Job Details

Category: Business Manager
Location: Hawke's Bay

Rural Directions

Livestock Business Manager | Brownrigg Agriculture

• Located just 20 minutes from town in the stunning Poukawa Valley, Hawke’s Bay.

• Shape the future of Brownrigg’s livestock business across multiple farms.

• Gain experience working amongst large-scale horticulture, arable, & export supply chain operations.

WHERE
Brownrigg Agriculture is a privately-owned, large-scale farming business in Hawke’s Bay, producing premium crops (squash, onions, maize grain) and finishing lambs and cattle.

With a farming footprint of 8,000 hectares of freehold and leasehold land in Hawke’s Bay, the business specialises in winter/spring lamb trading, finishing 110–130,000 lambs annually, with a flexible bull beef program (3–3,500 Friesian bulls) and 500 Angus breeding cows to maximise pasture use and production efficiency.

The blocks are organised into five units managed by Farm Managers and shepherding teams, ranging from 550 ha to 2,000 ha.

Brownrigg Agriculture applies a ‘One Business’ approach across its livestock enterprise, using shared resources, inter-farm stock movements, and a centralised Farm Support Team to manage peak workloads efficiently.

Pasture renewal and improved forages underpin production, with livestock raised to high welfare and traceability standards. The business also prioritises staff development and career progression through its “Be Better, Every Day” People Strategy.

WHAT
Lead Brownrigg Agriculture’s multi-farm livestock operations, driving performance, profitability, and innovation. You’ll manage five Farm Managers, the Farm Support Manager, and a Livestock Business Coordinator. This role blends hands-on farm leadership with strategic oversight, fostering a high-performing team culture while ensuring safe, sustainable, and compliant production.

In this role, you will drive the implementation of Brownrigg Agriculture’s people strategy, providing clear guidance, regular feedback, and support for the development of your team. Regular field presence and mentorship of Farm Managers will be key, as well as, ensuring adherence to animal welfare, pasture, and grazing standards, and promoting pride and consistency across operations.

You will also be responsible for the operational and financial performance of the livestock business. This includes annual and seasonal planning, managing budgets, monitoring key metrics, and optimising feed, livestock procurement, and sales to maximise profitability.

You will maintain strong industry relationships, support prime stock marketing, and leverage external consultants for analysis and advice. The role requires effective resource allocation, compliance with health, safety, and environmental regulations, and a commitment to continuous improvement, innovation, and efficiency across all livestock activities.

To read more about the position and business please visit – https://bit.ly/3VXcuuT

WHO
We’re looking for someone who will bring the following attributes, skills, and experience:

• Hands-on pastoral farming experience involving scale, finishing and multi-farm exposure.
• Proven experience leading, managing and mentoring large teams within an agricultural or agribusiness environment.
• Technical capability with farm information systems, particularly Farmax for feed budgeting / pasture management decision support.
• Sound understanding of livestock markets.
• Strong commercial, financial and analytical capability, with a proven ability to plan, analyse and drive livestock business unit profitability, performance, innovation and compliance.
• Experience leading and influencing health, safety and wellbeing outcomes for teams.
• Understanding of industry policies, standards and regulations.
• Strong livestock husbandry and animal health knowledge.

WHY

• Ability to operate at scale on the doorstep of town without the need to travel out of Hawke’s Bay.
• Real connection with Farm Managers and the wider operational teams.
• Chance to grow your career and professionally develop in a leadership role that plays an important part of the senior leadership team.
• Exposure to large scale horticulture, arable and export/supply chain business through Brownrigg Agriculture’s diverse operations.
• Chance to work within a high-performing senior team environment with access to specialist support functions from across the business.
• The timing of this opportunity can align with the start of the new school year.
• Live in the stunning Poukawa Valley with accommodation available just 20 minutes from Hastings and Havelock North or there is the option to live off farm in a drive-in position.
• Modern technologies and systems deployed within the business.
• Significant remuneration package (including a ute) to recognise the importance of this role to the business.

To apply for this role, please head to www.ruraldirections.co.nz/jobs

Applications close Sunday 2nd November 2025

Only job seekers who have NZ working rights will be eligible for this role.

Date Posted: 2025-10-13