Farm Manager - Somervilles Dairy in Nelson

Step into a farm leadership role with mentoring and backup. Supportive team culture, modern systems, and clear expectations. Great benefits, quality housing, and room to grow your career.

Located around 15 mins from Reefton - this is your chance to lead a high‑performing dairy farm - without doing it on your own.

The Opportunity

As the Dairy Farm Manager at Somervilles, you’ll take responsibility for the day‑to‑day running of a 500‑effective hectare dairy farm. You’ll lead people, make decisions that matter, and play a key role in the farm’s performance – with strong support around you. You’ll work closely with an experienced Business Manager who will support you to grow your capability in areas like planning, financial reporting, and pasture management. You’ll also have access to Pāmu’s wider specialist teams, so when challenges come up, you have expert support to draw on. You might already be an experienced Farm Manager, or you might be ready to step up into your first farm leadership role. Either way, this role is designed to help you build confidence, grow your skills, and deliver strong, consistent results through your team. This is a hands‑on role where you’ll still be involved in day‑to‑day farming, while also leading people, planning ahead, and improving how the farm operates. We use tools like Farmax and FarmIQ to support good decision‑making – experience with these or similar tools is helpful, and training is provided.

About Us

Pāmu Landcorp Farming Limited is a State‑Owned Enterprise with over 110 farms across New Zealand. Our purpose is to lead the delivery of innovative and sustainable agriculture solutions for future generations.

The Farm

Somervilles is a modern dairy farm with systems in place to support safe, efficient, and sustainable farming. The farm covers around 500 hectares and milks approximately 1,000 cows through a 60‑bail rotary shed with ACRs, MilkHub, and an in‑shed feeding system. These systems are designed to make work safer, smoother, and more consistent for the whole team. The roster supports work‑life balance as much as possible in a dairy environment. During peak season, the farm runs a 6/2 roster, moving to a 6/3 roster for the rest of the year. Somervilles is located in Mawheraiti, around 15 minutes from Reefton and 45 minutes from Greymouth. The area offers schooling options, outdoor activities, and a strong local community.

About You

You’re motivated, capable, and take pride in doing a good job. You enjoy leading people and building a team culture where everyone feels safe, supported, and able to perform at their best. You set high standards, take ownership, and work hard to get the best from your farm and your people. You’re confident making decisions and following them through, while also knowing when to ask for advice and use the support available to you.

You Will Also Have

• Experience leading, mentoring, or supporting others on farm
• Strong knowledge of animal health, milk quality, and effluent management
• A clear commitment to health and safety and animal welfare
• Good communication skills and a calm, practical approach to problem‑solving

Benefits

We care about your wellbeing – that’s why we offer health and life insurance, enhanced parental leave benefits, and up to 4% KiwiSaver matching as part of a competitive salary package. You’ll also receive an extra day of leave over Christmas, along with ongoing training and development to help you thrive. The role comes with a modern four‑bedroom home.

Apply Now

Applications close midnight on Sunday 22 February 2026, and we will be interviewing candidates as we go. If you’ve got any questions, please contact Business Manager, Jack Raharuhi on (027) 8387295. To be eligible for this role, you must be available for an in‑person interview and have unrestricted legal rights to work in New Zealand. We are unable to accept applicants on temporary work visas for permanent opportunities. Pāmu provides a safe workplace and the successful applicant will be required to pass a drug and alcohol test and undergo a criminal background check prior to being appointed. Our values are core to who we are at Pāmu and the way that we all work together. We are Grounded, Genuine, Bold, and Shoulder‑to‑Shoulder. Pāmu is the brand name for Landcorp Farming Limited, and successful applicants will be employed by Landcorp Farming Limited.