Operations Manager – Gisborne Farm – LeaderBrand

WHERE

Over the last fifty years LeaderBrand has grown into New Zealand’s largest producer and supplier of the highest quality range of fresh vegetables.

As a fully integrated business LeaderBrand grow, harvest, process and distribute their produce daily to meet customers’ needs and ensure strict quality control standards. They have farms in Gisborne, Pukekohe and Chertsey, growing over 2,500ha of wholesome fresh produce each year for domestic and international customers.

LeaderBrand are constantly looking for new ways to improve and do business, from investing in new technology to sustainable farming practices, food trends and to giving back to their local communities.

WHAT

It includes the integrated support of this supply through LeaderBrand’s business partners. You will be responsible for a team overseeing operations such as the Nursery, Cultivation, Development, Planting and Irrigation business units.

The role will hold a crucial responsibility within this vertically integrated business, requiring innovative solutions and collaboration to ensure the delivery of product in full, on time and in spec for the sales team to sell to their customers or internally to their packhouses or fresh processing plants.

Actively steering the 50+ strong team of people who work on site, this role will manage and drive the team’s accountability and KPI’s. Project management skills are beneficial to this role as is a strategic mindset. Taking care of all the small things and paying attention to what is going on daily will be an important deliverable for this role along with a continuous improvement mentality.

WHO

LeaderBrand seeks an Operations Manager who has transferrable skills from a similar role and who has a genuine interest in growing the highest quality vegetables. Key to success in this role:

• Minimum of five years’ experience as a grower, horticulture sector professional or operations with a blend of management experience.
• Strong knowledge of Agronomy practices.
• Farming or commercial sector background with proven leadership skills.
• Capable of providing input into the Strategic and Business Plans and executing them with expected results.
• Compliance and business risk knowledge (land/lease management, legal/regulated requirements, GAP…).
• Budgeting and variance reporting capability in conjunction with the finance team.
• Ability to work collaboratively, strong stakeholder relationship skills and manage a team of 50+ staff.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and planning software.
• Bring a good knowledge of Health and Safety.

• A leading food producer shaping the future and setting the standard of vegetable production in NZ.
• LeaderBrand value their employees and offer a supportive, friendly, and secure work environment.
• Generous company-wide recognitions including birthday leave, long service entitlements and 24/7 access to fresh produce in the staff fridge.
• Training, support, exposure and plenty of growth internally within LeaderBrand and externally in the wider industry – grow your career from this incredible network.
• A commercial business founded on strong family values, awesome teammates and a positive team culture.
• A continuous improvement culture, from investing in new technology to sustainable farming practices, food trends to giving back to their local communities.
• For the right people LeaderBrand are open to creative ways to engage, grow and incentivise them.
• Role and the central farming base located right on the fringes of town.
• Join the flow of people heading to Gisborne for the great work opportunities and lifestyle on offer.

For a confidential chat give the Rural Directions team a call on 06 871 0450

Only job seekers who have NZ working rights will be eligible for this role.