Customer & Operations Manager

Plains Power; Ashburton; Hybrid; NZD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company vehicle

Phone and laptop

Flexible working

Small, supportive team

Job summary

Plains Power, a locally owned electricity retailer based in Ashburton, is seeking a dynamic candidate to join our small, hands-on team. The role combines customer relationships, commercial thinking and operational leadership, with time spent on farm visits and behind-the-scenes work to ensure commitments are fulfilled.

You will build trusted relationships, provide excellent service, manage contracts, and explore growth opportunities while helping the team operate more efficiently.

Qualifications

• Experience in NZ agricultural sector.
• Ability to talk with farmers at the kitchen table.
• Strong relationship-building and customer service skills.
• Good commercial judgement and big-picture thinking.
• Organised and able to follow through on tasks.
• Willingness to take ownership and make decisions.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain strong relationships with rural, industrial and large commercial customers.
• Deliver proactive, genuinely good customer service.
• Manage customer contracts, commitments and commercial matters.
• Progress targeted growth opportunities aligned with Plains Power's strategy.
• Provide practical leadership across customer-facing operations.
• Identify ways to simplify processes and improve how the business operates.
• Take ownership, make good decisions and ensure follow-through.

Skills

Agricultural knowledge

Relationship building

Customer service

Commercial judgement

Organised

Decision making

Ownership mindset

Problem solving

Job description

Know farming. Value relationships. Get things done.

About Plains Power

Plains Power is a locally owned electricity retailer based in Ashburton, servicing customers throughout Mid Canterbury and beyond.

We're a small, hands-on team and we do things a little differently. We know our customers, we pick up the phone, we take the time to understand their businesses, and we look for practical solutions that genuinely add value.

We're now looking for someone who shares that approach and wants the opportunity to play a meaningful role in where Plains Power goes next.

The role

This is a broad and varied role combining customer relationships, commercial thinking and operational leadership.

You'll spend time out on farm with customers, but you'll also be involved in what happens behind the scenes - making sure commitments are followed through, identifying opportunities and risks, helping the team work effectively and improving how we do things.

Your key areas of focus will include:

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with our rural, industrial and large commercial customers.
• Delivering proactive, genuinely good customer service.
• Managing customer contracts, commitments and commercial matters.
• Progressing targeted growth opportunities where they fit Plains Power's strategy.
• Providing practical leadership across customer-facing operations.
• Identifying ways to simplify processes and improve how the business operates.
• Taking ownership, making good decisions and ensuring things get followed through.

Who we're looking for

You might currently be working in rural banking, agribusiness, rural professional services or another customer-facing agricultural role.

More important than your job title is that you:

• Have strong knowledge and experience within the New Zealand agricultural sector.
• Understand farming businesses and are comfortable sitting around the kitchen table talking with farmers.
• Build genuine, trusted relationships.
• Provide excellent customer service because that's simply how you operate.
• Have good commercial judgement and can see the bigger picture.
• Are organised and follow things through.
• Are comfortable taking ownership and making decisions.
• Enjoy being part of a small team where everyone pitches in.
• Can identify a problem and help find a practical solution.

Electricity industry experience is not required. We'll teach you that part.

What we offer

This is a permanent, full-time position based in Ashburton, with flexibility to work from home and plenty of opportunity to get out of the office and visit customers on farm.

You'll report directly to the CEO and have the opportunity to influence how the role develops. While there are no direct reports initially, there is genuine scope to take on broader operational and people leadership as you become established and the business evolves.

The package includes:

• Company vehicle
• Phone and laptop
• Flexible working
• A small, supportive team where you'll have genuine influence

Applications close 27 September 2026. We may begin interviewing and appoint before the closing date if we find the right person.

Applicants must already have the permanent right to work in New Zealand.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

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