About the role
We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Head of People & Capability to join our team. In this leadership role, you will oversee the HR Business Partnering , Talent Acquisition , Organisational Development and Learning & Development functions. Reporting directly to the Director, Safety, People & Culture, you will work closely with senior leadership to align people strategies with business priorities, ensuring that we attract, develop and retain top talent to achieve our strategic goals.
A key aspect of this role will be to lead the Learning & Development function, partnering with key stakeholders to enhance the capability of our people, ensuring that employees understand what’s expected of them to deliver on key business outcomes. You will drive leadership development, foster a high-performance culture and implement organisational change initiatives that enhance employee engagement and business performance.
The success of this role will rely on the seamless collaboration between HR Business Partnering , Organisational Development and Learning & Development functions. These design and delivery arms must work hand in hand to support business objectives, ensuring alignment and consistency in strategy and execution.
Key responsibilities of this role include.
- Support the development and implementation of the People & Capability strategy aligned with the organisational vision and values.
- Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders on workforce planning, change management, leadership development and succession planning.
- Design and implement a leadership development framework that enhances leadership effectiveness at all levels of the organization, ensuring leaders are equipped with the tools and skills needed to drive performance.
- Lead the development and implementation of a business-aligned learning strategy.
- Oversee the design and standardisation of learning frameworks that build technical, safety, quality, and leadership capabilities across the business.
- Lead the talent acquisition strategy with a focus on attraction and retention, while overseeing employer branding, workforce planning and onboarding.
- Lead a team of HR Business Partners and Advisors to ensure consistent, high-quality HR service delivery and champion best practices in performance management, ER/IR, and talent development across the business.
- Foster an inclusive and engaging work environment that emphasizes the company’s values and behaviors, creating a positive employee experience.
- Monitor and measure the impact of people initiatives, utilizing data and metrics to drive continuous improvement.
This role is a balance of strategic HR leadership and hands-on partnership, with the chance to shape a progressive people function in a future-focused, values-driven business.
Skills and Experience
The ideal candidate will have the following skills and attributes:
- Proven senior leadership experience and strong track record across a broad generalist HR portfolio including knowledge across L&D, OD, Recruitment and HR, ideally in dairy, primary industry, manufacturing, or FMCG.
- A collaborative, authentic leadership style and the confidence to challenge where needed.
- Ability to engage and all levels of the organisation.
- A business-focused mindset, with the ability to link people strategies and initiatives directly to the company’s critical business priorities. The ideal candidate will have a pragmatic, results-oriented approach, understanding the need for practical, business-first solutions.
- Experience in driving change management initiatives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
- Exceptional leadership skills, with the ability to inspire and develop a team of HR professionals to deliver high-impact solutions which directly drive critical business outcomes.
- Energy, passion, and clarity in communication.
This role will be based at our Christchurch site in Dunsandel we will not consider a remote working arrangement. Applicants outside of New Zealand will only be considered if you have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand.
About Us – The Synlait Way
Synlait is a dynamic, purpose-led milk nutrition company that is Doing Milk Differently for a Healthier World! We pride our organisation as being different and allowing our spirit to drive our success, shifting perceptions and driving value through new thinking and a new attitude.
You’ll be joining down-to-earth, authentic people working together to create the very best in milk nutrition as we combine expert farming with innovative thinking and state-of-the-art processing to produce a range of nutritional milk products for our global customers.
We will challenge you by providing the opportunities you’ve been seeking to expand your career; we believe that everyone brings unique experiences and perspectives to the table so are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and embrace diversity to drive innovation and business success.
What we offer:
- Health insurance cover + Partnered with top brands for great benefits and discounts
- Excellent parental leave with our Matua policy
- World Class manufacturing facilities and BCorp TM certified
- Social Club membership opportunities
What's next?
Include your most recent CV and cover letter summarising your abilities and what you can bring to Synlait. We wish you the best of luck in your application. We encourage you to apply early as we will be reviewing applications regularly and may close the advertisement early.
Together we will continue to create a workplace where everyone can thrive and contribute their best.
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