Hallfield Farm | Assistant Manager – 2IC

We’re looking for the right person to step into an Assistant Manager (2IC) role here at Hallfield Farm. We’re a 5th-generation family farm in Patearoa, covering approximately 450ha, of which around 380ha is irrigated using a combination of pivots, Rotor Rainers and K-Line. Over summer we typically run around 600 R1 and 600 R2 cattle, which we grow and finish on farm. We also winter dairy cows, grow a range of cereal and feed crops, and have a small beekeeping operation. We care about doing things properly. We like a tidy, productive farm and we value people who take real pride in their work.

We’re a progressive farm business. We’re always looking for ways to improve how we operate, with several infrastructure and development projects in the pipeline. We make data-driven decisions around stock performance, pasture management and water use, and we value people who thrive off working with numbers, systems and continual improvement — not just “doing things the way they’ve always been done.”

Finding the right fit is important to us. We’re not looking to fill the role for the sake of it — we’re looking for the right person who aligns with our standards, values and long-term direction.

About the Role:

You’ll work closely with and report directly to the farm owner, helping oversee the day-to-day running of the farm and stepping up to take charge when needed. We need someone we can genuinely rely on. Someone steady, practical and confident. Someone who treats our farm and our animals as if they were their own.

You’ll be involved across all areas of the farm, including:

• Stock work, shifting break fences, yard work and animal health treatments
• Identifying animal health issues early, administering and recording treatments accordingly
• Irrigation management – moving Rotor Rainers, shifting K-Line and operating pivots
• Pasture management and feed allocation/budgeting
• Tractor and machinery operations – feeding out, cultivation and general farm work
• Fencing – constructing new, replacing and repairing
• General farm maintenance including mechanical, trough and water system maintenance
• Weed and pest management.

The typical roster is Monday to Friday, with every second weekend rostered on. Weekend work is focused on getting the essential jobs done, rather than working a full day unnecessarily.

The successful applicant will:

• Be reliable, honest, show strong initiative and take pride in doing a job right
• Be a practical, hands-on problem solver — mechanically minded and confident maintaining and repairing farm vehicles and infrastructure, including troughs, water systems and fences
• Have a strong understanding of irrigation management — water flow, rotation planning, coordinating stock movements and monitoring water use within limits
• Be physically strong, fit and competent moving Rotor Rainers – experience is ideal, or you must have the confidence and skill level to learn quickly
• Have experience identifying animal health issues, administering and recording treatments
• Be competent driving tractors, diggers and operating machinery
• Have good stock sense and pasture management knowledge.

Living in the Maniototo:

Hallfield Farm is just 13km from Ranfurly, making it an easy commute from Ranfurly and the surrounding area. This is a drive-in position, giving you the flexibility to live where suits you.

The Maniototo is a great place to live, particularly if you enjoy the outdoors and being part of a close-knit rural community. There’s excellent fishing and hunting on your doorstep, along with a great Young Farmers community and plenty of local sport clubs, including squash, rugby, netball, curling, basketball, cricket and golf.

Patearoa is also a great base for exploring the wider region — Alexandra is around an hour away, Dunedin just over an hour and a half, and Queenstown and Wānaka are both approximately two hours away.

What we offer:

• Competitive pay based on experience
• Monday–Friday, with every second weekend rostered
• Plenty of variety across stock, irrigation, cropping, machinery and farm development
• The opportunity to take on genuine responsibility and grow with the business over time
• A progressive farming operation where new ideas are welcomed
• Most importantly, you’ll be part of a small, hardworking team where you’re truly valued.

If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you. Please send your CV and a few words about yourself and why you think you’d be a great fit for the role to hallfieldfarm@gmail.com.

Applications close Friday 9 October 2026.

Please note:

• You must be drug-free – a pre-employment drug test will be required
• The successful applicant will also be required to undergo a police check
• We are not accredited employers under the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) scheme, therefore we can only consider applicants who are New Zealand citizens or residents.