Chief Executive Officer

The opportunity
NZ Sock Co has made socks in Ashburton for more than a century. Today it develops and manufactures premium technical and performance products for established brands, while building its own consumer presence and offshore sales. Production spans its Ashburton operation and manufacturing in China.

The Board is looking for a Chief Executive to lead the next stage, with an ambition to profitably grow revenue by roughly two-thirds. There is a substantial platform to build from, but achieving that growth will require clear commercial choices, strong customer relationships and consistent execution.
A particular strength is NZ Sock Co’s ability to move quickly from a product idea through development and production to the customer. The next CEO will need to protect and extend that advantage, making sound choices about products, customers, channels and the right manufacturing approach for each opportunity.

The role
You will lead the whole business, working with the Board and family shareholders to set priorities and deliver profitable growth. You will be close enough to customers and operations to understand what is working, where the constraints are and what needs to change.
Your responsibilities will include:

• Building and executing a commercial growth plan across existing brand customers, NZ Sock Co’s own brand and channels and offshore markets, particularly Australia.
• Developing customer relationships and sales capability that turn opportunities into profitable, repeatable business.
• Strengthening the path from product idea and customer need through development, manufacturing and delivery.
• Making considered choices about the use of Ashburton and offshore manufacturing, with quality, speed, capacity and margin in view.
• Leading the team, setting clear accountabilities and maintaining the standards on which the business has been built.
• Owning financial performance and giving the Board clear reporting, recommendations and decisions.

Who we are looking for
We are interested in what you have delivered, the part you personally played and how you achieved it.

The clearest fit may be a CEO, General Manager or business-unit leader who has grown a manufacturing, consumer-product or other product-led business. You will have led sales and commercial decisions while understanding what it takes to make and deliver a quality product.

We are also open to an operational leader ready for broader accountability. For that route, strong manufacturing experience alone will not be enough: you will need clear evidence that you have built sales capability, won or grown customers, and contributed directly to commercial growth.

Across either route, you will bring sound commercial judgement, an ability to move quickly without losing discipline, deliver results and a record of leading people through change. You will be comfortable working with a Board and family shareholders while taking ownership of day-to-day decisions.

Experience in socks or apparel is welcome, but it is not a requirement. Relevant experience may come from other manufacturers or product businesses that combine customer relationships, product development and a demanding supply chain.

Location and applying
The role is based in Ashburton. We are searching nationally and welcome conversations with people who would relocate for the right opportunity.

Remuneration will be discussed in the context of the experience and mandate.

Please click Apply to submit your CV and cover letter through SEEK. Applications close 23 October 2026. We will review applications as they arrive and may begin conversations before the closing date.

We anticipate strong interest. If you do not hear from us straight away, we are still working through applications and will respond as soon as we can.

This search is being managed confidentially by Moxie Executive Search. To have a conversation before deciding whether to apply, please email in the first instance: Ben Kershaw or Carleen Thomson.