General Manager - Operations (Auckland)

Lineage; Manurewa; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Training & development

Culture & values

Global opportunities

Impact on people

Job summary

Lineage is seeking an exceptional operational leader to take the helm of our Auckland operation, comprising our flagship Wiri facility and supporting oversight of our Kerepehi site. This is not simply a site leadership role.

It is an opportunity to lead a strategically important operation, strengthen capability, elevate performance and help shape the next chapter of Lineage New Zealand. You will be responsible for the overall leadership, performance and culture of our Auckland operations.

Qualifications

• Proven success leading complex operational environments.
• A genuine passion for safety leadership.
• Strong experience leading medium-to-large workforces through frontline leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to improve engagement, capability and performance.
• Commercial and financial acumen with P&L responsibility.
• Experience managing customers and key stakeholder relationships.
• A track record of delivering operational improvement through people.
• The credibility, resilience and emotional intelligence to lead through change.

Responsibilities

• Champion a safety-first culture where every team member goes home safely every day.
• Build an engaged, accountable and high-performing workforce.
• Coach, mentor and develop leaders at all levels.
• Foster a culture built on trust, ownership and continuous improvement.
• Create clarity around expectations, standards and performance.
• Drive productivity, efficiency and service performance.
• Ensure inventory integrity and operational accuracy.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance customer outcomes and business performance.
• Maintain strong compliance and operational governance standards.
• Deliver outstanding customer service across all operations.
• Own site financial performance including budget, cost management and forecasting.
• Develop strong relationships with customers and key stakeholders.
• Identify commercial opportunities to strengthen business performance.

Skills

Leadership

Safety Leadership

People Management

Change Leadership

Commercial Acumen

Stakeholder Management

Operational Improvement

Emotional Intelligence

Job description

Lineage is the world’s largest temperature-controlled industrial REIT and logistics solutions provider, with a global network of over 400 facilities, spanning 25 countries across North & South America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Working a Lineage is not just a job - it’s an opportunity to innovate and put your mark on how food moves from the farm to dinner tables around the world. As a member of the Lineage team, you are a critical link in the food supply chain.

The Asia-Pacific region currently includes Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Singapore employing nearly 2,500 team members.

Position Details

Lead. Inspire. Deliver.

Ready for a role where your leadership impact will be measured not just by operational results, but by the culture you foster and team you develop?

We’re seeking an exceptional operational leader to take the helm of our Auckland operation, comprising our flagship Wiri facility and supporting oversight of our Kerepehi site.

This is not simply a site leadership role.

It is an opportunity to lead a strategically important operation, strengthen capability, elevate performance and help shape the next chapter of Lineage New Zealand.

For the right leader, this role offers genuine long‑term career growth within a global organisation, including the opportunity to progress into broader operational leadership responsibilities as your impact grows.

Why This Role Matters

Our Auckland operation has strong foundations, a committed team and significant opportunity ahead.

We’re looking for a leader who can:

• Create an environment where safety is visible, genuine and never compromised
• Build trust through consistency, accountability and clear communication
• Develop leadership capability throughout the operation
• Elevate performance through engagement rather than command and control
• Inspire teams to achieve higher standards while bringing people on the journey

This role will suit a leader who understands that sustainable operational success starts with people.

You will be highly visible, approachable and authentic, equally comfortable spending time on the warehouse floor as you are reviewing financial performance, engaging customers or contributing to strategic business discussions.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Regional Director Operations - New Zealand, you will be responsible for the overall leadership, performance and culture of our Auckland operations.

Leading a team of approximately 45 employees, you’ll drive excellence across safety, service, customer satisfaction, people capability and commercial outcomes.

Key areas of focus include:

Leadership & Culture

• Champion a safety-first culture where every team member goes home safely every day
• Build an engaged, accountable and high-performing workforce
• Coach, mentor and develop leaders at all levels
• Foster a culture built on trust, ownership and continuous improvement
• Create clarity around expectations, standards and performance

Operational Excellence

• Drive productivity, efficiency and service performance
• Ensure inventory integrity and operational accuracy
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance customer outcomes and business performance
• Maintain strong compliance and operational governance standards
• Deliver outstanding customer service across all operations

Commercial & Strategic Leadership

• Own site financial performance including budget, cost management and forecasting
• Develop strong relationships with customers and key stakeholders
• Identify commercial opportunities to strengthen business performance
• Contribute to broader New Zealand operational priorities and strategic initiatives
• Support future growth and capability-building across the region

About You

We’re far more interested in your leadership capability than your industry background alone.

You may come from:

• Logistics
• Supply Chain
• FMCG
• Food Manufacturing
• Warehousing & Distribution
• Transport
• Industrial Operations
• Large-scale Manufacturing

What matters most is your ability to lead people and create high‑performing operational cultures.

You’ll bring:

• Proven success leading complex operational environments
• A genuine passion for safety leadership
• Strong experience leading medium-to-large workforces through frontline leaders
• Demonstrated ability to improve engagement, capability and performance
• Commercial and financial acumen with P&L responsibility
• Experience managing customers and key stakeholder relationships
• A track record of delivering operational improvement through people
• The credibility, resilience and emotional intelligence to lead through change

Most importantly, you’ll be a leader people choose to follow.

You’ll build trust quickly, communicate clearly, hold people accountable respectfully and create an environment where people can perform at their best.

What We Offer

At Lineage, we believe our people are fundamental to our success. We are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace where people are treated fairly, encouraged to develop and recognised for their contribution.

As part of Lineage, you will have access to:

• Ongoing training and career development opportunities
• Competitive remuneration
• A collaborative and values-driven culture
• Opportunities to develop your career within a global organisation
• The opportunity to make a genuine impact across our people, customers and operations

Our six core values guide how we work every day:

Safe | Trust | Respect | Innovation | Bold | Servant Leadership

Every role at Lineage contributes to keeping the world’s food supply moving, and every person has the opportunity to make a difference.

Ready to Lead?

If you are an experienced operational leader who is commercially minded, passionate about people and ready to lead a high-performing operation,we’d love to hear from you.

All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory reference checks and a pre-employment medical, including drug and alcohol testing. Lineage is committed to maintaining a drug- and alcohol-free workplace.

Why Lineage?

Lineage is more than just a cold storage logistics business. We’re focused on being a vibrant, innovative and progressive employer where all our teams work safely, harmoniously and efficiently toward a common purpose - transforming the food supply chain to eliminate waste and help feed the world.

Lineage is dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic work environment and encourages applicants from all backgrounds to apply.

Benefits

Lineage provides a safe, stable and reliable work environment and offers;

• Competitive pay
• Retail discounts as some of New Zealand’s largest retailers (via the Boost Scheme)
• 8 hours of paid volunteer time to contribute in the community
• An employee assistance programme