Careers at a2

General information

Job Title

Head of Operations

Location

New Zealand - Pokeno

Date Published

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Ref #

385

Work Type

Permanent

Business Unit

Supply Chain & Operations

Short Summary

Lead IMF manufacturing in Pokeno. Drive safety, performance & large teams in a world-class dairy environment with strong growth and impact.

Position Description

Our Story:

The a2 Milk Company, driven by science and a pioneering spirit, disrupted the dairy and infant milk formula industry. Our vision is to create an A1-free world where dairy nourishes all people and our planet.

The a2 Milk Company seeks to achieve this through the naturally occurring a2 Milk® difference and by bringing a more sustainable approach to dairy.

About the role:

Reporting to the Site General Manager and based in Pokeno, New Zealand, you will be accountable for the end-to-end operational leadership of our Infant Milk Formula manufacturing site. This includes leading manufacturing, engineering, and utilities functions to deliver safe, compliant, and efficient operations aligned to site and global supply chain priorities.

This is a critical leadership role responsible for driving operational excellence, building high-performing teams, and ensuring reliable, high-quality production in a complex, highly regulated environment.

More specifically, you will be involved in:

Leading day-to-day manufacturing operations across spray drying, wet processing, blending, and high-speed canning/packing, delivering on production, quality, cost, and service targets.
Driving operational excellence initiatives including OEE improvement, Lean manufacturing, TPM, waste reduction, and cost optimisation.
Championing safety, food safety, and compliance, ensuring adherence to GMP, HACCP, RMP, and all regulatory requirements.
Leading and developing a multi-shift workforce (190+ employees), building capability, leadership depth, and a strong performance culture.
Overseeing engineering, maintenance, and asset reliability, including execution of capital projects (automation, capacity expansion, and safety upgrades).
Managing critical utilities (steam, refrigeration, water treatment, compressed air, HVAC) to ensure operational reliability, efficiency, and compliance.
Owning the operations budget (labour, maintenance, utilities, consumables) and delivering financial performance through disciplined cost management.
Partnering cross-functionally with Quality, Regulatory, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to enable successful operational execution and continuous improvement.

About you:

10+ years’ leadership experience in food, dairy, or infant formula manufacturing, with proven accountability for site or plant operations.
Strong expertise in manufacturing operations, engineering, and utilities management within a complex processing environment.
Deep understanding of food safety and regulatory frameworks (GMP, HACCP, RMP) and experience managing audits and compliance.
Demonstrated success in driving operational excellence (Lean, TPM, OEE improvement) and leading large-scale teams in a 24/7 environment.
Proven people leadership capability, with experience building high-performing teams and leading through change.
Strong financial acumen, including ownership of operational budgets and cost optimisation initiatives.
Tertiary qualification in Engineering, Food Technology, Operations Management, or a related discipline (preferred).
Experience in infant formula or highly regulated nutritional manufacturing and exposure to global/export markets will be highly regarded.