Senior & Engineering Project Managers - Central & Upper South Island

Fonterra Co-operative Group; Canterbury; Hybrid; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Fonterra Co-operative Group in Canterbury, New Zealand, invites expressions of interest for Senior & Engineering Project Managers to lead major capital programmes across Central & Upper South Island. The role sits in a hybrid workplace, delivering complex projects that improve safety, reliability and efficiency across our manufacturing network.

You will bring extensive project delivery experience in industrial settings, strong stakeholder engagement, and a passion for continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• A tertiary qualification in Engineering or equivalent.
• Experience delivering capital projects in industrial environments.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management.
• Experience developing project scopes, budgets, schedules and business cases from inception through to completion.
• Proven ability to manage consultants, suppliers and contractors through design, construction, commissioning and handover.
• Excellent organisational prioritisation and problem-solving skills.
• A strong commitment to health, safety, quality and continuous improvement.
• Significant experience delivering complex capital projects and programmes.
• Demonstrated leadership capability, including mentoring and building capability in others.
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Advanced contracting, commercial and risk management capability.
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders and collaborate effectively with senior leaders.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of capital projects within manufacturing environments.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to keep projects safe, reliable and on schedule.
• Develop and manage project scopes, budgets and business cases.
• Manage consultants, suppliers and contractors through all project phases.
• Promote health, safety and quality across project delivery.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Budgeting

Scheduling

Contracting

Leadership

Health & safety

Continuous improvement

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

Senior & Engineering Project Managers - Central & Upper South Island

Job Name

General Information

Date Published

24-Aug-2026

Advertising Ends

18-Oct-2026

ID#

16825

Role Type

Work Type

Permanent Full-Time

Workplace Type

Hybrid

Country

Location

Position Description

At Fonterra Te Mātāpuna, we want everyone to feel they can be themselves.

Whether you're early in your career or ready for your next step, Fonterra offers a unique opportunity to grow with a global dairy co-operative that values care, collaboration, and contribution.

Owned by New Zealand dairy farmers and supported by a dedicated team, we are all working together to create a better future. Imagine tomorrow with us, where your career can grow, and you can create positive change.

Capital Projects sits at the centre of Fonterra's capital investment delivery, operating across five distinct portfolios to shape and execute investments across our manufacturing network.

Regional Projects is the engine room of capital delivery across our sites. We are trusted partners to our Manufacturing and Supply Chain Operations teams, turning the Co-op's strategic, asset, operational and growth priorities into an executable plan of work that keeps our factories safe, reliable and ready for the future.

This is a team working at the heart of Fonterra's operations combining breadth, complexity and real impact across the sites that make our Co-op run.

We're investing significantly in the future of our manufacturing network as we continue to deliver on our strategy and strengthen our position as one of the world's leading dairy nutrition companies.

Across our operations, we're progressing a range of strategic safety, infrastructure, sustainability, reliability, growth and asset improvement initiatives designed to support the long-term success of our business and farmer owners. As these investment programmes continue to evolve, we're seeking Expressions of Interest from experienced Engineering Project Managers and Senior Engineering Project Managers who are interested in future opportunities across our Central and Upper South Island Sites.

Whether you're an established project leader looking for your next challenge or a senior project professional seeking the opportunity to lead large-scale capital investment programmes, we would love to hear from you.

We are interested in hearing from engineering and project delivery professionals who thrive in complex industrial environments and enjoy turning ideas into successful operational outcomes.

You will bring experience delivering capital projects in fast-paced manufacturing, food processing, dairy, industrial, utilities, energy or comparable environments.

Ideally you will have:

• A tertiary qualification in Engineering or equivalent.
• Demonstrated project management experience delivering capital projects in industrial environments.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.
• Experience developing project scopes, budgets, schedules and business cases from inception through to completion.
• Proven ability to manage consultants, suppliers and contractors through design, construction, commissioning and handover.
• Excellent organisational prioritisation and problem-solving skills.
• A strong commitment to health, safety, quality and continuous improvement.

For Senior Engineering Project Manager opportunities, you will also bring:

• Significant experience delivering complex capital projects and programmes.
• Demonstrated leadership capability, including mentoring and building capability in others.
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Advanced contracting, commercial and risk management capability.
• Proven ability to influence stakeholders and collaborate effectively with senior leaders.

You will have the opportunity to work on projects that make a meaningful impact across New Zealand's largest manufacturing network and you will be joining a business investing in its future through significant capital programmes aimed at enhancing safety, sustainability, quality, operational excellence, product innovation and asset reliability.

Join us as we help build the future of dairy.

At Fonterra, our values of Good Together, Better Every Day, and Every Drop Counts, are for everyone – no matter your background, identify or experience. These values guide us in delivering exceptional outcomes for our farmers, customers, communities, and each other. Discover how your values align with ours by taking our Values Quiz

We care for our people globally. Our comprehensive benefits support your well-being, development, and work-life balance:

• Fair and equitable pay
• Health and well-being programs (medical, mental health support)
• Work-life balance options (flexible/hybrid working where possible)
• Employee recognition
• Support for community involvement and cultural connection

At Fonterra, we are inspired by purpose and guided by our principles and values. Together, we create goodness for generations and make a global impact at a local level. As part of our Co-operative, you are an everyday creator, imagining what Fonterra, dairy, and you can be here.

Does this sound good to you? Come join our whānau - bring your whole self, and let's solve for better together.

Together, we're shaping a future of inclusion |He Wāhi mō te Katoa

Inclusion is key to our Co-operative. We're building a team that reflects the diverse world we live in, believing it drives better decisions and innovation.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds (ethnicities, genders, identities, orientations, ages, abilities, neurotypes, cultures, religions).

Even if you don't meet every requirement listed, we encourage you to apply; we value your potential and growth.

If you face accessibility issues or need accommodations during the process, please contact your recruiter. We ensure fair participation, allowing you to be at your best. Tātou, tātou.

Applications close at midnight on Sunday 18th October 2026.