Team Leader, Animal Assembly

22 hours ago

Balclutha, New Zealand Silver Fern Farms Full time
Description

Te Tūranga | About the Role

As a Team Leader – Animal Assembly, you'll be responsible for the team that manages animals arriving on site before processing. This includes supervising the unloading of stock from trucks, sorting, penning, and ensuring all animals are handled safely and humanely. You'll set daily priorities, communicate clearly with your team, and foster a culture where safety, animal welfare, and respect are paramount.

Key responsibilities:

  • Lead the daily unloading, sorting, and movement of livestock
  • Ensure compliance with animal welfare, MPI, and site standards
  • Coach and support team members to perform safely and effectively
  • Monitor animal health and condition, escalating issues where needed
  • Maintain accurate records and ensure traceability requirements are met
  • Work closely with processing, technical, and regulatory teams

This role leads a team on the Day Shift, so hours of work for this role generally fall between 5:30am-3:30pm, Monday to Friday. You may be required, at certain times of year, to work a later shift during bobby calf season or Saturdays for scheduled production overtime.

Ōu Pūkenga | About You

You'll bring livestock handling or meat processing experience, with strong knowledge of animal welfare, health and safety, and regulatory requirements. You're a confident communicator, calm under pressure, and able to lead a team in a fast-moving environment. Leadership experience will be an advantage, as will experience in working with MPI or animal welfare regulators.

You'll play a vital role in the first stage of our production process, ensuring animals are treated with care and respect while keeping your team safe and productive.

Te Ahurea | Why work at Silver Fern Farms?

At Silver Fern Farms we're all about Creating Goodness from the Farms the World Needs. Creating goodness is about taking a broader view of what goodness means, and how we can create it and the impact it can have. That Goodness is created through the work of our People, the skill & expertise of our Farmers and our customers around the globe. 'Goodness' is also about being good to people and communities, animal welfare, and showing care and respect for the environment. 

Tono Mai | To Apply:

Applications are open now and will be reviewed in the New Year. Click "Apply" to submit your application via our Careers Website. Applications close on 18 January 2026.

Silver Fern Farms welcomes people from all backgrounds and walks of life. We are proud to have a diverse and inclusive environment and are committed to providing equal opportunities for all team members and applicants. Come and create goodness together with us.

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