Operations Manager – Turfrey Group
Newly created Leadership Team opportunity with a long-standing, family-owned business in an active growth and transformation phase.
Operational leadership of established teams in Manawatu and Wellington. Based in Palmerston North. Relocation package available.
Full-time, permanent role (45 hours per week).
The Opportunity
Are you a proven operational leader in the Commercial Construction sector ready to take on a role with broad regional scope and accountability? Can you bring people, performance, and operational excellence together in a role where strong execution, coordination, and commercial results all matter?
With a strong pipeline of work and continued growth across the region, we’re looking for a strong Operations Manager to support and lead our Manawatu and Wellington teams. This role will play a key part in ensuring projects are delivered efficiently, safely and to a high standard, while providing visible leadership across the region.
Reporting to the Commercial Manager (Hastings based), this role is responsible for leading regional Roofing and Plumbing operations across Manawatu and Wellington, with a strong focus on project delivery, operational performance, client relationships and cultural leadership. You’ll work closely with Roofing, Plumbing and Contracts Managers to keep projects on track, standards high, and teams aligned.
Based out of our Palmerston North office, you’ll also maintain a regular presence in our Wellington office, typically one to two days per week, supporting our Commercial Roofing operations across the Wellington region.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead regional operations to ensure projects are delivered on time, to budget and to a high quality standard.
- Provide visible leadership across both regions (including project sites), coaching and mentoring operational leaders and managers.
- Strengthen project coordination, productivity tracking, claims and work in progress management.
- Build and maintain strong, sustainable relationships with clients, suppliers and internal stakeholders.
- Support a positive, high-performing culture aligned with Turfrey’s values and service standards.
- Promote strong health and safety leadership, compliance and accountability across the region.
About Us
Turfrey is a family-owned New Zealand business established over 50 years ago, evolving and growing to deliver medium to large-scale commercial construction services across the North Island. With a Support Office in Hawke’s Bay and a network of regional branches, our core work spans commercial roofing, plumbing and insulated panel systems, alongside a growing retail and e-commerce arm. We are now entering a further phase of growth and transformation, investing in systems and leadership capability to support sustainable scale.
What We Offer – Turfrey Team Benefits
At Turfrey, the effort you put in is recognised and rewarded. We invest in our people and offer benefits that grow over time to support you, including:
- Paid day off for your birthday
- Company vehicle
- Long-service bonus
- Modern equipment
- Relocation package available for applicants outside the region
- Plus much more…
What Success Looks Like
Success in this role will come from leading teams to deliver consistently strong project outcomes, maintain high client satisfaction, manage financial performance closely, and uphold a positive team culture. You’ll bring structure, accountability and operational discipline, while helping the region continue to grow and perform.
What We’re Looking For
- Proven experience leading commercial operational teams, ideally across multiple locations or business units.
- Strong capability in project delivery, planning, coordination and performance management.
- The ability to lead from the front and build credibility with teams, clients and stakeholders.
- Strong commercial awareness, including experience tracking budgets, margins, claims and productivity.
- A practical, hands-on leadership style with the confidence to drive standards and accountability.
- A strong cultural fit is essential – we appreciate driven and professional, yet grounded and collaborative team members.
If you’re an experienced operational leader who enjoys bringing structure, leadership and performance together, we’d love to hear from you.
