Type: Full-time, Permanent

Location: Christchurch

Description

Permanent |Full-time

Kia hiwa rā!

Mō mātou – About Us

Ngāi Tahu Farming is committed to producing sustainable products from our environment in a way that aligns with Ngāi Tahu values. Everything we do is guided by our purpose: “Mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri ā muri ake nei” – for us and our children after us.

Our values – Whanaungatanga, Tohungatanga, Tikanga, Manaakitanga, Kaitiakitanga, Rangatiratanga, Kotahitanga – shape our decisions and underpin everything we set out to achieve.

As a significant contributor to New Zealand agriculture, Ngāi Tahu Farming continues to grow and evolve, leveraging technology, innovation and data-driven decision making to optimise performance across our diverse farming portfolio while creating sustainable outcomes for future generations.

Mō te tūranga – About the Role

Ngāi Tahu Farming is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to join our Dairy Support & Grazing leadership team.

Reporting to the Head of Farming - Dairy Support & Grazing, you will be responsible for leading the operational performance and efficiency of five diverse farming operations across Canterbury. Working closely with Farm Managers and their teams, you'll help deliver excellent production, financial, environmental and people outcomes across dairy support, grazing, finishing and high-country farming systems.

This is a rare opportunity to make a meaningful contribution across a significant and evolving farming portfolio while helping shape the future success of Ngāi Tahu Farming.

You'll bring a whole-farm systems mindset, supporting the optimisation of feed, pasture, land use and livestock systems while ensuring resources are utilised effectively and farming plans are successfully delivered.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading, coaching and supporting Farm Managers and their teams.
• Driving operational performance, efficiency and continuous improvement across multiple farming operations.
• Coordinating livestock, feed and grazing activities across the portfolio.
• Supporting seasonal planning, farm system optimisation and risk management.
• Using farm data and insights to support informed decision making and performance outcomes.
• Ensuring strong animal welfare, environmental stewardship and health and safety performance.
• Building leadership capability, accountability and engagement across farming teams.
• Contributing to the ongoing growth and development of the Dairy Support & Grazing business.

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako – Skills & Experience

We're looking for a capable and commercially-minded farming leader who combines practical farming expertise with strong people leadership skills.

You will bring:

• Strong experience across livestock, grazing and pastoral farming systems.
• Experience across dairy support, finishing and grazing operations.
• Sound understanding of feed planning, pasture management and farm system performance.
• Proven success leading and developing high-performing teams.
• Strong strategic and systems-thinking capability, with the ability to balance priorities across multiple operations.
• Confidence using data and technology to support decision-making and drive performance.
• Strong communication, relationship management and influencing skills.
• A commitment to health and safety, animal welfare and sustainable farming practices.
• An understanding of, or willingness to learn, Ngāi Tahu values, tikanga and te reo Māori.

He aha ai koe ka mahi ai ki a mātou? – Why work with us?

At Ngāi Tahu Farming, we're committed to creating sustainable farming businesses that deliver value for generations to come. Guided by our values and deep connection to whenua, we work to grow and protect tribal assets while producing high-quality products from our environment.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a respected and growing farming business where you'll have the scope to influence outcomes across a diverse farming portfolio, contribute to future growth, and work alongside passionate people committed to excellence, innovation and long-term success.

Interested in finding out more? Initial enquiries can be made by contacting Gerald van Looy on 64 21 302 888. Applications should be submitted directly to Echelon Group via SEEK or at www.echelongroup.co.nz, as they are managing this recruitment process on our behalf.