Contracting Operations Manager

Southern Cross Horticulture; Tauranga; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonuses

Shareholder bonuses

Meat packs

Vege packs

Free fruit for family

Job summary

Southern Cross Horticulture is seeking a Contracting Operations Manager to lead our contracting business unit across multiple sites. You will own the contracting operations budget, oversee orchard spray programs, fleet and machinery performance, and build strong relationships with growers, customers and the SCH team.

This hands-on leadership role combines field leadership with office planning, requiring clear communication and decision-making under pressure.

Qualifications

• Hands-on spraying and orchard/agrichemical operations experience.
• Proven leadership of multi-site field teams in machinery-heavy settings.
• Budget ownership with a track record of driving financial performance.
• Strong communication with growers, customers and internal teams.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage the contracting operations budget, controlling costs and meeting revenue and EBIT targets.
• Oversee orchard spray programs across all sites to high standards of accuracy and quality.
• Oversee fleet and machinery performance, ensuring equipment is well maintained and safely operated.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with growers, customers and SCH team.
• Drive strategic planning and resource allocation across sites to meet seasonal and operational demands.
• Identify and implement opportunities for operational efficiency, cost savings and business growth.
• Ensure compliance with H&S policies, WorkSafe NZ guidelines and SCH SOPs across all teams.
• Complete administration and reporting tasks accurately and on time (e.g. spray sheets, WorkGuru, Zespri Canopy, ApprovalMax).
• Support other aspects of the operation across the business as required.

Skills

Spraying operations

Leadership

Budget management

Stakeholder communication

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

At Southern Cross Horticulture we're on a mission to build the world's best kiwifruit orchards. We live our values of excellence, integrity and teamwork with a growth mindset and we're looking for a Contracting Operations Manager to lead our successful contracting business unit.

In this role, you'll lead and help develop our managers and operators, own the contracting operations budget, and oversee spray programs, fleet and machinery performance across all sites. You'll build strong relationships with growers, customers and the wider SCH team, driving the operational excellence, quality and safety we're known for.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who can lead from the field as well as the office. This is a people based role, so strong communication skills is a must.

Key responsibilities include:

• Own and manage the contracting operations budget, controlling costs and meeting revenue and EBIT targets
• Overseeing execution of orchard spray programs across all areas to a high standard of accuracy and quality
• Overseeing fleet and machinery performance, ensuring equipment is well maintained and safely operated
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with growers, customers and the SCH team
• Driving strategic planning and resource allocation across sites to meet seasonal and operational demands
• Identifying and implementing opportunities for operational efficiency, cost savings and business growth
• Ensuring compliance with H&S policies, WorkSafe NZ guidelines and SCH SOPs across all teams
• Completing administration and reporting tasks accurately and on time (e.g. spray sheets, WorkGuru, Zespri Canopy, ApprovalMax)
• Supporting other aspects of the operation across the business as required

Who we're looking for:

• Hands-on experience and knowledge of spraying and orchard/agrichemical operations
• Proven leadership experience managing multi-site teams in a machinery-heavy, field-based environment
• Strong business acumen, with experience owning a budget and driving financial performance
• Confidence building relationships and communicating with growers, customers and internal teams
• Sound decision-making and the ability to prioritise across multiple sites and teams under pressure
• A Growsafe licence
• A valid Full New Zealand Driver License, minimum Class 2 (further endorsements such as RCA, DG, Forklift or WTR are a plus)

When you join SCH, you join a family run business where culture and performance go hand in hand. We work hard to achieve the best results for our clients and our customers, and we work hard to grow ourselves as the best people for the job. You’ll receive a good pay and remuneration that is supported by performance bonuses and shareholder bonuses as well as other benefits like, meat packs, vege packs and free fruit for the family.

Come join a business where you can thrive.

For more information about Southern Cross Horticulture Ltd visit: www.southerncrosshorticulture.co.nz