Utilities & Services Manager

JobSpace; Balclutha; On-site; NZD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Danone Balclutha seeks an experienced Utilities & Services Manager to oversee the site’s critical utility infrastructure and services. You will lead a dedicated team across Operations, Maintenance and Technical functions to optimize performance and deliver sustainable manufacturing results at one of New Zealand's leading nutrition facilities.

You will drive continuous improvement initiatives, strengthen team capability, and ensure safety and reliability while collaborating with Operations,

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience within utilities, manufacturing, engineering or industrial services.
• Experience leading high-performing teams.
• Strong knowledge of utility systems and industrial processes.
• Track record in operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.
• Experience managing operational risk, compliance and safety.

Responsibilities

• Lead the site's Utilities and Services function across Operations, Maintenance and Technical teams.
• Drive reliability, efficiency, safety, and sustainability of utility infrastructure.
• Develop and mentor the Utilities team to high performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver site objectives.
• Champion WISE Health & Safety culture and best practices.

Skills

Leadership

Utilities knowledge

Engineering background

Stakeholder management

Safety first

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

Join us at Danone, where your work touches lives and contributes to a healthier world. As a global leader with a unique health-focused portfolio in food and beverages, we are driven by a mission to bring health through food to as many people as possible. Embedded in our culture is a profound sense of purpose and a commitment to innovation, sustainability, and community. At Danone, we believe in the power of our people, and we are dedicated to creating an environment where our core values of humanism, openness, enthusiasm, and proximity lead the way to achieving our goals.

Danone operates using Integrated Work Systems (IWS), a globally recognized methodology focused on building capability, empowering teams and driving continuous improvement.

As the Services & Utilities Manager, you will lead the site's Services Line Trio, working collaboratively across Operations, Maintenance and Technical functions to optimize performance, strengthen team capability and deliver sustainable operational results. Internally, this position is known as Line Lead - Services.

Lead the operation that powers one of New Zealand's most advanced nutrition manufacturing facilities.

We are seeking an experienced Utilities & Services Manager to join our team at Danone's world-class manufacturing facility in Balclutha.

This is a critical leadership role responsible for ensuring the safe, reliable and efficient operation of the site's utilities and services function. You will lead a dedicated team while driving operational performance, continuous improvement, safety, sustainability and reliability across the utility infrastructure that underpins our manufacturing operation.

Working closely with Operations, Engineering, Quality and Maintenance teams, you will play a key role in delivering site performance and helping achieve Danone's ambitious operational and sustainability objectives.

This is an opportunity to combine technical leadership, people development and strategic improvement initiatives within a highly collaborative manufacturing environment.

Lead a critical function that enables the success of an entire manufacturing site

Drive meaningful improvements in operational performance, efficiency and sustainability

Develop and mentor a highly skilled team

Influence site-wide operational and continuous improvement initiatives

Join a globally recognized organization with strong local and international career opportunities

Work within a business committed to innovation, operational excellence and people development

Lead, coach and develop the Utilities team to foster a high-performing and safety-focused culture

Ensure the reliable and efficient operation of critical utility infrastructure supporting manufacturing operations

Drive utility performance through effective planning, monitoring and continuous improvement

Lead initiatives that improve reliability, efficiency, sustainability and operational effectiveness

Identify and implement opportunities to reduce waste, improve asset performance and optimize resources

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support manufacturing performance and site objectives

Ensure compliance with food safety, environmental and health & safety requirements

Support capital projects, maintenance activities and operational improvement programmes

Champion Danone's WISE Health & Safety culture and commitment to best practice operational excellence

Develop team capability through coaching, succession planning and performance development

You are a strong operational leader who enjoys balancing strategic thinking with hands-on leadership. You bring a passion for developing people, solving complex problems and driving continuous improvement.

You are comfortable leading teams within a fast-paced industrial environment and have the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization. Your proactive approach and commitment to safety, reliability and performance will enable you to make a significant impact in this role.

To be successful, you will bring:

Proven leadership experience within utilities, manufacturing, engineering, industrial services, energy, processing or a similar operational environment

Experience developing and leading high-performing teams

Strong operational knowledge of utility systems, industrial processes or supporting plant infrastructure

Demonstrated experience driving operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives

Strong analytical and problem-solving capability

Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

Experience managing operational risk, compliance and safety requirements

A collaborative approach and ability to work effectively across multiple functions

Relevant engineering, utilities or technical qualifications would be advantageous

We welcome applications from candidates across manufacturing, food and beverage, energy, utilities, engineering, chemical processing, pulp and paper, mining and other heavy industrial sectors.

In your first 12 months, you will:

Establish strong relationships across Operations, Engineering and Support Functions

Strengthen the capability and engagement of the Utilities team

Deliver measurable improvements in utility reliability and performance

Drive continuous improvement initiatives that support operational efficiency and sustainability goals

Contribute to a strong site culture focused on safety, quality and excellence