Support Block Manager – Part-Time / Seasonal Full-Time

Bay of Plenty | Sole Charge | 150 ha | Drive-in Position

We are looking for a capable, practical person to take sole charge of our 150 ha support block in the Bay of Plenty.

This is primarily a part-time role, with hours varying through the season. During winter, when we are grazing cows on crop, the position becomes full-time by agreement.

There is no on-farm accommodation provided, so this is a drive-in position.

Applicants must already have the legal right to work in New Zealand. We are not able to offer visa sponsorship for this position.

The block is part of our wider dairy farming operation but is run largely independently, so we are looking for someone who is confident managing their own workload and taking responsibility for the stock and property.

The Farm & Stock

The support block typically carries:

• 300–350 beef calves, arriving after weaning and farmed for approximately 12 months before being sold as yearlings.
• Around 150 replacement dairy heifers, managed from weaning until they return to the dairy farm as in-calf heifers.
• 200–350 dairy cows over winter, predominantly wintered on crop.

The Role

You will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the block, including:

• Grazing and feed management
• Break feeding and winter crop management
• Animal health and general stock management
• Weighing, drenching and monitoring young-stock performance
• Permanent and temporary fencing
• Weed control and spraying
• Water systems and general farm maintenance
• Planning ahead to keep feed, stock and infrastructure on track
• Keeping good communication with the wider farming team

There will also be the opportunity for occasional work on our dairy farm or other support blocks. This would always be by prior agreement rather than simply being added to the role.

Who We're Looking For

This role would suit someone who:

• Has good practical livestock and pasture-management skills
• Is confident working sole charge
• Takes pride in stock performance and animal health
• Can identify problems early and get on with fixing them
• Is competent with fencing, spraying and general farm work
• Can manage their own time and workload without needing constant direction
• Communicates well and is reliable

Experience with young cattle and winter crop grazing would be particularly useful.

What We Provide

All necessary farm equipment and machinery are supplied.

We can offer a good degree of independence and flexibility to the right person. The position could particularly suit an experienced farmer looking for a quality part-time role, someone running another small farming enterprise, or someone wanting a role that offers more flexibility for much of the year while still taking genuine responsibility for a farm.

Remuneration, expected hours and the winter full-time arrangement will be discussed with applicants and agreed upfront.

If you're interested, we'd like to hear a bit about your farming background, livestock experience and what you're looking for in your next role.