Staffing Team Manager - Packhouses

Mr Apple; Hastings; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading fruit exporter in Hastings seeks a Staffing Team Manager to oversee team leaders in packhouse operations. You will ensure effective workforce planning and instill a strong Health & Safety culture. Ideal candidates have demonstrated leadership skills, advanced proficiency in Excel, and experience in compliance and people operations. This role offers a dynamic work environment with opportunities for ongoing training and career growth within a values-driven culture.

Benefits

Ongoing training and development

Career growth opportunities

Supportive work culture

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in workforce planning and capacity management.
• Strong leadership skills to coach and inspire teams.
• Advanced Excel skills and expertise with payroll systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead Staffing and Line Team Leaders in managing day-to-day operations.
• Define staffing targets and manage attrition.
• Ensure health and safety compliance across packhouse sites.

Skills

Workforce planning

Leadership

Advanced Excel

Analytical skills

Health & Safety compliance

Job description

Staffing Team Manager

At Mr Apple, we don’t just grow apples — we grow people, opportunities, and futures. We’re looking for a Staffing Team Manager to lead our Packhouse Staffing Team Leaders and Line Team Leaders, ensuring our people operations run smoothly and efficiently across our post‑harvest sites.

What you’ll be doing

• Developing and leading Staffing and Line Team Leaders in managing day‑to‑day people operations.
• Working closely with the Head of Packhouses to define staffing targets, forecast absenteeism, and manage attrition.
• Partnering with the People & Projects Manager and People and Culture team to ensure consistent delivery of policies and staff wellbeing.
• Ensuring “the right people, in the right place, doing the right thing” across packhouse sites in collaboration with Recruitment and Operations.
• Overseeing payroll, time & attendance systems, rosters, and pay rules, troubleshooting technical issues, and supporting pay queries.
• Generating and analysing workforce data to report on starters, leavers, remuneration, and locations.
• Driving compliance and Health & Safety culture through inductions, site walks, critical control verification (CCV), audits, and PPE management.

What you’ll bring

• Demonstrated experience in workforce planning, headcount forecasting, and capacity management.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to coach, develop, and inspire teams.
• Advanced Excel skills and expertise with payroll/people systems.
• Analytical and problem‑solving ability with excellent attention to detail.
• Experience in compliance, Health & Safety, and people operations.
• A collaborative mindset with the ability to build trusted relationships across the business.

What we offer

• The opportunity to lead staffing operations at New Zealand’s largest apple exporter.
• A dynamic role where your leadership ensures smooth packhouse operations and staff wellbeing.
• Ongoing training, development, and career growth opportunities.
• A culture built on values: stronger together, living the standard, future thinkers, embracing diversity, and always growing.

Please note that this job will close on the 24th of December 2025 and suitable candidates will be called on the 29th and 30th of December with interviews scheduled for the week of January 12th, 2026.

If you want to be part of a business that deliver world class processes alongside world class apples, then please apply now!