Engineering Manager

Koru Talent; Howick; On-site; NZD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Open Country Dairy's East Tamaki Ice Cream Factory invites an Engineering Manager to lead a small maintenance team and own engineering, maintenance, utilities and plant reliability as the business grows.

You will partner with Production and Warehousing to align engineering priorities with site performance, drive capacity improvements, equipment upgrades and deliver future projects while maintaining high safety and food hygiene standards.

Qualifications

• Dual electrical and mechanical trades qualification preferred.
• Experience leading maintenance within manufacturing.
• Strong financial management and collaborative leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a small maintenance team.
• Manage preventative and corrective maintenance.
• Partner with Production and Warehousing to improve site performance.
• Improve plant reliability and equipment availability.
• Support capacity increases and equipment upgrades.
• Manage engineering expenditure and ensure budgets are met.
• Drive efficient use of electricity, gas and water.
• Oversee effluent and waste engineering requirements.
• Coordinate contractors and critical spares.
• Maintain high safety, food safety and hygiene standards.

Skills

Electrical trades

Mechanical trades

Maintenance leadership

Budget management

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Lead engineering for the team behind NZ's 2026 Supreme Champion ice cream and help prepare the factory for future growth.
Eleven medals. Two Category Champions. One Supreme Champion. Two iconic brands. One very proud team.
Award winning ice cream takes quality, care, reliable equipment and teams that work brilliantly together. Now we are looking for an Engineering Manager to help build on that success.

The Opportunity

Reporting directly to the Site Manager, you will lead a small maintenance team and take responsibility for engineering, maintenance, utilities and plant reliability at Open Country Dairy's East Tamaki Ice Cream Factory.

With two sites recently amalgamated and ambitious plans ahead, this is a key leadership role. You will work closely with Production and Warehousing to ensure engineering priorities support the performance of the entire operation.

You will also be strongly involved in increasing production capacity, upgrading equipment and delivering future projects as the site prepares for further growth.

Your Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a small maintenance team
• Manage preventative and corrective maintenance
• Partner closely with Production and Warehousing to improve site performance
• Improve plant reliability and equipment availability
• Support capacity increases, site projects and equipment upgrades
• Manage engineering expenditure and ensure budgets are met
• Drive the effective and efficient use of electricity, gas and water
• Oversee engineering requirements relating to effluent and waste
• Coordinate contractors, critical spares and engineering resources
• Maintain high safety, food safety and hygiene standards

What We Are Looking For

• Ideally, you will be dual qualified in the electrical and mechanical trades, supported by experience leading maintenance within a manufacturing environment.
• You will bring strong technical knowledge, sound financial management and a collaborative leadership style.
• You will be visible on the floor, comfortable solving practical problems and able to build trusted working relationships across Maintenance, Production and Warehousing.
• Dairy experience would be a definite advantage, but it is not essential. Experience within food, FMCG or another fast-paced manufacturing environment will also be considered.

Why Join Open Country Dairy?

You will be joining the team behind two iconic and award-winning New Zealand ice cream brands at an exciting stage of integration and growth.

This is your opportunity to strengthen engineering reliability, support increased capacity and help shape the next chapter of Open Country Dairy's Ice Cream Factory.

Additional information

• Partner with Production and Warehousing to improve overall site performance
• Lead maintenance, utilities management and engineering financial performance
• Play a key role in capacity increases, equipment upgrades and future projects