Orchard Leading Hands/Senior Leading Hands
Join a high-performing apple business and help grow some of New Zealand’s premium apple varieties.
Apatu Farms is one of New Zealand’s largest family-owned horticulture businesses, producing produce for local and international markets. As our business continues to grow, we’re looking for experienced horticulture leaders to join our orchard operations team in Hawke’s Bay.
We’re growing – and we’re currently recruiting for:
- Orchard Supervisors / Leading Hands
- Senior Leading Hand – Spray Operator
These are hands-on leadership roles where you’ll work alongside our orchard management team and crews to deliver safe, productive and high-quality orchard operations outcomes.
About the roles
As an Orchard Supervisor or Leading Hand, you’ll help coordinate day-to-day orchard activities, support team performance and ensure work is completed to a high standard.
Our Senior Leading Hand – Spray Operator role combines technical spraying expertise with leadership responsibilities and plays a key role, in cabbed Fendt tractors utilising 3-row over row sprayers .
Depending on your skills and experience, your responsibilities may include:
- Leading and motivating orchard teams
- Planning and coordinating daily work activities
- Supporting seasonal and year-round orchard operations
- Training and developing team members
- Monitoring quality, productivity and safety standards
- Operating and maintaining orchard equipment
- Delivering spray programmes and maintaining spray records
- Supporting continuous improvement across orchard operations
What we’re looking for
We’re keen to hear from people who:
- Have previous orchard, horticulture or agricultural experience
- Have experience leading teams or supervising crews
- Lead by example and have a strong work ethic
- Communicate well and build positive working relationships
- Take pride in producing high-quality work
- Have a strong commitment to health and safety
- Hold a current driver’s licence
For the Senior Spray Operator opportunity, experience operating spray equipment and a Growsafe qualification will be highly regarded.
Why Apatu Farms?
- Permanent, full-time opportunities
- Competitive remuneration based on experience
- Modern orchard systems and equipment
- Variety of work across a large horticultural operation
- Supportive team culture focused on continuous improvement
If you’re ready to take the next step in your horticulture career and join a business committed to growing great people and great produce, we’d love to hear from you.
Apply now and grow your future with Apatu Farms.