Asset Team Lead

Silver Fern Farms; Dunedin; On-site; NZD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading agricultural company in Otago, Dunedin is seeking an Asset Team Lead to optimize assets and enhance reliability at the Finegand site. In this role, you will lead a team, collaborate across departments, and implement efficient asset management strategies. The ideal candidate is approachable and experienced in engineering or maintenance, passionate about continuous improvement, and strong in communication skills. We offer staff discounts, paid sick leave, and additional employee benefits.

Benefits

Discounted staff meat sales

Paid sick leave

Free on-site parking

Clothing allowance

Qualifications

• Experience in asset management, maintenance, or engineering within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to work with teams at all levels.
• Passion for reliability and maintenance planning.

Responsibilities

• Lead and embed strong asset management strategies across the site.
• Build trusted relationships through teamwork and collaboration.
• Identify opportunities for improvement and simplify processes.

Skills

Relationship building

Problem solving

Collaboration

Continuous improvement

Job description

We're looking for a natural relationship builder and problem solver to step into a newly created Asset Team Lead role at our Finegand site. Reporting to the Engineering Operations Manager, this is a key opportunity to shape how we manage and optimise assets across a busy, complex site.

This is a pivotal position designed to lift reliability, planning and performance across the site. You'll play a hands-on role in setting up the right systems and routines that allow our production team to focus on delivering for our customers. With major site expansion planned over the next 2-3 years, this is your chance to influence how new assets are designed, managed, and maintained.

You'll lead a small, dedicated team and act as the bridge between production, engineering, health & safety, and other key teams - bringing people together around a shared goal: ensuring our plant runs smoothly, safely, and driving initiatives to minimize downtime and achieve uninterrupted performance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and embed strong asset management and maintenance strategies across site.
• Build trusted relationships and get the best out of your team through clear systems, smart planning, and genuine collaboration.
• Support production with reliable facilities and equipment to meet changing market demands.
• Bring a fresh perspective - identifying opportunities to improve, simplify, and strengthen reliability.
• Work closely with leaders to develop processes that keep the focus on continuous improvement rather than firefighting.

About You:

We're looking for someone who's:

• Approachable, adaptable, and confident working with people at all levels.
• Passionate about reliability, maintenance planning, and continuous improvement.
• Open-minded - not fixed on "how things have always been done."
• Experienced in asset management, maintenance, or engineering within a manufacturing environment.
• A strong communicator who enjoys making things run better through structure, teamwork, and good systems.

Why work at Silver Fern Farms?

Silver Fern Farms are all about Creating Goodness from the Farms the World Needs. Creating goodness is about taking a broader view of what goodness means, how we can create it and the impact it can have. That Goodness is created through the work of our People, the skill & expertise of our Farmers and our customers around the globe. 'Goodness' is also about being good to people and communities, animal welfare, and showing care and respect for the environment.

For you, we offer heavily discounted staff meat sales through our on site Butcher's Block, paid sick leave from the date of employment (no waiting for the 6 month anniversary required), and confidential employee assistance with career planning, financial advice and counselling. There's the added bonus of free on-site parking and a SFF branded clothing allowance also.

To Apply:

Applications are open now and will be reviewed as they're received. Click "Apply" to submit your application via our Careers Website. Applications close on 31 October.

Silver Fern Farms welcomes people from all backgrounds and walks of life. We are proud to have a diverse and inclusive environment and are committed to providing equal opportunities for all team members and applicants. Come and create goodness together with us. You can see more about our commitments to our people and their work by visiting our Belong Here webpage: https://careers.silverfernfarms.com/nz/en/belong-here