HR Advisor

Open Country Dairy Ltd; Southland; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Open Country Dairy Ltd. seeks an experienced HR Advisor to provide hands-on HR support across Southland operations, based at the Awarua site in Invercargill with travel to Gore sites.

You will be embedded in the business, advising leaders, managing employee relations, and driving recruitment to keep sites safe and compliant. You will partner with site leaders to implement HR frameworks, support workforce planning, and ensure consistent application of policies and employment agreements.

Qualifications

• Three years' proven experience in a generalist HR Advisor role.
• Solid understanding of New Zealand employment legislation.
• Experience coaching leaders through people issues and employment processes.
• Ability to build credibility and influence in operational environments.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to work independently while aligning with a wider HR team.
• Proactive approach to identifying and managing people-related risk.
• Experience in manufacturing/operational environments and with unionised workforces a plus.

Responsibilities

• Providing practical, timely HR advice to leaders and employees
• Acting as a visible and trusted HR presence across Awarua and Mataura Valley Milk
• Supporting disciplinary processes, investigations, grievances, performance management and employment relations matters
• Preparing clear and accurate employment-related documentation
• Managing end-to-end recruitment across South Island operations
• Coaching and supporting leaders through day-to-day people matters
• Supporting workforce planning, roster changes and operational people requirements
• Ensuring consistent application of employment agreements, policies and HR frameworks
• Identifying people risks and escalating matters appropriately
• Contributing to HR projects and wider team initiatives

Skills

Generalist HR experience

Employment relations experience

Coaching leaders through people issues

Independent work capability

Communication & relationship-building

Job description

We're looking for an experienced and practical HR Advisor to join our team and provide hands-on HR support across our Southland operations.

Based primarily at our Awarua site in Invercargill, you'll support both our dairy manufacturing and transport operations. This role requires regular travel between our Awarua and Gore sites and offers the opportunity to become a trusted HR partner in a fast-paced operational environment.

This is a true operational HR role. You'll be embedded in the business, building strong relationships with leaders and employees, supporting employment relations matters, managing recruitment activity, and providing practical HR advice that helps our sites operate safely, effectively, and compliantly.

The Opportunity

Working closely with the HR Manager and the wider HR team, you'll act as the primary HR presence for our Southland operations.

You'll provide day-to-day advice and coaching to leaders, support employment relations processes, drive recruitment activity, and help implement HR frameworks and initiatives at site level. You'll also play a key role in identifying emerging people risks, supporting workforce planning activities, and ensuring consistent application of policies, procedures, and employment agreements.

This role suits someone who enjoys being close to the operation, understands the realities of manufacturing environments, and can confidently balance autonomy with collaboration.

What You'll Be Doing

• Providing practical, timely HR advice to leaders and employees
• Acting as a visible and trusted HR presence across Awarua and Mataura Valley Milk
• Supporting disciplinary processes, investigations, grievances, performance management and employment relations matters
• Preparing clear and accurate employment-related documentation
• Managing end-to-end recruitment across South Island operations
• Coaching and supporting leaders through day-to-day people matters
• Supporting workforce planning, roster changes and operational people requirements
• Ensuring consistent application of employment agreements, policies and HR frameworks
• Identifying people risks and escalating matters appropriately
• Contributing to HR projects and wider team initiatives

What We're Looking For

You will bring at least three years' proven experience in a generalist HR Advisor role and have a sound understanding of New Zealand employment legislation.

To be successful in this role, you'll have:

• Practical experience managing employment relations matters, including disciplinary processes, investigations and performance management
• Experience coaching leaders through people issues and employment processes
• The ability to build credibility and influence in operational environments
• Strong judgement and confidence to provide balanced advice
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• The ability to work independently while remaining aligned with a wider HR team
• A proactive approach to identifying and managing people-related risk

We will highly regard experience in manufacturing, processing, transport, or other operational environments, as well as exposure to unionised workforces and collective agreements.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to become a trusted HR partner within a business where you'll see the direct impact of your work. You'll enjoy variety, autonomy, strong site relationships, and the support of an experienced and collaborative HR team.

If you enjoy hands-on HR, thrive in operational environments, and want to make a genuine difference to leaders and employees, we'd love to hear from you.

Applicants must be legally entitled to work in New Zealand.