Grower Relationship & Supply Partner

T&G Global Limited; Whakatu; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

T&G Global Limited is seeking a Grower Relationship & Supply Partner to join the Independent Supply team in Hawke’s Bay or Nelson. The role focuses on cultivating and managing a portfolio of independent growers, while expanding supply and planting opportunities to ensure sustainable partnerships and future growth.

You'll work across grower relationships, commercial performance, supply and business development, spending time in the field, and building a pipeline of new opportunities.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in relationship/account management or similar commercial role.
• Experience in agribusiness, horticulture or fresh produce is valuable.
• Ability to build long-term partnerships and create value propositions.

Responsibilities

• Own and develop trusted relationships with a portfolio of independent growers with clear account plans.
• Build and manage a pipeline of prospective growers and future supply opportunities across growing regions.
• Identify opportunities for new plantings, varieties and additional supply with future development plans.
• Present a strong T&G value proposition to growers to secure commercial alignment.
• Lead commercial discussions and negotiate supply commitments that work for growers and T&G.
• Use forecasting, yield, packout, quality, maturity and supply data to support better decisions.
• Maintain constructive conversations when commitments aren’t met and protect long-term relationships.
• Coordinate with Operations, Quality, Technical, Commercial and Supply teams to resolve grower issues.
• Support future supply strategy including variety and planting opportunities.
• Use data and improved processes to simplify grower interactions and supply management.

Skills

Relationship management

Account management

Stakeholder management

Commercial acumen

Education

HORT|AGRIBUSINESS/BUSINESS/SC qualification

Job description

Build strong grower partnerships. Secure future supply. Shape what comes next.

At T&G Global, we’re passionate about growing healthier futures. Our story began 125 years ago and today our 2,000 people are based across 13 countries, growing, marketing, selling and distributing high-quality fresh produce to customers in more than 60 countries.

We’re looking for a Grower Relationship & Supply Partner to join our Independent Supply team, based in Hawke’s Bay or Nelson.

This is a genuinely interesting role sitting across grower relationships, commercial performance, supply and business development. You’ll manage a portfolio of strategic independent growers, while also looking ahead to identify and secure new sources of supply and future planting opportunities.

It’s not a traditional sales role. Success is about building credibility and long-term partnerships, understanding growers’ businesses, creating a compelling value proposition for working with T&G and turning the right opportunities into sustainable supply.

The opportunity

You’ll be the key relationship owner for a portfolio of independent growers, spending time in the field and building a strong understanding of their businesses, priorities and future plans.

Alongside managing existing relationships, you’ll play an important role in growing our independent supply network. You’ll build a pipeline of prospective growers, identify opportunities for new plantings and supply, and work with growers to understand where there is a strong commercial fit for both sides.

You’ll:

• Own and develop trusted relationships with a portfolio of strategic independent growers, supported by clear account plans and regular review rhythms
• Build and manage a pipeline of prospective growers and future supply opportunities across our growing regions
• Identify opportunities for new plantings, varieties and additional supply, including understanding growers’ future development plans
• Present a strong and credible T&G value proposition to prospective and existing growers, demonstrating why partnering with T&G makes commercial sense
• Lead commercial discussions and negotiate supply commitments, agreements and expectations that work for both the grower and T&G
• Use forecasting, yield, packout, quality, maturity and supply data to understand performance, identify opportunities and support better commercial decisions
• Have confident, constructive conversations when supply or performance commitments aren’t being met, while maintaining strong long-term relationships
• Coordinate across Operations, Quality, Technical, Commercial and Supply teams to make sure grower issues are owned, resolved and communicated effectively
• Support future supply strategy, including variety and planting opportunities such as Joli
• Use data, technology and improved processes to make grower interactions and supply management simpler and more effective
• Look for better ways of working and help shape a more consistent, commercially focused approach to independent grower management

About you

You’ll be a relationship-focused commercial operator who enjoys being out in the field, building connections and finding opportunities.

You might come from agribusiness, horticulture, fresh produce, rural services, supplier management, account management or another commercially focused relationship role.

What matters most is your ability to:

• Build genuine, trusted relationships and turn those relationships into long-term commercial partnerships
• Identify opportunities, build a pipeline and proactively develop new business
• Understand what matters commercially to both sides and create a compelling value proposition
• Negotiate confidently and influence outcomes without relying on formal authority
• Have direct conversations when expectations or commitments aren’t being met
• Use data and business information to understand performance and make sound recommendations
• Manage competing priorities while maintaining strong follow-through
• Work independently, take initiative and spot opportunities rather than waiting for them to come to you
• Operate comfortably across both strategic conversations and practical, day-to-day issues

You’ll ideally have 5+ years’ experience in relationship management, account management, commercial stakeholder management or a similar role. Experience in agriculture, horticulture, fresh produce or another primary industry would be valuable, but we’re not looking for someone who has simply followed a traditional career path.

A qualification in horticulture, agribusiness, business, supply chain or a related discipline is useful, but equivalent industry and commercial experience will also be considered.

You don’t need to be an apple expert on day one. What’s harder to teach is the ability to build trust, understand a business, spot an opportunity, negotiate well and have the confidence to hold your ground when needed.

Why this role?

This is an opportunity to play a meaningful role in shaping the future of T&G’s independent supply network.

You’ll have the opportunity to build relationships, develop new supply, influence planting decisions and help grow the network, while working closely with teams across T&G to make sure we deliver for both growers and our customers.

You’ll be part of a close-knit Independent Supply team, with plenty of variety, autonomy and opportunity to make your mark.

Where you'll be based

We're open to candidates based in Hawke's Bay or Nelson.

Our preference is for the successful candidates to be close to our key grower regions, with regular travel to orchards and grower sites. We're particularly interested in people who enjoy being out and about rather than being office based.

Ready to grow something?

If you're a strong relationship builder with commercial nous, a practical mindset and an interest in where New Zealand's fresh produce industry is heading, we'd love to hear from you.

Proof of eligibility to work in New Zealand is required for all applicants and any offer of employment will be subject to a satisfactory drug test, credit check, driver licence check,and security check.

We want T&G to be a place where everyone is accepted, respected and celebrated for who they are – regardless of our similarities or differences. It’s essential that everyone can be themselves and thrive, and that together we create a diverse and vibrant workplace.