Director of Operations, NZ

About Us

Americold is a global provider of temperature-controlled infrastructure. We partner with farmers and food producers to ensure their perishable and frozen product reaches food suppliers, restaurants, and your local grocery store without spoilage. Our customers, which include some of the most respected brands in the food industry, rely on our expertise and commitment to safety in order to deliver on their commitments.

About The Role:

Are you a strategic leader with a passion for operational excellence? We’re looking for a dynamic Director of Operations. This is a rare opportunity to take full strategic and operational ownership in a business poised for significant growth.

In this pivotal role, you’ll drive performance, lead high-performing teams, and champion Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to deliver continuous improvement and outstanding results.

What You’ll Do:

• Lead all aspects of NZ operations – strategic, operational, and financial
• Inspire and develop teams to deliver best-in-class performance
• Drive Lean and Six Sigma initiatives to boost efficiency and profitability
• Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Ensure compliance, safety, and operational excellence across all sites
• Support a significant growth agenda across New Zealand

What You’ll Bring:

• 8–10 years in manufacturing, distribution, or logistics, with 5+ years in senior leadership
• Proven success in multi-site operations and Lean Six Sigma environments
• Strong financial acumen and a track record of delivering results
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and change management skills
• Willingness to travel regularly across NZ

Physical Requirements 

• Requires the ability to sit for long periods of time, with frequent interruptions
• Requires several hours per day of sitting, getting up and down from chairs, and reaching, or bending
• Requires manual dexterity with normal hand and finger movements for typical office work
• Talking, hearing, and seeing are important elements of completing assigned tasks
• May require travel for business
• May require visits to warehouse operations in temperatures at or below freezing
• May require carrying loads related to travel and the occasional lifting, carrying, positioning, and/or moving of objects.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The Company makes reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable law.

What We Offer:

Our associates know the answer to the question What’s in it for me? We offer benefit programs and continuously work with our associates to ensure that our offerings meet the needs of their health and financial well-being. When you join Americold you join a values-oriented company with a clear mission. We help our customers feed the world.

Americold is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and complies with applicable employment laws.