Te Tāwharau o Te Whakatōhea (TToTW), is situated in Ōpōtiki, a coastal town in the sunny Bay of Plenty. Before going through our settlement process in 2024 the Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board was established in 1952, and the Trust’s primary role was to administer the assets of the trust on behalf of its beneficiaries and in accordance with the Māori Trust Board Act 1955.
Te Whakataunga o Te Raupatu Whenua Deed of Settlement was signed on Saturday 27th of May 2023, where the establishment of Te Tāwharau o Te Whakatōhea as the Post Settlement Governance Entity (PSGE) was established to receive and manage the Treaty settlement assets as well as the assets of the Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board.
The Whakatōhea Dairy Farm - Te Riu o Kānapanapa is a legacy asset and was purchased with a grant given to Whakatōhea in 1946. Covering 218ha, 4km south of Ōpōtiki, the farm winters 750 cows and aims to milk 720 to peak with a production target of 290,000 kgMS, the farm has become one of the top-performing dairy farms in the Eastern Bay of Plenty for the past 5 years, and the team have achieved grade free for the last 3 years, achieving Te Tihi Level 3 – the highest Fonterra Co-operative of excellence in five areas, prosperity, environment, animals, people, and milk.
The Opportunity
We are seeking an experienced and motivated Farm Manager to lead the day-to-day management and long-term performance of a well-established dairy farming operation. This is a senior leadership role responsible for maximising sustainable profit through strong people leadership, sound financial and operational management, and best practice dairy farming.
The successful candidate will work closely with ownership and governance to implement strategic objectives while fostering a high performing, engaged farm team. This role offers autonomy, responsibility, and the opportunity to make a real impact on farm performance and culture.
The Role
- Lead and manage all farm staff, promoting a positive and productive team culture.
- Oversee all aspects of dairy farm operations including milking, feeding, pasture, crop, and stock management.
- Achieve agreed production, animal health, and pasture performance targets.
- Ensure high standards of animal welfare, milk quality, health & safety, and compliance.
- Manage farm costs, budgets, and reporting in line with business objectives.
- Maintain accurate farm, compliance, and environmental records.
About You
- Relevant agricultural qualification and/or experience in the dairy industry, ideally in a farm management role.
- Strong leadership and people management capability.
- Good understanding of farm systems, financial performance, and production drivers.
- Able to work autonomously and communicate effectively with owners and stakeholders.
- Committed to best-practice farming and continuous improvement.
Further Details
- Competitive remuneration package.
- On-farm accommodation provided.
- Supportive ownership and a stable, long-term opportunity.
- Farm size 218 hectares.
- Winter 750 cows with the aim of peak milking 720 cows.
- Target milk production 290,000 kgMS.
- 60 bail rotary cowshed.
- Automatic cup removers (ACR’s).
- Pro-tack.
- LIC heat detection camera.
- Feed pad and concrete silage bunker.
- Heifers are grazed off from weaning to in-calf R2YR heifer.
- Cropping 23 ha chicory, 25 ha maize silage.
- 4 farmhouses available.
- Excellent farm infrastructure.
Shortlisted Applicants
Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted to commence the recruitment and interview process. Interviews will begin from Wednesday 21st of January 2025, so do not hesitate to apply now.
