Human Resources Advisor

Help shape people practices across two key Southland dairy manufacturing sites and support leaders to create safe, values‑led workplaces.

We’re looking for a practical, confident HR Advisor who thrives in an operational environment and enjoys being the trusted, on‑site go‑to for people matters.  This role is hands‑on, varied and central to supporting around 270 employees across Open Country Dairy Awarua and Mataura Valley Milk sites, and Southern Milk Transport.

Why you’ll love this role

• A visible, relationship‑driven position where people know and trust you
• A mix of advisory work, ER, recruitment, coaching, and operational support
• The chance to influence leadership capability and strengthen people practices
• Work across two modern dairy manufacturing sites with passionate teams
• Autonomy in your day‑to‑day work, backed by strong national HR leadership

What you’ll be doing

• Providing timely, practical HR advice to leaders and employees
• Supporting ER matters including performance, disciplinary processes, investigations, and grievances
• Managing end‑to‑end recruitment
• Partnering with site leaders on workforce planning, seasonal labour, roster changes, and operational impacts
• Implementing HR policies, frameworks and compliance requirements at site level
• Coaching leaders to build capability in people management and documentation
• Acting as a visible, trusted HR presence to support engagement and issue resolution
• Identifying people‑related risks and escalating appropriately
• Supporting health and safety related employment matters and joint investigations.

What you’ll bring

• Tertiary qualification in HR, ER, Business, or equivalent experience
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in a generalist HR or HR advisory role
• Strong working knowledge of NZ employment legislation
• Proven experience supporting leaders with ER processes
• Confidence working independently
• A pragmatic, solutions‑focused approach and sound judgement
• Ability to build rapport and trust quickly, and communicate with clarity
• Calm under pressure and able to manage competing priorities.

About you

You’re practical, approachable and confident advising in real‑time. You enjoy building relationships and helping leaders navigate people matters with clarity and consistency. You’re proactive, organised, and comfortable balancing advisory work with hands‑on operational support.  As you will need to travel to the MVM site (near Gore) once a week, you will need a driver’s license.

 If you’re looking for a role where you can genuinely influence people outcomes and support operational teams, we’d love to hear from you.

Contact [email protected] for a confidential discussion and more information.  Or apply now with your CV and a brief cover letter.