Our Co-operative
Te Mātāpuna toa takitini
Fonterra’s strength is in the collective.
We are a Co-operative created and owned by Aotearoa New Zealand dairy farmers. Our rich history is built on farming families working together to share the natural goodness of our dairy with the world.
Collaboration, innovation, and passion was the cornerstone of our creation and something we continue to value today through our commitment to care for the land, our animals, and every drop of milk.
Our milk creates goodness through nutritious food with safe, quality ingredients that are loved here in New Zealand and around the world.
About the opportunity
We believe nutritious food is essential to sustain people today, and for future generations to thrive, which is why we challenge ourselves to find new ways to bring our dairy goodness to people around the world.
With approximately 350 people, the Category, Strategy & Innovation business unit’s key purpose is to deliver sustainable value through innovative product and technology development to derive the best value from NZ milk.
Most of our team is based in Palmerston North at the Fonterra Research Development Centre (FRDC) where we’ve been innovating in dairy for almost 100 years.
The FRDC is home to a highly collegial team of scientists, technologists, and engineers many of whom are the world’s leading experts in dairy science.
As a Senior Project Manager within our R&D and Innovation team, you will lead exciting innovation projects that will become the future of Fonterra's portfolio.
You will work closely with a wide variety of skilled individuals and teams across Fonterra and develop and deliver products for international markets.
You have the professional knowledge to employ best practice and execute projects on time, in scope and within budget, and the courage to lead teams and the executives who make hard decisions on the future and viability of each project.
You’ll work across multiple business units and functions to develop cross-functional teams, manage stakeholder communications and expectations, and be an integral part of delivering world first innovation.
Key accountabilities include :
Depending upon the individual experience and skillset, we are interested in candidates at either the Project Manager or Senior Project Manager level.
Our preference is for this role to be based in Palmerston North but will consider Auckland and Hamilton (with overnight travel to Palmerston North approximately twice a month).
About you
If you have some experience in the following, and are interested in expanding in others, then please express your interest.
We are looking for a passionate project manager with several years’ experience working in a commercial innovation environment with solid PM methodologies.
With experience managing NPD projects, ideally in food or related product innovation fields, you’ll have an appreciation for the importance of research in this space.
A natural communicator with excellent influencing skills, you will be able to build great project teams, and liaise well with senior stakeholders, both internal and external to Fonterra.
In addition, you will ideally have :
Our Story
Whanaungatanga, our Co-operative spirit gives us all a common strength and purpose. Manaakitanga is how we care for all our people who are at the heart of what we do, we want our farmers, employees, customers and communities to thrive.
Kaitiakitanga, ensures we take care of the land. We are committed to farming in a way that regenerates our farms and environment for future generations.
Whakaohooho constantly inspires ourselves and each other with great career development opportunities and benefits. We enable flexibility and balance to suit everyone’s lifestyles and choices.
Our Co-operative is a place where everyone can be themselves, feel empowered to do their best.
