Operations Manager

Lineage is the world's largest temperature-controlled industrial REIT and logistics solutions provider, with a global network of over 400 facilities, spanning 25 countries across North & South America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Working a Lineage is not just a job - it's an opportunity to innovate and put your mark on how food moves from the farm to dinner tables around the world. As a member of the Lineage team, you are a critical link in the food supply chain.  

The Asia-Pacific region currently includes Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Singapore employing nearly 2,500 team members.

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MANAGER, OPERATIONS - NELSON
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Step into a critical role ensuring smooth, safe operations and top-tier customer satisfaction.

Bring your leadership experience to our team

Work in a supportive team environment

Be part of a global team

Manager, Operations - Nelson

As we continue to grow and evolve across New Zealand and the wider Asia-Pacific region, we are looking for an experienced and people-focused Manager to lead our Beach Road, Richmond and Vickerman Street Nelson facilities.

About the Role

Reporting to the General Manager, you'll be responsible for supporting a critical cold storage operation, ensuring it operates safely, efficiently and delivers exceptional service to our customers.

Leading a team of approximately 20+ employees, this role is about far more than operational execution. We're looking for a visible leader who can build trust, develop capability, and create an environment where people feel supported, engaged, accountable, and motivated to perform at their best.

Safety is our number one value and you'll be a highly visible safety champion, advocating a proactive safety culture, ensuring every team member goes home safely every day.

You'll bring the confidence to coach with clarity and consistency, address challenges directly and have constructive conversations that support both performance and growth.

You'll work closely with your team to ensure behaviours align with our values of Trust, Respect, Innovation, Boldness, and Servant Leadership while developing a culture of ownership and continuous improvement.

What You'll Be Responsible For

• Implementing and embedding a genuine safety-first culture across the sites
• Providing visible, hands-on guidance to operational and frontline teams
• Developing an engaged, high-performing team through coaching, mentoring and capability building
• Supporting operational excellence across warehousing, logistics, inventory and customer service activities
• Creating accountability through clear expectations, regular feedback and consistent leadership
• Addressing performance and behavioural issues with confidence, respect and professionalism
• Developing effective relationships with customers and key stakeholders
• Ensuring inventory integrity, operational efficiency and service excellence
• Coordinating site resources and assets to maintain operational readiness
• Identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and operational optimisation
• Upholding all company standards, food safety requirements and regulatory compliance obligations
• Leading and driving LEAN initiatives across the operations to improve efficiency, productivity, and continuous improvement outcomes.
• Contributing to the development of annual operating and capital budgets, while managing costs to achieve agreed financial targets and business objectives.

About You

You're an experienced operational practitioner who thrives in fast-paced environments and understands that great results come from developing great teams.

You are known for being approachable, authentic and fair, while also being willing to lean into difficult conversations when required. You set high standards, hold people accountable and inspire others through your actions.

You will ideally bring:

• Proven coaching & mentoring experience within logistics, warehousing, transport, supply chain, manufacturing, distribution or a related operational environment
• A passionate commitment to safety and experience leading positive safety outcomes
• A track record of building engaged, resilient and high-performing teams
• The ability to support accountability while maintaining positive working relationships
• Experience consistently improving operational performance, resources and customer expectations
• Impressive communication skills and emotional intelligence
• Commercial awareness and a continuous improvement mindset
• Confidence engaging, developing and influencing people at all levels
• Experience working in fast-moving operational environments
• Proven experience leading LEAN, continuous improvement, or operational excellence initiatives within a manufacturing, logistics, or operational environment.
• Strong commercial and financial understanding, including experience contributing to budgets, managing costs, and partnering with senior leaders to achieve revenue and business growth targets.

• Working rights in New Zealand

Experience within temperature-controlled logistics or cold storage will be highly regarded but is not essential.

Why Lineage?
 

Lineage is more than just a cold storage logistics business. We’re focused on being a vibrant, innovative and progressive employer where all our teams work safely, harmoniously and efficiently toward a common purpose - transforming the food supply chain to eliminate waste and help feed the world.

Lineage is dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic work environment and encourages applicants from all backgrounds to apply.

Benefits

Lineage provides a safe, stable and reliable work environment and offers;

• Competitive pay

• Retail discounts as some of New Zealand’s largest retailers (via the Boost Scheme)

• 8 hours of paid volunteer time to contribute in the community

• An employee assistance programme