Head of Sustainability Performance & Engagement

Silver Fern Farms; Dunedin; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Silver Fern Farms is seeking a Head of Sustainability Performance & Engagement to drive strategic sustainability initiatives and enhance the company's credibility and performance. This high-impact role involves collaboration across various teams to turn sustainability strategies into actionable opportunities, focusing on creating long-term value and measurable impact in food production.

Qualifications

• Senior experience in sustainability strategy execution or business development.
• Familiarity with global frameworks like TCFD, TNFD, and impact reporting.
• Experience embedding sustainability into business models or supply chains.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and delivery of the Sustainability Action Plan.
• Oversee enterprise-wide engagement and reporting.
• Enable growth through sustainability-led innovation.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Excellent communication

Commercial savvy

Systems led approach

Influencing skills

Job description

Description

Te Tūranga | About the Role:

Silver Fern Farms is looking for a seasoned sustainability leader to drive strategic programmes and cross-functional transformation as we continue our journey to Create Goodness from the Farms the World Needs and enduring value.

As Head of Sustainability Performance & Engagement, you’ll lead the design and delivery of strategic initiatives that enhance credibility, performance, and reputation—both within our business and across the value chain, focusing on translating our ambition into action. You will lead the evolution of our Sustainability Action Plan, oversee enterprise-wide capability building, engagement and reporting, and work alongside our external facing teams to build our maturity, and turn strategy into commercial opportunity and real-world environmental and social impact

This is a high-impact, cross-functional role with a clear mandate: accelerate sustainability as a driver of growth opportunities and long-term value. You’ll work directly alongside the Chief Sustainability & Risk Officer and collaborate with teams across sales, marketing, procurement, operations and more to deliver high integrity, credible performance, measurable impact, and powerful sustainability narratives.

Your key focus areas will include:

• Lead the design and delivery of our next-generation Sustainability Action Plan, ensuring transparency, trust, and alignment to global frameworks
• Oversee enterprise-wide engagement and reporting, developing sustainability narratives that are backed by proof and inspire our people, customers, investors, and partners
• Enable growth through sustainability-led innovation, including customer partnerships, anddeveloped IP that monetise sustainability-led value
• Strengthen supply chain sustainability, overseeing vendor standards, ethical sourcing, and modern slavery compliance
• Co-develop climate and nature disclosures, supporting alignment with TCFD, TNFD and emerging regulatory requirements

Ōu Pūkenga | About You:

You bring a rare mix of commercial savvy, strategic thinking, and sustainability depth. You're an excellent communicator who knows how to connect ideas, people, and action. You may come from a sustainability, strategy, innovation, or customer engagement background—but what sets you apart is your systems led approach and your ability to influence, design, and deliver in complex environments.

You’ll likely have:

• Senior experience in sustainability strategy execution, business development or customer engagement
• Familiarity with key global frameworks (e.g. TCFD, TNFD, NPI, CDP), impact reporting and climate/nature disclosures
• Experience embedding sustainability into business models, business functions or supply chains
• Demonstrated success influencing senior stakeholders and partnering with commercial teams to unlock shared value
• A pragmatic mindset and the ability to move from strategy to execution

This is a unique opportunity to combine purpose and performance at scale—helping shape the future of sustainable food production in Aotearoa.

Tono Mai | To Apply

Ready to Create Goodness? Applications are open now and close on Monday June 2nd. Apply via the “Apply” link which will take you through to our website.

A Position Description for this role is available – please contact Mat Baird on mat.baird@ silverfernfarms.co.nz if you would like to view this.

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.