Site Manager - Gunnedah

The SunRice Group is an Australian ASX-listed branded food group, comprising multiple businesses, assets and operations across Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, the United States, The Pacific Islands and Asia.  SunRice was built by the Australian rice industry over many decades, and today is one of Australia’s leading branded food exporters, with approximately 2,000 employees and operations in 11 countries.  SunRice is a great place to work, providing a real opportunity for passionate people to make a difference.

Lead. Transform. Deliver.

We are seeking an experienced and commercially astute Site Manager to lead our Gunnedah operations for SunRice Group. This is a pivotal leadership role, responsible for driving performance across a complex manufacturing environment with full accountability for safety, quality, people, and financial outcomes.

With responsibility for a team of ~40 employees (5 direct reports), this role is ideal for a proven operations leader who thrives in fast-paced manufacturing environments and is passionate about building high-performing teams and delivering operational improvements.

About the Role

As Site Manager, you will be a key member of the Operations Leadership Team, providing strategic and hands-on leadership to ensure the safe, efficient and cost-effective running of the Gunnedah site. You will work closely with cross-functional teams including Sales, Nutrition, Finance, Engineering, and Supply Chain to deliver on production and business targets while fostering a culture of accountability, safety, and excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all site operations across production, maintenance, logistics, safety, and quality


• Deliver production plans while optimising cost per tonne, throughput, and DIFOT performance


• Drive a strong safety-first culture and maintain compliance with all regulatory and quality standards (GMP, HACCP)


• Develop and execute site-wide continuous improvement initiatives


• Manage budgets, CAPEX planning, and operational expenditure within delegated authority


• Build and lead high-performing teams through coaching, mentoring and capability development


• Partner with key stakeholders to optimise supply chain, logistics, and production planning


• Oversee inventory management, stock accuracy, and operational controls


• Lead site maintenance strategy including capital planning and reliability improvements

About You

You are a confident, results-driven leader with a track record of delivering operational excellence within manufacturing, FMCG, or agribusiness environments. You bring both strategic thinking and hands-on leadership, with the ability to influence stakeholders and drive meaningful change.

Key experience includes:

• Proven leadership in manufacturing/site operations (5+ years)


• Strong financial and commercial acumen, including budget and cost control


• Experience across production, supply chain, and maintenance environments


• Demonstrated success in driving continuous improvement and cultural change


• Strong stakeholder engagement and leadership capability


• Experience with SAP or similar systems (desirable)

Tertiary qualifications in Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, or a related field are highly regarded.

Why Join Us?

• Senior leadership role with full site accountability


• Opportunity to lead and transform a critical regional operation


• Collaborative and values-driven culture focused on safety, innovation, and performance


• Competitive executive salary package

Our Values

We are driven by:

• Integrity – We do what is right, always


• Collaboration – We deliver together as one team


• Innovation – We strive to be better every day


• Communication – We show enduring care in how we listen and respond


• Safety – We believe in zero harm

If you are a senior operations leader ready to make a significant impact, we’d love to hear from you.

All correspondence will be dealt with in strict confidence.

SunRice is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. SunRice will consider qualified applicants for employment based on their merit, individual skills, qualifications and other appropriate criteria relevant to the role for which they are applying.