Butcher

JobSpace; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 39,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits

Shift allowances for chiller and night

Job summary

Service Foods is seeking a dedicated Butcher to join our fast-paced team at Woolston, Christchurch. You will contribute to high-quality meat cuts, with an emphasis on safety and quality in every step of the process.

The role supports a 30–40 hour week with shifts starting early morning, including occasional Saturdays. A trade qualification or relevant butchery experience is advantageous, and applicants should be able to lift heavy items while maintaining standards.

Qualifications

• Trade qualification or relevant butchery experience beneficial.
• Experience cutting meat and preparing standard cuts.
• Be physically fit and able to lift heavy items.
• Evidence of a stable work history.
• Safety and food safety compliance.

Responsibilities

• Perform specialised cutting, deboning, and trimming across a range of meat types.
• Separate muscle, fat, and tissue from bones with precision.
• Wrap and pack meat cuts and products to the required standards.
• Move carcasses to the boning table and operate processing machinery as needed.
• Pack processed stock into cartons for storage.
• Ensure all stock is correctly labelled and packed in line with SOPs.
• Check and maintain proper storage of meat products, ensuring correct stock rotation.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, quality, and health & safety at all times.

Skills

Butchery experience

Physical fitness

Education

Trade qualification in butcher/meat processing

Job description

Position Snapshot

• Position: Permanent, Full-Time | 30-40 hours a week
• Location: Cumnor Terrace, Woolston
• Shift Timings: 03:30 am to 12:00 pm, Monday to Friday (& occasional Saturdays when rostered)
• Pay rate: $30.00 per hour

About the role

As a Butcher, you will work as part of a fast‑paced, skilled team, assisting in the preparation of high‑quality meat cuts. Relevant qualifications and/or experience are highly beneficial.

Key Responsibilities:

• Perform specialised cutting, deboning, and trimming across a range of meat types.
• Separate muscle, fat, and tissue from bones with precision.
• Wrap and pack meat cuts and products to the required standards.
• Move carcasses to the boning table and operate processing machinery as needed.
• Pack processed stock into cartons for storage.
• Ensure all stock is correctly labelled and packed in line with operational SOPs.
• Check and maintain proper storage of meat products, ensuring correct stock rotation.
• Maintain high standards of food safety, quality, and health & safety at all times.

About you

Our ideal candidate will be self‑motivated and passionate about their craft. You should be physically fit, able to work in a fast‑paced environment, and committed to delivering quality results.

The successful applicant will have the following attributes:

• A Trade qualification or relevant butchery experience beneficial
• Skill and experience in cutting meat and preparing standard meat cuts
• Proven skills in Beef Boning or Slicing
• Around 1-2 years of hands on experience in the industry
• Evidence of a referenced, stable work history
• Be physically fit and able to lift/move heavy items
• A proven commitment to Safety & Wellbeing and Food Safety in the workplace.
• Organised, ability to multitask and meet deadlines
• Share our values of Resilience, Inclusivity and humility

What to expect

At Service Foods, we strongly believe in fostering a positive and dynamic work environment. Throughout your tenure with us, it is important to embody our core values: creativity, resilience, inclusivity, collaboration, work ethic, and humility. These values guide us in delivering exceptional service and contributing to the success of our team and the business. We encourage you to embrace these principles as you grow and thrive with us.

We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for professional growth. This role offers additional allowances for both chiller and night shifts, on top of the standard hourly wage.

About us

Service Foods is one of New Zealand's largest privately family owned and operated food service distribution businesses. With items imported from over 20 countries as well as our locally produced offerings, we have close to 14,000 products for you to discover.

We employ around 800 team members, operate over 220 trucks, and have 16 strategically placed branches across New Zealand. Learn more about us at www.servicefoods.co.nz

If you're passionate about butchery and looking for a role where you can make a difference, we'd love to hear from you.

Eligibility:

Applicants must have NZ citizenship, residency, or a valid work visa.

Pre-employment Checks:

To ensure a safe and compliant work environment, successful candidates will be required to complete satisfactory pre-employment checks. These will include satisfactory employment references, government agency verifications (Ministry of Justice and ACC) as well as alcohol and drug testing conducted by an accredited provider for workplace substance testing in New Zealand.