Farm Manager
Camden Farm, Dunsandel
A hugely exciting opportunity to work for a locally owned business making great strides in the agriculture sector. Camden Group are looking for a Farm Manager at Camden Dairy Farm.
Camden Group own and operates large-scale dairy farms on the Central Canterbury Plains with highly experienced teams operating across 2,500 hectares. Being part of the Group means being part of a unique history – while helping to realise the potential of farming for generations to come.
About the role – Farm Manager
You’ll be running the farm as part of a farming team caring for our animals and the environment.
Key areas of responsibility:
- Business management – identify, capture and evaluate key management information for informing strategic and operational decision making and planning.
- People management – lead a team of four to deliver all required work in a timely manner. Develop a culture of staff engaged in business goals and how they contribute to the success of the farm.
- Production management – achieve production targets and proactively manage risks to comply with supply requirements and farm policies. Ensure healthy stock with proactive management, maintain animal databases and other reporting.
- Asset management – meet recording and compliance requirements of consents, prepare capital expenditure proposals, execute asset and maintenance plans to keep plant and equipment in good repair and in a safe operating state.
- Feed management – develop and execute annual feed budgets and fertiliser plans, ensure animals are fed to optimum levels.
- Stock management – proactively manage animal health and welfare to exceed industry best practice, plan and execute breeding strategy, meet targets for calving, mating and wintering.
- Relationship management – communicate effectively with the farm team, Camden Group senior leadership team, suppliers and contractors.
- Environment management – demonstrate best practice pasture based dairy farming systems, considering resource use and efficiency.
About the Farm – Camden Dairy Farms Limited
The 221ha Camden Farm was the first property purchased by the Group in February 1994, which had been operating as a traditional dry land beef farm.
Dairy conversion began as soon as the sale was completed. This involved upgrading the irrigation system, upgrading the stock water system, re-fencing and planting shelterbelts.
108ha is irrigated by a 753m centre pivot, 60ha by a 600m centre pivot, and 44ha by sprinklers.
Milking began in August 1994 with 500 cows and was expanded to 700 cows by 1997. Current production with 214ha effective is 342,804kg milksolids or 1,602kgMS per hectare.
A 54-bail rotary shed replaced the 40-a-side herringbone shed for the 2020-2021 season, which – when combined with other development – meant the stock numbers could be increased.
Camden employs four permanent full-time staff (including the Manager), and also employs a fixed term full-time role for calving and mating.
You can see more information on Camden in DairyNZ’s case studies.
About the Person
More important than the role itself is getting the right person on board.
Our ideal candidate will understand the dynamic nature of dairy farming, demonstrating the agility to modify plans and approaches as required. Clever use of a constrained budget and, alongside the Senior Leadership Team, leverage key areas to expand production and boost performance.
We’re a high-performing team, lucky enough to work in a great environment. There’s talent, ambition and support at every level of the Camden Group along with opportunities to expand your knowledge and skills with an eye to the next step in your farming career. It’s all part of the Camden Way – see more here.
This is a permanent full time position in which the successful candidate will be based on-farm near Dunsandel. A salary package including a three-bedroom home will be provided.
Submit your application via Farm Source Jobs or email to business@camdengroup.co.nz addressing the above requirements in a detailed cover letter and CV. A full job description is available on request.
Applications close 16 February 2026. We will begin reviewing applications before this date, so get in touch as soon as possible.
