Organic Orchard Supervisor

**Location**: Monavale Blueberries, Cambridge, New Zealand

**Work Type**: Full-Time (Rostered Weekend Work Required)

**Essential**: New Zealand Full Driver Licence Required. Desirable: New Zealand or internationally-transferrable forklift licence

**About Us**

Monavale Blueberries is a leading family-owned berry business, dedicated to producing premium organic blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Our orchards thrive on a commitment to excellence in horticulture, sustainability, and team collaboration.

We are looking for two dynamic and adaptable **Orchard Supervisors** to join our team. These roles are hands-on, physically demanding, and critical to the success of our orchard operations. While each Supervisor will specialise in a key area, they will work collaboratively to ensure smooth daily operations, supporting each other and leading teams of operational staff.

**The Role**

As an Orchard Supervisor, you will play a pivotal leadership role in managing orchard operations, ensuring high standards of horticultural practice, workforce performance, and health and safety compliance.

During the season, the team of Orchard Supervisors will work together to manage and coordinate the harvest, reporting to the Orchard Operations Manager.

You will be responsible for:

- Team Leadership and Training - Managing seasonal and permanent teams, coaching staff, and ensuring optimal deployment.
- Workforce Performance - Monitoring efficiency, particularly for contracted and subcontracted picking staff.
- Orchard Operations - Overseeing picking, pruning, weeding, netting, tunnel management, spraying, and general orchard maintenance.
- Hygiene, Health and Safety - Enforcing compliance and fostering a safe, supportive working environment.
- Quality Control - Ensuring high standards across all berry crops.
- Collaboration and Redundancy - Supporting fellow Orchard Supervisors across operational tasks.
- Horticultural Learning - Continuously expanding knowledge of berry crops and training others.

While all Supervisors share core responsibilities, each may have a specialised area of focus, as detailed below. If you don’t exactly fit one of these specialisations, but feel you will nevertheless bring something valuable to the table, please don’t hesitate to apply.
- ____________________

**Specialist Streams**

**Pest and Weed Management Specialist**

Focus Area: Orchard biosecurity, pest control, weed management strategies.
- Developing and implementing integrated pest management (IPM) plans.
- Monitoring pest and disease risks across berry crops.
- Training staff on correct handling of pest control methods.
- Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements for chemical use.
- ____________________

**Propagation and Nursery Coordinator**

Focus Area: Plant propagation, seedling management, nursery operations.
- Managing the propagation and early-stage growth of berry plants.
- Overseeing nursery stock, transplanting, and tubestock health.
- Working with the Orchard Engineer to optimise plant health.
- Ensuring new plantings are well-established and maintained.
- Supporting ongoing plant breeding initiatives where applicable.
- ____________________

**Water Management Technician**

Focus Area: Irrigation, water conservation, and resource efficiency.
- Overseeing orchard irrigation systems (reticulated water management).
- Monitoring water quality and optimising efficiency.
- Identifying and troubleshooting irrigation issues.
- Managing watering schedules to maximise plant health.
- Training operational staff on irrigation best practices.
- ____________________

**Orchard Engineer**

Focus Area: Infrastructure, orchard machinery, and mechanical maintenance.
- Overseeing tunnels, netting, and orchard structures.
- Managing the maintenance of horticultural equipment and vehicles.
- Troubleshooting mechanical issues to minimise downtime.
- Supporting operational efficiency through equipment optimisation.
- Ensuring tools and machinery are safe, maintained, and functional.
- ____________________

**General Orchard Supervisor** (Cross-Functional)

Focus Area: Broad operational leadership across all orchard functions.
- Providing team leadership across multiple orchard activities.
- Supporting picking, pruning, weeding, netting, and spraying operations.
- Acting as a ‘floater’ across specialist areas as required.
- Offering additional leadership where seasonal demands fluctuate.
- Ensuring daily orchard tasks are executed efficiently.
- ____________________

**What You’ll Bring**

✔ Experience in hands-on horticulture or primary industries (preferred but not required).

✔ Proven leadership skills - Ability to coach, mentor, and develop teams.

✔ Resilience and Adaptability - Physically demanding outdoor work, changing seasonal conditions.

✔ Problem-solving mindset - Quick-thinking, practical approach to daily challenges.

✔ Strong interpersonal skills - Ability to work with diverse teams and contracted staff.

✔ Commitme