Milk Supply Manager

Open Country Dairy Ltd; Gore; On-site; NZD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company vehicle

Job summary

Open Country Dairy Ltd in Southland is seeking a Milk Supply Manager to source, retain, and strengthen milk supply relationships across the region. You will provide commercial insight, accurate forecasts, and work closely with farmers, MVM, and internal teams to ensure sustainable growth and milk quality.

You will build trusted partnerships with supplier farmers, monitor market trends, and support informed business decisions while enjoying autonomy in a regionally based role and a competitive

Qualifications

• Sourcing, retaining and strengthening milk supply relationships across the region.
• Provide commercial insight, forecasting and analysis to support farmer decision-making.
• Build trusted partnerships with farmers and industry stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain strong relationships with supplier farmers and rural stakeholders across Southland.
• Identify and secure new milk supply opportunities.
• Support supplier retention, engagement, and growth initiatives.
• Provide accurate milk supply forecasts and commercial insights.
• Work with farmers to understand business goals and support informed decisions.
• Assist with milk quality, compliance and sustainability initiatives.
• Represent Open Country Dairy and MVM within local rural communities and networks.
• Monitor regional industry trends and market developments.
• Collaborate with rural professionals and agribusiness partners to strengthen supplier relationships.

Skills

Relationship building

Commercial acumen

Forecasting

CRM proficiency

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Negotiation

Organisational skills

Self-motivation

Tools

CRM systems

Microsoft Office

Business reporting tools

Job description

At Open Country Dairy, our success starts with strong relationships. We're seeking a commercially astute and well-connected Milk Supply Manager to support and grow our milk supply network across Southland, working closely with both Mataura Valley Milk (MVM) and Open Country Dairy supplier farms.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who understands the dairy sector, enjoys building trusted partnerships, and has the commercial capability to support farmers in making informed business decisions. The successful candidate will bring strong rural networks, relationship management expertise, and the ability to identify opportunities that create long-term value for both our suppliers and our business.

About The Role

As Milk Supply Manager, you will be responsible for sourcing, retaining, and strengthening milk supply relationships throughout the region. Acting as the key link between farmers and the business, you'll provide commercial insight, build trusted partnerships, and contribute to the long-term sustainability and growth of our milk supply network.

You will work closely with farmers, industry professionals, rural service providers, and internal stakeholders to ensure accurate milk forecasting, maintain high milk quality standards, and support initiatives that enhance supplier success.

What You'll Be Doing

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with supplier farmers and rural stakeholders across Southland.
• Identifying and securing new milk supply opportunities.
• Supporting supplier retention, engagement, and growth initiatives.
• Providing accurate milk supply forecasts and commercial insights.
• Working alongside farmers to understand their business goals and support informed decision-making.
• Assisting with milk quality, compliance, and sustainability initiatives.
• Representing Open Country Dairy and Mataura Valley Milk within the local rural community and industry networks.
• Monitoring regional industry trends, competitor activity, and market developments.
• Collaborating with rural professionals, consultants, bankers, and agribusiness partners to strengthen supplier relationships and identify opportunities.

What We're Looking For

We're open to candidates from a range of backgrounds, including milk supply, agribusiness, rural banking, finance, agricultural services, farm consultancy, or dairy farming. What matters most is your ability to build trusted relationships and bring strong commercial capability to support and grow our milk supply network.

You’ll bring:

• Strong knowledge of the dairy industry and rural business environment.
• Established networks and relationships within the Southland rural community.
• Excellent relationship-building, influencing, and communication skills.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including the ability to understand farm business performance and financial drivers.
• Experience working directly with farmers, rural clients, or agribusiness customers.
• An ability to identify opportunities, negotiate effectively, and deliver mutually beneficial outcomes.
• Strong analytical, forecasting, and organisational skills.
• Confidence using CRM systems, Microsoft Office, and business reporting tools.
• Self-motivation, resilience, and the ability to manage a regional portfolio independently.

Why Join Us?

• Opportunity to make a genuine impact in one of New Zealand's key dairy regions.
• Build meaningful relationships with leading dairy farming businesses across Southland.
• Autonomy and flexibility in a regionally based role.
• Supportive and collaborative team environment.
• Competitive remuneration package including company vehicle.
• Be part of one of New Zealand's leading dairy processors.

If you're passionate about the dairy industry, have strong rural networks, and enjoy combining relationship management with commercial decision-making, we'd love to hear from you.