PACKHOUSE TEAM LEADER WANTED – SUMMER JOB IN CROMWELL
Location: Cromwell, Central Otago, New Zealand
Season: Summer 26/27 (December 2026 - January/February 2027)
Job Type: Seasonal Work | Fixed-term
Ready to step up and lead?
Join our busy packhouse team and take on a key leadership role during the Central Otago cherry harvest.
As a Packhouse Team Leader, you’ll be responsible for guiding and supporting your team on the production floor, helping achieve daily production targets while maintaining high standards of quality, safety and teamwork.
This is a great opportunity to build practical leadership experience, develop your management skills and work alongside an international team during one of the busiest and most exciting times of the year.
About the Role
As a Packhouse Team Leader, you’ll manage a group of packhouse staff to meet production targets, maintain top quality and keep operations safe and efficient. You’ll motivate your team, solve problems on the go and coordinate with other leaders to keep everything on track.
What the job involves:
Lead, support and motivate your team throughout the shift
Keep your team focused on production targets and quality standards
Coordinate workflow and adjust to daily needs
Communicate clearly with staff, supervisors and management
Identify and troubleshoot issues quickly and effectively
Monitor quality, productivity, attendance and team performance
Help maintain a safe, clean and efficient working environment
Work closely with other Team Leaders and supervisors to keep the packhouse running smoothly
Work in a chilled, temperature-controlled environment
Shifts & working hours
During peak harvest, our packhouse operates extended hours and flexibility is important.
Depending on fruit volumes and operational requirements, you may be rostered for:
Early morning shifts, with starts around 6:00 am
Late afternoon / evening shifts
Shifts generally range from 6–10 hours, depending on fruit volumes
Weekend work is required, with rostered days off during the week
Some public holiday work may be required during peak periods
Harvest volumes can change from day to day, so the ability to be flexible with shifts is important.
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for someone who is confident taking responsibility, enjoys working with people and can keep a team focused during a busy harvest.
Natural leader – confident taking responsibility, giving direction and motivating others
Strong communicator – approachable, respectful and able to work well with a diverse team
Proactive and solutions-focused – able to stay calm, solve problems and make decisions when things get busy
Flexible and organised – able to adapt to changing production needs and keep your team on track
Reliable and quality-focused – committed to high standards, productivity, safety and teamwork
Previous experience in a packhouse, production environment or team leadership is an advantage, but the right attitude and willingness to learn are just as important.
What You’ll Get
💵 Competitive pay – reflecting experience, teamwork and reliability
🎁 Performance bonus – rewarding those who stay the season with strong attendance and high performance
🌙 Shift bonus – for working late afternoon/evening shifts during peak season
🎓 Leadership training – build skills you can use anywhere
💪 Hands-on leadership experience – develop your own style in a real-world environment
❄ Temperature-controlled working environment – a break from the Central Otago summer heat
🌏 Work with an international crew – lead people from all over the world
💬 Supportive environment – work closely with management and other leaders
Join Us!
If you’re motivated, reliable and ready to take on more responsibility, we’d love to hear from you.
Apply now to join our 2026/27 cherry harvest team and make your summer in Central Otago one to remember! 🍒