Livestock Health & Husbandry Management:
- Supervise all routine treatments, vaccinations, and disease prevention protocols.
- Ensure proper animal identification through notching, tattoos, branding, and RFID tags.
- Oversee supplementary feeding programmes and ensure nutritional requirements are met.
- Implement effective grazing management strategies, including rotational grazing and hay making.
- Conduct selection of breeding stock, culling candidates, and sale animals.
- Maintain and improve genetic quality through controlled breeding programmes.
- Perform or coordinate artificial insemination (AI) services as required.
Record Keeping & Data Management:
- Develop and maintain an electronic database for breeding data, production records, and sales records.
- Ensure accurate and timely entry of all livestock data, including herd movements and health interventions (cattlemax).
- Prepare monthly livestock reports for the Senior Manager/Head - Kapiti.
Asset & Infrastructure Management:
- Oversee the management and maintenance of livestock-related assets, including waterholes, boreholes, machinery, equipment, and livestock housing.
- Schedule and supervise routine maintenance and repairs to prevent downtime.
- Recommend capital investments for infrastructure improvements.
- Support scientists during implementation of experimental trials involving livestock.
- Ensure research protocols are followed without compromising animal welfare.
- Provide technical input on livestock-related research designs.
Security & Safety Coordination:
- Work in close collaboration with the Kapiti Head of Security on all livestock security issues, including theft, predator control, and boundary integrity.
- Implement livestock movement controls to prevent straying and losses.
Administrative & Financial Duties:
- Assist in budget preparation for livestock operations and ensure financial resources are properly utilised through effective monitoring.
- Authorise and track livestock-related expenditures (feed, veterinary supplies, fuel).
- Approve sales invoices for livestock and track receipts in coordination with the Kapiti Accountant.
- Manage livestock department staff, including recruitment, orientation, and training of new personnel.
- Allocate tasks and responsibilities and monitor performance.
- Prepare staff appraisals and recommend remuneration adjustments.
- Carry out other duties as may be assigned by the Senior Manager/Head - Kapiti.
- Bachelor's degree in animal Husbandry, Animal Science, Livestock Production, Veterinary Science, or a related field.
- Minimum of ten (10) years of progressive, hands-on management experience in livestock operations, preferably in a ranch or research setting.
- Demonstrated experience in livestock breeding programmes, animal identification systems, and the sale of livestock.
- Strong knowledge of animal health, husbandry, breeding programmes, and grazing management.
- Proven ability to manage livestock-related assets, including machinery, water infrastructure (waterholes and boreholes), and animal housing.
- Proficiency in electronic record-keeping, database management, and Microsoft Office applications.
- Demonstrated capability in developing, planning, and implementing short- and long-term operational goals.
Leadership & Management Competencies
- Demonstrated team leadership and people management skills, including staff supervision, training, and performance appraisal.
- Proven ability to supervise, organise, prioritise, and schedule work effectively across a diverse team.
- Ability to exercise independent judgement in the management of day-to-day ranch operations.
- Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with researchers, security teams, and ranch management.
- Results-oriented and capable of balancing competing operational priorities.
- Sound decision-making and problem-solving skills in a dynamic ranch environment.
- Commitment to animal welfare, productivity, and continuous genetic improvement.