Orchard Sector Manager

Lead the future of pipfruit production with one of Hawke’s Bay’s leading horticultural businesses. Lead the future of pipfruit production with one of Hawke’s Bay’s leading horticultural businesses in this newly created role. newly created role. Apatu Farms is a progressive, family-owned agribusiness growing, packing, and exporting premium produce to customers around the world. With a strong focus on innovation, people, and sustainable growth, we are looking for an experienced Pipfruit Sector Manager to lead a significant pipfruit portfolio and drive exceptional orchard performance. This is a key leadership role with responsibility for delivering high-quality production outcomes, developing high-performing teams, and contributing to the strategic success of our horticulture operations. About the role: Reporting to our Pipfruit Division Manager, as an Orchard Sector Manager, you’ll take ownership of a substantial orchard portfolio, leading all aspects of production from planning through to harvest. Working closely with senior leadership, you’ll play a critical role in driving productivity, quality, innovation, and continuous improvement across your sector. Key responsibilities: Leading all aspects of pipfruit orchard management and production. Developing and leading high-performing orchard teams. Planning and executing seasonal work programmes. Monitoring crop performance, yield, quality, and orchard health. Managing budgets, inputs, and operational resources. Driving continuous improvement initiatives and adopting new technologies. Ensuring compliance with health and safety, quality assurance, and industry standards. Contributing to the strategic direction and long-term success of the business. About you: You are a proven horticultural leader who combines strong technical knowledge with excellent people leadership skills. You enjoy creating high-performing teams, solving problems, and delivering results in a dynamic production environment. You’ll bring: Proven experience managing pipfruit orchards at scale. Strong leadership and people management capability. Excellent planning, organisational, and communication skills. Sound knowledge of modern pipfruit production systems. Experience managing budgets and operational performance. A proactive approach to continuous improvement and innovation. A commitment to health, safety, quality, and environmental stewardship. Why Apatu Farms? Lead a significant pipfruit portfolio with genuine responsibility and influence. Join a progressive business investing in people, technology, and growth. Work alongside an experienced and supportive leadership team. Competitive remuneration package. Opportunity to make a real impact within one of New Zealand’s leading horticultural businesses. If you’re ready to take the next step in your orchard leadership journey, we’d love to hear from you. We Grow | Ka tipu tatou #J-18808-Ljbffr