Engineering Team Leader

Silver Fern Farms Limited; Timaru; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid sick leave from day one

Discount staff meat sales on-site

Confidential employee assistance

Free on-site parking

Branded uniform

Ongoing training and career growth

Job summary

Silver Fern Farms Limited in Timaru, Canterbury, is seeking an Engineering Team Leader to guide a maintenance and engineering team across site operations. You will lead maintenance activities to support production targets, plant reliability, quality and compliance, while coaching and developing your team.

You'll coordinate resources, respond to breakdowns, and foster a culture of accountability, teamwork and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Trade qualification in mechanical/engineering with solid practice.
• Experience leading teams in industrial/manufacturing settings.
• Strong knowledge of maintenance operations, plant reliability, and safety requirements.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience driving continuous improvement and performance.
• Ability to work under pressure and solve problems.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop engineering team across site operations.
• Coordinate engineering resources to support production targets.
• Respond to breakdowns and provide timely maintenance support.
• Promote safety, quality, and productivity through leadership.

Skills

Team leadership

Coaching

Maintenance operations

Plant reliability

Health & safety

Communication

Continuous improvement

Problem solving

Maintenance management systems

Compliance knowledge

Education

Trade qualification

Tools

CMMS

Job description

As an Engineering Team Leader, you'll be responsible for leading a team that provides engineering maintenance and support services across site operations. You'll ensure maintenance activities are completed safely, efficiently, and effectively while supporting production targets, plant reliability, quality, and compliance requirements.

This is a hands-on leadership role where you'll coach and develop your team, coordinate engineering resources, support breakdown response, and promote a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement. Working closely with Production Managers, Supervisors, contractors, and site support teams, you'll help ensure operational success.

Shift Pattern: Monday – Friday 7am-4.30pm. Will be available to do take calls etc outside of normal hours

We're looking for someone who brings strong technical capability and proven leadership experience, along with:

• A relevant trade qualification and sound knowledge of mechanical and engineering practices.
• Experience leading, coaching, and developing teams in an industrial or manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of maintenance operations, plant reliability, and health and safety requirements.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Experience driving continuous improvement initiatives and improving team performance.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to perform effectively under pressure.
• Computer literacy, with experience using maintenance management systems desirable.
• Knowledge of compliance requirements associated with plant engineering operations.
• A proactive, energetic approach with a strong focus on safety, quality, and productivity.

Te Ahurea / Why Work at Silver Fern Farms?

At Silver Fern Farms, we're committed to Creating Goodness from the Farms the World Needs. That's not just about what we produce, it's about how we support our people, communities, and environment.

• Heavily discounted staff meat sales at our on-site Butcher's Block
• Paid sick leave from day one, with no stand-down period
• Confidential employee assistance for career, financial, and personal wellbeing
• Free on-site parking
• Silver Fern Farms branded uniform where applicable
• Ongoing training, leadership development, and career progression opportunities

If you're a motivated engineering leader who thrives on developing people, solving problems, and driving operational excellence, we'd love to hear from you.

Silver Fern Farms welcomes applicants from all backgrounds and is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive workplace with equal opportunities for all.