Senior Commercial Optimization Manager - Dairy

Goodman Fielder New Zealand Limited; Auckland; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Goodman Fielder New Zealand Limited is seeking a Senior Commercial Optimisation Manager - Dairy to drive value from dairy exports and domestic opportunities. You will integrate financial insight with operational understanding to influence strategic decisions across the business.

Leading initiatives to optimise milk value, product mix, and manufacturing efficiency, you will partner with senior leaders across Finance, Sales, Supply Chain and Operations to turn data-driven insights into tangible

Qualifications

• Proven dairy industry experience with commercial finance partnering.
• Strong financial modelling and analytical skills.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Advanced Excel proficiency.
• Experience with SAP or large ERP systems.
• Growth mindset and change leadership.

Responsibilities

• Develop milk valuation models and improve product mix.
• Lead end-to-end dairy optimisation, maximise value and asset utilisation.
• Partner with Sales, Finance, Supply Chain and Operations.
• Challenge practices using data and scenario analysis.
• Lead commercial evaluation of growth initiatives and manufacturing opportunities.
• Track delivery and measurable financial benefits.
• Leverage analytics and AI-enabled tools to improve decision-making.

Skills

Dairy industry experience

Commercial business partnering

Financial modelling

Excel

ERP systems (SAP/ERP)

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Commerce or Finance degree

CA/CPA/CIMA or MBA

Tools

SAP / ERP system experience

Job description

Senior Commercial Optimization Manager - Dairy

• Make a Measurable Impact: Transform how we value milk and embed this thinking into current and future business models.
• Influence at Scale: Lead initiatives that maximise milk value, profitability and manufacturing performance, partnering with senior leaders acrossFinance, Sales, Supply Chain and Operations to drive strategic decisions.
• Challenge the Status Quo: Turn commercial insights into action, lead change and unlock new growth opportunities.

The Opportunity

This is your opportunity to shape how Goodman Fielder maximises the value of its dairy business.

We're looking for a commercially astute Senior Commercial Optimisation Manager - Dairy to bring together financial insight, operational understanding and strategic thinking to drive the business performance with a primary focus on dairy exports while also supporting domestic opportunities.

You’ll lead initiatives that optimise our dairy milk supply, improve product mix and manufacturing efficiency, and unlock greater commercial returns. Working closely with senior stakeholders across Sales, Finance, Supply Chain, Operations and the wider group network, you’ll challenge the status quo, influence strategic decisions and turn data-driven insights into tangible business results.

If you’re a confident business partner with a growth mindset, a passion for driving change and the ability to bring people along on the journey, this is your opportunity to make a measurable impact.

What you will do

• Develop milk valuation models and identify opportunities to improve product mix, customer allocation and commercial returns.
• Identify opportunities to improve the commercial output of the milk stream through changes in product mix, channel & markets, manufacturing allocation and commercial strategy.
• Lead end-to-end dairy optimisation, maximising milk value, profitability and asset utilisation.
• Partner with Sales, Supply Chain, Operations and Finance to influence decisions and drive business-wide alignment.
• Challenge existing practices, using data, scenario analysis and commercial insight to identify new opportunities.
• Lead the commercial evaluation of growth initiatives, investment proposals and manufacturing opportunities.
• Establish a pipeline of value-creation initiatives, tracking delivery and measurable financial benefits.
• Leverage analytics, automation and AI-enabled tools to improve decision-making and business performance.

What you will bring

• Essential: Proven dairy industry experience, with a strong commercial business partnering mindset.
• A degree in Commerce or Finance, alongside a CA, CPA, CIMA or MBA qualification.
• Senior-level commercial finance, analytical or business partnering experience, within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong financial modelling, analytical and problem-solving skills, including advanced Excel and SAP or large ERP systems.
• The confidence to challenge the status quo, influence senior stakeholders and translate complex analysis into clear recommendations.
• A growth mindset, with a track record of driving change, building relationships and delivering commercial results.
• The ability to collaborate across functions, motivate others and bring people along on the journey.
• Costing and operational finance experience will be an advantage.

About us

At Goodman Fielder, our purpose is Making everyday food better for everyone. We’re behind some of New Zealand’s most loved food brands, with a business that spans dairy, baking, ingredients and more.

As part of the wider Wilmar group, we combine the scale of a global organisation with opportunities to make a meaningful impact locally. We’re focused on continuous improvement, innovation and finding smarter ways to create value for our customers and our business.

• Strategic influence: Partner with senior leaders and help shape key commercial and operational decisions.
• Meaningful impact: Deliver measurable improvements to profitability, productivity and business performance.
• Career development: Broaden your exposure across Finance, Operations, Supply Chain and international dairy markets.
• A collaborative environment: Work with diverse teams who value fresh thinking, constructive challenge and shared success.
• Innovation and transformation: Help shape how data, technology and new ways of working unlock future opportunities.

If you’re ready to turn commercial insight into action and help shape the future of our dairy business, we’d love to hear from you.