Assistant Vine Manager

Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers; Katikati; On-site; NZD 39,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Birthday day off

Tools and machinery provided

Training opportunities

Job summary

Cultivate in Katikati, Bay of Plenty, is hiring an Assistant Vine Manager for a full-time, permanent position. You will work with Vine Managers to deliver high-standard organic orchard care and lead seasonal teams in a 30-minute radius of the orchards.

Pay ranges between $28-$31 per hour, with weekends off except during harvest. The role offers training, growth into Vine Manager, and a supportive, values-driven environment.

Qualifications

• Min 2 years direct kiwifruit orchard experience.
• Willingness to travel between Aongatete, Katikati and Athenree.
• Permanent NZ residency.
• Full driver's licence.

Responsibilities

• Support Vine Managers in leading seasonal teams to complete orchard tasks.
• Help set up daily resources, communicate targets, and maintain workflow momentum.
• Carry out kiwifruit tasks confidently and to SOP standards.
• Assist with training new staff and supporting team development.
• Provide feedback to help improve quality and productivity.
• Contribute to orchard notes, timesheets, and workflow updates using our software tools.
• Work collaboratively with the wider Cultivate team to uphold organic best practice.
• Maintain a positive, safe, and motivated working environment.

Skills

Kiwi fruit experience

Leadership potential

Team collaboration

Outdoor work

Job description

Find the workplace you'll love with values that are good for you and the environment.

Cultivate is a successful specialised organic orchard management company across 50 hectares of certified organic orchards. Our mission is simple: prove that organic growing can be profitable, regenerative, and deeply rewarding for both growers and staff.

We are looking for someone to join our team that values what sets us apart in our industry:

We are family run and have a strong emphasis on work life balance and provide our staff with weekends off.

We are one of the very few kiwifruit and avocado management companies that solely focus on organic orchards

We are a small successful company with a clear vision and pathway for growth. Become a key contributor, working closely with founders and existing management where your hard work is noticed, responsibility is given and you access powerful mentorship. Our team leaders work in a collaborative supportive way where your voice and ideas carry real weight and every individual makes a real impact on our clients organic orchards.

As our business takes on additional hectares of management and workflow, we’re expanding our operational team and are looking for a motivated Assistant Vine Manager to join us.

About the Role

Full time, permanent role as an Assistant Vine Manager

Location: Based in Katikati, Bay of Plenty. Orchards within a 30 minute radius.

Pay: $28-$31 per hour (based on experience)

As an Assistant Vine Manager, you will work closely with our Vine Managers to help deliver high standards of organic orchard care to our growers.

You will:

• Support Vine Managers in leading our seasonal teams to complete orchard tasks
• Help set up daily resources, communicate targets, and maintain workflow momentum
• Carry out kiwifruit tasks confidently and to SOP standards
• Assist with training new staff and supporting team development
• Provide feedback respectfully to help improve quality and productivity
• Contribute to orchard notes, timesheets, and workflow updates using our software tools
• Work collaboratively with the wider Cultivate team to uphold organic best practice
• Maintain a positive, safe, and motivated working environment

This role is ideal for someone who has strong hands-on orchard experience and is ready to step into a leadership-support position with room to grow. If you thrive in a positive, outdoors-based environment, enjoy physical work, and want to grow your horticultural career within a company that values loyalty, joyousness, respect and excellence, this role is for you.

What We’re Looking For

To be successful in this role, you need:

• Minimum 2 years of direct kiwifruit orchard experience
• A positive, organised, and reliable work ethic
• The ability to work well in a team and communicate respectfully
• Value working in an organic environment
• Motivation to learn, grow, and contribute to high-quality organic production
• A full driver's licence and willingness to travel between Aongatete, Katikati and Athenree
• Permanent NZ residency
• Experience supervising staff is an advantage, but not essential - we will support you to develop these skills.

Why Join Cultivate?

• Pay range $28-31 per hour, depending on experience
• Guaranteed minimum paid 60 hours per fortnight (e.g. if heavy rain meant work was called off 5 out of 10 working days over the two weeks and your hours totalled 50, you still get paid 60).
• Monday-Friday work (weekends off except harvest where weekends are rostered on/off between key staff)
• Tools of the trade provided, including access to machinery and automatic pruners (with training)
• Additional training opportunities: machinery, First Aid, organic-specific skill development
• Supportive, values-driven team culture
• Work in a thriving organic environment that prioritises sustainability, staff wellbeing, and excellence
• Paid day off on your birthday each year

Grow Your Career in Organics

This is a full-time, permanent role with genuine opportunities to progress into a Vine Manager position as your confidence and capability grow over time. You'll be joining a company committed to developing people, improving organic production systems, and creating a workplace where staff feel valued and supported.

Learn more about us at cultivatehort.nz or on Facebook @cultivatehort.

Your application will include the following questions:

• Which of the following statements best describes your right to work in New Zealand?
• How much notice are you required to give your current employer?
• How many hours are you available to work per week?
• What's your expected hourly rate?