Everyday our experienced team of 1,700+ people work alongside farmers, producers, and others throughout the food supply chain to help them uphold what Aotearoa stands for in food - a higher standard of quality and safety.

We are passionate about our shared role as Kaitiaki Kai, guardians of food, and have a deep responsibility to do the right thing for food and the environments it comes from.

We are committed to attracting, developing, and retaining great people, and supporting them to be the best they can be. We know diverse teams are stronger teams and we believe in fairness and opportunity for all.

• Area Manager – Auditing Services
• Fixed-term opportunity until December 2027
• Christchurch preferred | Auckland or Hamilton also considered

The opportunity

Are you a strong people leader who enjoys building trusted relationships with customers and making a difference across New Zealand’s primary industries?

We are dedicated to supporting Aotearoa’s food and primary producers through evaluation, audit, inspection and certification services to local and international standards. We work across a diverse range of industries, including food, dairy, horticulture and apiculture, providing customers with the assurance they need to access markets in New Zealand and around the world.

As an Area Manager within our Auditing Services team, you’ll provide strong leadership to a team of Auditors while leading the performance and delivery of key programmes across the business.

A key part of this role will be building and maintaining strong relationships with farmers and customers across the primary sector. You’ll be someone who understands the importance of trust, credibility and clear communication and can confidently represent the organisation when working with customers in the field.

You’ll drive an engaged and high-performing team culture through effective leadership, coaching, training and development. You’ll monitor performance, recognise success and support your team to deliver a professional, consistent and customer-focused service.

Working as part of a supportive and collaborative management team, you’ll have the opportunity to influence how we work, contribute to continuous improvement and help drive strong business outcomes.

Christchurch is the preferred location, however Auckland or Hamilton will also be considered for the right candidate.

About you

You’ll be an experienced people leader who is confident working with customers and stakeholders across the primary sector. You’ll enjoy building trusted relationships customers and have the credibility and communication skills to understand their needs and deliver positive outcomes.

You’ll ideally have:

• A relevant tertiary qualification, preferably in Business or a related discipline.
• At least two years’ management experience, with proven experience leading and developing people.
• Strong experience managing customer relationships within the primary sector.
• Experience within, or a good understanding of, New Zealand’s horticulture, food or dairy industries.
• The ability to build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with customers and key stakeholders.
• Strong commercial acumen and a customer-focused approach.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with people from a wide range of backgrounds.
• A results-focused approach and a commitment to delivering exceptional customer service.
• A solution-focused mindset and the confidence to challenge existing ways of working and bring new ideas to the table.
• A natural ability to engage, motivate and develop people.

You’ll be approachable, practical and commercially minded, with the ability to balance strong customer relationships, operational performance and people leadership. Most importantly, you’ll have the relationship-building skills to understand our customers’ needs and deliver outcomes that work for both our customers and the business.

What we offer

• Work vehicle, laptop and mobile phone
• Flexible working arrangements available
• Learning and development opportunities
• A supportive and collaborative management team
• A range of great employee benefits

If you’re an experienced people leader who wants to play an important role in supporting New Zealand’s primary industries, we’d love to hear from you.

Helping Aotearoa shape a better food world - Join us today!