Timber Processing Manager

Waipapa Pine; Whangarei; On-site; NZD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Education fund

Parental leave

KiwiSaver matching

Discounts

Inclusive culture

Job summary

Waipapa Pine, part of Fletcher Building, seeks a Timber Processing Manager to lead its Waipapa site in Northland. The role oversees the dry mill, kilns, pellet plant and finished goods, guiding 26 through supervisors in a safe, efficient, quality-driven operation.

The successful candidate will drive performance, manage production priorities and foster continuous improvement, while maintaining health and safety as a core value. Mon-Fri, minimum 45 hours.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership in timber processing or similar manufacturing.
• Experience overseeing multiple production lines.
• Strong understanding of production flow, plant utilisation, quality, downtime and continuous improvement.
• Proven ability to manage safety, production and people performance.
• Experience with kiln operations or timber drying knowledge is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational leadership across Waipapa Pine’s dry mill, kilns, pellet plant and finished goods.
• Lead a team of 26 through supervisors, driving safe and efficient production.
• Drive continuous improvement and optimised site performance.
• Foster a strong health and safety culture and build team capability.

Skills

Leadership experience

Team leadership

Production planning

Safety leadership

Timber processing knowledge

Education

Manufacturing/Engineering qualification

Job description

Waipapa Pine, part of Fletcher Building, is a well-established producer of high-quality sawn timber products located in Northland, with sites in Waipapa and Whangārei. Over the years, we’ve had a heavy focus on supporting employment opportunities for the people of Northland. We are now seeking a dedicated and experienced Timber Processing Manager to join our team at our Waipapa site in a permanent, full-time position working a minimum 45 hours per week, Monday – Friday.

About The Role

As our Timber Processing Manager, you'll provide operational leadership across Waipapa Pine’s secondary processing operations, including the dry mill, kilns, pellet plant and finished goods. Leading a team of 26 through your supervisors, you'll be responsible for driving safe and efficient production while ensuring quality, performance and people outcomes are achieved.

This is a practical hands‑on leadership role where you'll be visible on the floor, supporting frontline leaders, building team capability, solving operational challenges, managing production priorities and fostering a strong health and safety culture. Working closely with the wider leadership team, you'll play a key role in optimising performance across the site and driving continuous improvement.

About You

You’ll be a confident operational leader who thrives in a production environment and knows how to get the best out of people while maintaining clear expectations and high standards. You're comfortable leading through supervisors, building trust across the workforce, making sound decisions and maintaining fair and consistent accountability standards.

To Be Successful In This Role, You’ll Bring

• Proven leadership experience within a timber processing, sawmilling or similar manufacturing environment, ideally with 5+ years in a leadership capacity.
• A qualification or trade related to manufacturing, operations, engineering, timber processing or business would be highly desirable.
• Experience overseeing multiple operational areas, departments or production lines.
• A strong understanding of production flow, plant utilisation, quality, downtime and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated success managing safety, production and people performance outcomes.
• The ability to build credible relationships, hold people accountable and create a positive team culture.
• Experience with kiln operations or technical knowledge of timber drying processes would be highly advantageous.

On Offer: Benefits

• A key leadership role with genuine opportunity to influence site performance and culture.
• The opportunity to lead an experienced team and contribute to the ongoing success of a well-established Northland business.
• An Employee Education Fund for you and your dependents, funding education and development opportunities.
• Generous Parental Leave and an Employee Welfare Fund to support in times of need.
• KiwiSaver employer contributions matched up to 4% of base salary.
• Huge range of discounts at PlaceMakers, Z Petrol, PB Technologies, and many more.
• A stable, positive and inclusive work culture that supports your growth and development.

Studies indicate that some women and people from minority groups may hesitate to apply unless they meet all the criteria. Our teams thrive on diversity, embracing various nationalities, languages, religions, customs, and lifestyles. We are proud of our diversity and see it as one of the things that make us better together.