Honey Extraction Supervisor

About the role

We are looking for a hands-on Supervisor to join our team in Kihikihi. This is a unique role that combines production supervision with land prospecting and land access activities

Reporting to the Extraction Manager, you will lead and support the day-to-day activities of our extraction team, driving production performance, maintaining equipment readiness, coordinating staffing, and ensuring the highest standards of health, safety, quality, and compliance. You need to be comfortable rolling up your sleeves to assist with physical extraction work whilst coaching team members, setting priorities, and keeping operations running smoothly.

This is a seasonal role with a diverse range of responsibilities throughout the year. From October to May, your primary focus will be leading our extraction operation through our busy production season. During the winter months, you will support land prospecting and land access activities, helping grow Comvita's apiary network and supporting future hive expansion.

We provide all PPE, including safety footwear and protective clothing, and offer the opportunity to play a key role in delivering the world-class honey products Comvita is known for.

Key responsibilities include

• Ensuring the extraction plant is maintained to quality and hygiene standards.

• Upholding and promoting H&S policies and guidelines for the extraction facility.

• Ensuring the efficient running of the production area, machinery maintenance, fault-finding and fixing to reduce down-time of the line.

• Building and growing an effective extraction team, motivated to achieve targets.

• Develop and maintain relationships with landowners and stakeholders to secure and retain suitable apiary sites.

NOTE: We conduct pre-employment drug testing as well as random screening throughout the year as standard practice across our business.

What we would like from you;

• We are after someone who can support with fixing/diagnosing machinery issues.

• You must be able to navigate basic digital (computer) systems.

• We need someone who can motivate the team, build strong connections, and keep the positivity flowing.

• A forklift license or willing to undergo certification.

• Strong work ethic and reliability with the stamina to perform repetitive tasks for extended periods.

• You will be on your feet a lot of the time, so being comfortable with day-to-day physical work is a must with the ability to lift and carry objects weighing up to 30 kgs.

• A good understanding of workplace H&S practices.

• You must be comfortable working indoors, and around bees as we often get 🐝 flying into our sheds.

Working With Us

Some of the benefits our team members receive are;

• Annual paid birthday leave

• Paid volunteering leave

• Private health insurance, life insurance and trauma cover.

• Monthly care packs of honey to help you maintain your health and wellbeing.

• Personal development opportunities.

• Increased KiwiSaver contribution of 4%.

• Staff purchasing entitlement: 40% off of all online purchases.

• Free on site medical checks and annual flu jabs.

Ready to apply?

If you think you would be a great fit for our team, submit your application here with your CV and cover letter. Note: We kindly ask that you submit a cover letter written in your own words, as we are already quite familiar with the tone and structure of AI-generated letters. After all, we are looking to hire a person, not AI, and getting a sense of who you are really matters to us. Give us something only a real human (like you!) could write.

In applying for this job, you must be willing to undergo pre-employment drug screening and consent to ongoing random drug testing whilst in employment

Comvita’s Commitment to Ethical Employment Practices

Comvita is committed to upholding the rights of young workers and ensuring that child labour has no place in our operations or supply chain. We do not employ individuals under the age of 18 and strictly prohibit anyone under 18 from performing work that may involve hazardous conditions or materials.

We do not tolerate the use of child labour or forced labour in any part of our business or among our suppliers. No child is to be involved in the production of our products or in the provision of materials or services to Comvita.

This commitment reflects our core values and our responsibility to support safe, fair, and ethical working conditions across all aspects of our business.

Comvita is an organisation which is committed to well-being, diversity and equity. We celebrate diversity and nurture belonging within our global team. We welcome diversity of people, ideas, talents and experiences. If you have any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us so we can support you through your recruitment journey.