Senior Communications Lead
Senior role leading media, trust and incident comms for Farmlands, with flexible working and real influence on commercial outcomes.
Flexible working, with Monday as our team in-office day
Senior role shaping how Farmlands handles media and trust
Proudly Kiwi-owned - Aotearoa’s largest farming co-operative
Mō te whai waahi | About the opportunity
Farmlands’ marketing team is growing, and this role is central to how we show up for rural New Zealand. You will set the direction for how we handle media and reputation, and how we respond when things go wrong. You will also make sure comms has a voice in decisions that affect trust, reputation and commercial outcomes.
You will lead our media pitching and proactive PR in-house, own our stakeholder communications and engagement, and own the customer incident and response process with our Risk team and our Health and Safety team. You will also reset our internal comms strategy with People and Culture, look after our supplier, partner and government relationships, manage our corporate social good partnerships, including the Rural Support Trust and our rugby partnership, and build the capability of the wider comms team.
This is a hands-on role. You will think strategically and also roll up your sleeves, from writing email campaigns to writing for our senior leaders.
Reporting to the Head of Marketing, Brand and Communications, this is a full-time role with flexible working and Monday as our team in-office day.
Mōhou ake | About you
We’re looking for someone who has:
10 or more years in a senior communications, corporate affairs or public relations role, with hands-on media relations experience
Direct experience in incident, crisis or issues communications, ideally in a customer-facing business
Experience managing complex stakeholder relationships in a public environment
A track record of growing capability in others, through formal people leadership or informally
You’ll also bring:
Sound judgement on risk and governance, and comfort working at senior and executive level
A strong brand and channel background: you know what content belongs in our emails, on our website and on social, and you keep our brand story and tone of voice consistent across them
Willingness to work alongside our Product and Merchandising team on supplier and partner co-marketing
Bonus if you have:
Exposure to government relations, industry bodies or sector partnerships
A background in local government, central government, an iwi organisation or a co-operative
Rural or agricultural experience
In addition, you are:
Level-headed and resilient when the pressure is real
Quick and highly productive, able to hold a lot of information and reframe it simply
Able to tell the difference between managing a crisis and managing the story
Comfortable presenting to senior leaders, and able to take a brief and run with it
Mō ngā painga | About the benefits
Based at our Burnside Support Office, you'll be rewarded with:
Competitive pay and great staff discounts
Generous leave, including leave purchase opportunity, your birthday off and sick leave from Day 1
Ongoing training and development and access to LinkedIn Learning
Shareholding opportunity with great partner perks through the Farmlands Card
Extra support for parents
Free parking and great coffee
Mō matou | About us
At Farmlands Te Whenua Tāroa, we’re here to support NZ farmers and growers to thrive. With over 1,200 people across the country, we’re proud to be a Kiwi-owned co-operative built on our values: Be You, Minds Open, See It Through.
Te Tono | How to apply
Apply online with your CV and a short cover letter – we’d love to hear from you.
As part of your application you’ll answer two quick video questions, so we can get to know you.
Applications close: 5th November 2026.
You must have the legal right to work in New Zealand. Pre-employment checks include references, Ministry of Justice check, right to work, driver’s licence check, and ACC history. Additional checks may apply for some roles.
- Team
- Marketing
- Role
- Brand and Communications
- Location
- Christchurch Support Office
- Remote status
- Hybrid
- Employment type
- Part-time
- Job Type
- Permanent - part-time
- Position Description
- https://JobDesc.azureedge.net/ttjds/PD Senior Communications Lead - October 2026.pdf
Our Values
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It takes all sorts to make an awesome team. Diversity, different perspectives and a fresh approach to problems make everyone in the team stronger. It's not who you are or what you look like, it's all about what you bring to the table that matters.
Be true to yourselfDon't be afraid to speak up
Value the different in others
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We came from a generation of greatness. It gives us the solid foundation to move on, focus on the future and use our creativity and ingenuity to build Farmlands for the next generation.
Be curious and ask questionsStart with 'Why not?'
Be a solver
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We're a team. United through our love of the land and the communities we serve. We back ourselves. each other, and get behind the decisions we make together.
Use the power of the teamBe an energizer to those around you
Hold on to the vision and inspire others