Join New Zealand's Premier Organic Free Range Poultry Business
Bostock Brothers Organic Free Range Chicken is a certified organic, premium product produced right here in New Zealand. Born from a family passion for healthy, safe growing practices from farm to plate.
Ben and George Bostock grew up on their family's organic apple orchard in sunny Hawke's Bay, sharing a deep commitment to sustainable farming. This led them to establish New Zealand's only organic free-range poultry farm in 2014. Their determination to give organic chickens the best life possible found the perfect home in their apple orchard environment and it’s a legacy that continues strong today.
Your opportunity to join the Bostock Brothers Organic Chicken team in the Hawke’s Bay!
This role leads the processing plant for Bostock Brothers, New Zealand’s only certified organic chicken business. Reflecting Bostock’s integrated model, this role is accountable for all aspects of processing through our plant, quality and on-time delivery to customers. The role drives a culture of safety, animal welfare, organic integrity, high performance and continuous improvement, while coaching and developing the wider Bostock’s operations team.
The Plant Manager sits on the Bostock Brothers Senior Leadership Team, managing the business end to end and fostering constructive interdepartmental working relationships.
What you’ll do:
- Lead a safe and efficient processing operation, partnering with the Site Manager to manage line performance and on-time delivery
- Manage the operational scorecard across safety, quality, yield, planned and unplanned downtime
- Manage the preparation of production programs to meet customer requirements in an efficient, cost-effective manner
- Lead continuous improvement across the plant delivering on target yield results
- Ensure effective maintenance plans are in place for plant and equipment
- Lead, coach and develop the Bostock’s operations team across processing developing a positive, inclusive culture
- Manage labour, R&M and operational costs within agreed budgets
- Build clear succession and training plans; champion multi-skilling and capability uplift
- Oversee Toolbox Talks, performance conversations and disciplinary investigations in a timely, fair manner
- Foster an inclusive, collaborative team culture aligned to Bostock’s values
- Drive a strong safety and compliance culture; ensure WHS compliance at all times
- Ensure all activities comply with relevant legislation, OHS, food safety, environmental and animal welfare standards
- Partner with Technical and Quality to maintain organic certification compliance
- Apply and enforce quarantine and biosecurity protocols across operations
- Continuously identify opportunities to improve quality, reduce cost and waste and lift yield without compromising welfare or organic standards
- Deliver outstanding service to internal and external customers; act on feedback and resolve issues promptly
- Communicate clearly across all levels of the business and share learnings team-to team
What you’ll bring:
- Proven leadership experience in food manufacturing/FMCG operations
- Experience leading teams with a track record of delivering on operational, cost, quality and people outcomes
- Strong people leadership including team building, coaching and developing capability through supervisors
- Sound understanding of obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act
- Full New Zealand driver’s licence
- Knowledge of modern farming methods, animal welfare, biosecurity and food safety standards
- Understanding of production planning, processing KPIs and cost/waste management principles
- Organic certification frameworks highly regarded
We’re looking for people who are curious, caring, courageous and committed to join us; people who want to contribute their best work every single day and continue delivering deliciously good food.
Bostock Brothers values diverse experiences. If your skills align with some but not all of the listed requirements, we encourage you to still apply and explore the opportunity to join our team.