Plant Manager Levin

Alliance Group; Auckland; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

1 week extra Annual Leave

Health Insurance subsidies

Job summary

Alliance Group is seeking an experienced Plant Manager for its Levin meat processing operation. The role reports to the Operations Director and requires leading the plant leadership team to achieve safety, productivity, quality and cost targets while maintaining compliance.

The successful candidate will bring significant senior leadership experience in complex food processing, a track record of driving cultural change, and proven ability to manage large operating budgets and capital expenditure.

Qualifications

• Significant senior leadership experience within a complex food processing environment.
• Proven history of leading large operational teams and delivering cultural transformation.
• Experience managing large operating budgets, capital expenditure and financial performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the plant leadership team and workforce to deliver safety, productivity, quality and cost targets.
• Drive health, safety and wellbeing performance and continuous improvement.
• Oversee production planning, capacity utilisation, scheduling and forward loading.
• Ensure food safety, product quality, environmental and regulatory standards are met.
• Manage operating and capital budgets and cost improvement initiatives.
• Build strong stakeholder relationships across Alliance functions and external partners.

Skills

Senior leadership experience

Leading large operational teams

Budget & financial management

Unionised environments

Stakeholder management

Change leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Engineering/Operations/Food Processing or Business degree

MBA or equivalent

Job description

At Alliance we’re a purpose-driven, global supplier of premium grass-fed lamb, beef and venison. We’re proud to support our people, farming families and communities while delivering safe, high-quality food to customers around the world. Withsitesacross the North and South Islands,we’refocused onperformanceimprovement, innovation, and reducing our environmental impact.

The Role

We’re looking for an experienced Plant Manager to lead our Levin meat processing operation. Reporting to the Operations Director, this is a senior leadership role responsible for the safe, efficient, compliant and commercially successful operation of the site. You’ll lead the plant leadership team and workforce to deliver strong performance across health, safety and wellbeing, production, quality, yield, cost, compliance and customer requirements. You’ll also play a key role in building an engaged, capable and high-performing team that supports Alliance’s long-term success.

This is a permanent, full time role based in Levin; however, we welcome applications from across New Zealand. For the right candidate, relocation assistance may be available to support your move.

Key responsibilities include:

Leading and motivating the plant leadership team and wider workforce to achieve strategic and operational objectives

Championing health, safety and wellbeing and driving continuous improvement in safety culture and performance

Delivering agreed site performance targets across safety, productivity, quality, cost and contribution

Ensuring food safety, product quality, environmental and regulatory standards are consistently achieved

Leading operational excellence, continuous improvement and root cause problem-solving initiatives

Overseeing effective production planning, capacity utilisation, scheduling and forward loading requirements

Ensuring plant assets, engineering and maintenance systems support operational reliability and food safety

Managing operating and capital budgets, financial reporting and cost improvement initiatives

Building strong relationships across Alliance functions, external stakeholders and unionised environments

About You

You’re a commercially astute operational leader with significant experience in complex food processing environments. You’re confident leading large teams, setting clear expectations, driving performance and building a positive, engaged workplace culture.

You’ll bring:

Significant senior leadership experience within a complex food processing environment

A proven history of leading large operational teams and delivering cultural transformation

Strong capability across production, engineering, maintenance, supply chain and continuous improvement environments

Demonstrated success improving health and safety performance through robust management systems

Experience managing large operating budgets, capital expenditure and financial performance

Experience working effectively in unionised environments

Strong stakeholder management, communication, problem-solving and change leadership skills

A tertiary qualification in Engineering, Operations Management, Food Processing, Business or a related discipline is desirable

A post-graduate business qualification, such as an MBA or equivalent, would be advantageous

What’s in it for you?

A senior site leadership role with significant influence across our Levin operation

The opportunity to lead a capable team and shape a high-performance, values-led culture

A role where safety, quality, operational excellence and commercial outcomes genuinely matter

Supportive, values-led culture

1 week extra Annual Leave

Health Insurance subsidies for you and your family

About the Town

Levin is a thriving town of approximately 20,500 people and the commercial heart of the Horowhenua District, offering the perfect blend of career opportunity, affordability, and lifestyle. With stunning natural surroundings and major centres of Wellington and Palmerston North within easy reach, Levin offers the space to build both a rewarding career and a great lifestyle.

Levin is a place where you can enjoy the benefits of regional living without compromising on opportunity. Residents enjoy easy access to a wide range of recreational activities, including Lake Horowhenua, nearby beaches, walking and cycling trails, rivers, forest parks, golf courses, and a vibrant local events calendar. With affordable housing, excellent outdoor amenities, and a family-friendly atmosphere, Levin is an ideal place to live, work, and enjoy a balanced lifestyle.

Sound like your kind of role?

Relocation assistance may be offered for the successful applicant if they are relocating.

With our ongoing commitment towards health and safety, you’ll undergo a pre-employment drug test that will form part of your application.

As part of this recruitment process, we are seeking new applicants. Those who applied for the role previously do not need to submit a further application.