, Wine Act and Animal Products Act but also covers such issues as biosecurity and animal welfare and is, therefore, equally related to the work of Biosecurity New Zealand. 

4.  How will we do our work?

AM: I want to effect change to the modus operandi of Directors and their staff to ensure that all groups are talking to each other as necessary to provide a seamless interface between the functional groups.  It is important that we harmonise across the legislation and with our stakeholders as much as possible. This will involve people understanding where they fit into the organisation and who might also be interested in or be affected by work/decisions they might take. The ethos of asking, “Who else might be interested in the information that I have?” must become part of our working environment.

I will be using two methods to address this issue: 

1.    Job descriptions will include the requirement to work appropriately with colleagues so that we get a ‘through food chain’ and seamless approach to our work 

2.    Governance arrangements that require Directors to work together and provide cross-cutting strategies and work plans that are signed off by the NZFSA Board will be set up. 

I would expect the ‘lead’ Director to report monthly to the Board on progress against the agreed work plan.  The latter is a substantial shift in approach to the Board’s shared accountabilities and how I expect to manage NZFSA business.

Internal interfaces are a critical component of any organisation and there is a need to ‘get this right’.  We must ensure there is an awareness of the need to think of others’ needs/roles, communicate fully and work appropriately with others towards meeting NZFSA’s goals and outcomes. 

Constant review needed

Protecting and promoting public health and safety, and facilitating market access for New Zealand’s food and food-related products are the two key roles of NZFSA.

Says Andrew: “The world is continually evolving in the area of food administration and it is important that NZFSA evolves appropriately with it. I believe that we need to constantly review ourselves to ensure the existing and future needs and expectations of stakeholders and consumers are met.”

It is intended that Project NZFSA 2005 will be completed by August this year and that there will be a ‘settling in period’ following this. NZFSA will make further announcements as the project progresses.