Dairy Farm Instructor - Otago

About this role

• Lead a team and grow skills that change lives beyond the prison gate.
• Manage award-winning dairy operations with sustainability focus.
• Shape reintegration through farming, training, and strong partnerships.

Kotahi anō te kaupapa, ko te oranga o te iwi' – ‘There is only one purpose to our work: the wellness and wellbeing of our people.

Mō te tūnga | About the role

Prison industries provide people in our care valuable work experience and skills as well as meaningful engagement. They are an important part of working towards reintegration and can increase chances of obtaining successful employment on release. Industries are also critical in providing essential services, such as catering and laundry, for the operation of the prison.

Experience, skills and knowledge in farming is essential as is your ability to lead and develop a team.  Your key areas of focus would be to plan and schedule work, delegating tasks and providing support, training and guidance for ongoing staff development as well as being responsible for the overall running of the farm.

Building and maintaining strong relationships with commercial partners and overseeing training and qualifications for the tāne in our management are also additional responsibilities that are key elements you will be responsible for.

Our dairy industries operate 7 days a week.  The core hours of work for this role will be Monday to Friday between the hours of 5.00 am – 6.00pm and is dependent on seasonal requirements, with some flexibility required. Public Holidays on occasion may be needed with the possibility of some callouts when deemed operationally essential.

The farm includes:

• Milk production of approximately 130,000 kg's of milk solids per annum
• Land covering 135 hectares.
• A herd of 360 cows

We are also the proud winner of the 2012 Ballance Environment Award for the dairy section. This award recognises excellence in promoting sustainable land management on New Zealand farms.

Mōu | About you

You will be from a solid farming background and be able to demonstrate the following:

• Dairy Farm management experience along with excellent animal husbandry.
• Strong leadership skills and experience coaching and leading teams.
• Excellent relationship skills, including commercial relationships.
• Highly developed administration and verbal communication skills.
• Think critically, be innovative, embrace and drive change.
• The ability to engage confidently in a Te Ao Māori environment, while embracing your own cultural journey and walking alongside those in our care.
• Awareness and acceptance of others from all walks of life and how you can adapt to different cultures will be a definite requirement.
• Current and clean full NZ Drivers Licence is essential.
• Experience in an adult learning or training environment would be an advantage but is not essential.

If successful, you will be required to complete a full disclosure criminal history check (clean slate does not apply), pre-employment medical, physical and drug testing as a part of the recruitment process.

You will receive Corrections Officer training which all new officer's attend. This is a fully paid training programme to equip you with the necessary skills required for the job. This involves an initial week-long induction at your allocated prison site and then five weeks at our National Learning Centre in Upper Hut, then a further five weeks back on site before graduating.

Ngā painga | The benefits

The salary range will be between $79,500 - $93,210 per annum. Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.

Mō mātou | About us

Join Ara Poutama Aotearoa - Department of Corrections, where your work will contribute to improving public safety, reducing re-offending, and address the overrepresentation of Māori in correctional facilities. As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship), and whānau (relationships) to guide our work and achieve the goals of our Hōkai Rangi strategy.

We value inclusion and diversity in our workforce, and as a Public Service organisation we are committed to building a workforce that reflects the public we serve. We strive to make our recruitment process fair, and we encourage you to discuss reasonable accommodations with us if required.

Tono ināianei | Apply Now

To submit an application and view the position description, click the apply link. All applications must be submitted through our careers site to ensure transparency – applications received via email will not be considered.

When applying, submit a tailored CV and a cover letter describing your motivation for joining the department highlighting relevant skills and experience and the alignment to our work.

Applications close on: Wednesday 4th February 2026

If you have any questions or want to learn more about a career with us, contact southernrecruitment@corrections.govt.nz, or visit www.careers.corrections.govt.nz