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Associate Director - HortNZ Board

HortNZ is seeking an Associate Director to serve and gain experience on its Board.

This is a development opportunity for a future industry leader to join the HortNZ Board and gain experience in governance, leadership, and strategy. This will build on the future leader’s current horticulture experience and prepare the successful applicant for governance roles in the horticulture sector. The role will give the Associate Director the opportunity to be mentored by experienced directors and undertake governance training.

This is a non-voting role however the Board seeks full participation in meetings and will welcome constructive contributions from the Associate Director in the workings of the Board.

Term
The term of appointment is 18-months (July 2025–December 2026), which provides an opportunity to settle in and actively participate in a full year of operations. 

Skills

• Active involvement in a horticultural enterprise giving an understanding of the issues and challenges that horticulture and growers face.
• Strategic thinker with the motivation to learn and develop the skills necessary for governance. The HortNZ Board upholds the Institute of Directors four pillars of governance, and this will be the platform that underpins the role – determining organizational purpose; ensuring an effective organisational culture; holding management to account and effective compliance.
• Ability to interpret reports – financial, operational and technical.

Attributes 

• Empathy for the interests of horticulture growers and their aspirations
• Analytical abilities with a pragmatic approach
• The ability to communicate with logic and be persuasive in debate, respectful and concise
• Able to argue effectively for their views but also accommodate the need for Board consensus
• Enquiring type of character who probes the facts and challenges assumptions
• The willingness to develop their skills
• Comfortable and happy to develop industry wide relationships for the betterment of the industry
• Be able to display sound judgement and common sense
• Conflicts of interests are declared and able to be managed
• Ability to discern sensitive information and maintain confidentiality
• The ability to manage their existing workload and deadlines to accommodate the board work
• A strong sense of ethics and what is right
• A belief in the activities that HortNZ is tasked with
• A desire to make a difference.

Other requirements 
Applicants must have the support of their employer (if not self-employed) before applying for this opportunity and will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement.

The recruitment process is being managed through BambooHR - applicants will be required to provide a CV and a covering letter that outlines the following:

• Reasons for applying for the role
• What you expect to gain from the opportunity including how it will contribute to your leadership goals
• How you might contribute to the Boards's skills, experience and perspectives.

Click here for the position description and to apply.

Any questions regarding the Associate Director role can be sent to Kate.Longman@hortnz.co.nz

Applications close Friday, 16 May 2025.