Agriculture Strategy - South Island Lead - Expression of Interest

Join us. But be you. At Deloitte, you’ll do more than just join something, you’ll add something.  You’ve found a place that values your curiosity, passion, and desire to work alongside brilliant people on the things that really matter. There really is only one question: What impact do YOU want to make?

The team you’ll join

We work with organisations across Aotearoa New Zealand to navigate complex strategic choices, respond to disruption and turn ambition into measurable outcomes. Our work brings together sector insight, commercial thinking and expertise from across Deloitte to address the issues that matter most to our clients.

We are looking for a senior strategy professional with deep knowledge of New Zealand’s agricultural and primary sectors to help grow our impact across the South Island. You will work with senior leaders and Boards as they respond to changing markets, new technologies, regulatory and environmental pressures, evolving customer expectations and opportunities to create greater value across the agricultural system.

This is a cross-functional role for someone who can see the whole picture. You will bring together expertise from across Deloitte, including strategy, sustainability, technology, finance, risk, operations, supply chain, data and transformation, to help clients address complex, interconnected challenges. You will be equally comfortable shaping a Board-level conversation, building trusted relationships and mobilising multidisciplinary teams to deliver meaningful outcomes.

You may come from consulting, agribusiness, government, a sector body or a combination of these environments. What matters most is your understanding of agriculture, strategic and commercial judgement, credibility with senior decision-makers and ability to turn strong relationships and sector insight into opportunities for clients.

What you’ll do

• Act as a trusted adviser to agricultural and primary-sector executives, Boards and senior leaders, helping them navigate complex choices and translate strategic ambition into practical action.
• Build and strengthen relationships across the South Island agricultural ecosystem, including with producers, processors, co-operatives, agribusinesses, sector bodies, government agencies, investors and rural service providers.
• Identify, shape and lead strategic opportunities spanning growth, productivity, operating models, sustainability, technology adoption, value-chain performance and organisational transformation.
• Bring together capabilities from across Deloitte to create integrated responses to client challenges, rather than approaching issues through a single functional lens.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams through complex engagements, from defining the problem and aligning senior stakeholders through to recommendations, mobilisation and implementation.
• Translate sector developments, commercial realities and emerging trends into distinctive insights, practical advice and new opportunities for clients.
• Contribute to the growth of Deloitte’s agriculture presence across the South Island by developing relationships, shaping propositions, leading pursuits and strengthening our relevance in the market.
• Coach and develop others, building agricultural sector knowledge and confidence across the wider team.

What you’ll bring

• 10+ years experience in New Zealand agriculture, agribusiness or the wider primary sector, gained through consulting, industry, government, sector organisations or a combination of these environments.
• Established credibility and relationships across the South Island agricultural ecosystem, with the confidence and judgement to engage constructively at executive and Board level.
• A strong understanding of agricultural business models, value chains and the commercial, operational and strategic issues affecting the sector.
• Experience shaping strategy, growth or transformation initiatives and converting strategic thinking into practical, measurable outcomes.
• The ability to work across organisational and professional boundaries, connecting strategy with capabilities such as sustainability, technology, finance, risk, operations, supply chain and organisational change.
• Proven ability to identify and shape opportunities, build trusted client relationships and contribute to significant pursuits and long-term account growth.
• Strong commercial judgement and the ability to identify where Deloitte can make a distinctive and valuable contribution.
• Exceptional communication and facilitation skills, including the ability to frame complex issues clearly, challenge constructively and influence senior decisions.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams in complex environments where priorities, perspectives and stakeholder interests may differ.
• A collaborative leadership style and a genuine commitment to sharing expertise, developing others and building an inclusive, high-performing team.
• Knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, tikanga Māori and Te Ao Māori, together with an appreciation of the importance of whenua, partnership and intergenerational stewardship within New Zealand’s agricultural context.

So, who is Deloitte in Aotearoa?  

We are driven to create an impact that matters at every opportunity. Supported by a strong leadership team and member firms from over 150 countries across the globe, Deloitte in Aotearoa is in the business of solving complex problems. Over our 175-year history, we have built a reputation for impactful delivery across all areas of our business. 

Deloitte in Aotearoa recognises the uniqueness of our country identified in our founding document, Te Tiriti o Waitangi.  We uphold our responsibility(s) to the founding document and acknowledge Māori as the Tangata Whenua/Indigenous people.  

Our shared values are at the heart of everything we do. Living these values, including ‘Manaaki/taking care of each other’ and ‘Hāpai tangata/fostering inclusion’, is essential to ensuring everyone feels included at work and able to reach their full potential. Our values drive our desire to create positive outcomes for our clients, communities, and people. 

Deloitte Talent Experience  

We hold a simple belief – that our people’s hard work should be recognised and rewarded beyond their remuneration. We have reimagined what ‘work’ looks like and how we can empower all our people to create a work experience that is distinct to their needs. Founded on concepts of trust, balance, wellbeing, and the importance of personal connection, this is the Deloitte experience.  

We offer:  

•  Flexible work arrangements – work in a way that suits you, us and our clients best  
•  Subsidised professional qualifications and paid professional memberships  
•  Subsidised health insurance  
•  Income protection insurance  
•  22 days annual leave  
•  Social events, social sports teams, and monthly firm drinks  
•  A focus on wellness and well-being   
•  Community focused volunteer days  
•  A focus on the environment and sustainability  

We believe the strongest teams are made up of diverse individuals and we are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We recognise that women and individuals from under-represented backgrounds may hesitate to apply if they don't meet all criteria. If you're passionate about this role and believe you have the skills, we encourage you to apply, even if your experience, ideal working hours or qualifications aren't a perfect match.

Please be aware of phishing attempts posing as Deloitte recruiters. Official communications from Deloitte New Zealand will come from “@deloitte.co.nz,” “@smartrecruiters.com,” or our video interview platform Deloitte<[email protected]>. If you receive a suspicious email, verify its authenticity by contacting us at [email protected].