Competitive salary
Health and life insurance
Great location, 25 minutes from Palmerston North.
Bring your passion and motivation for farming to this shepherding role, great opportunity on a diverse livestock farm.
THE OPPORTUNITY
We’re looking for a Shepherd General to join our team at Cheltenham Downs. Whether you’re starting your farming career or you already have experience, this is a great opportunity to build your skills, gain experience across all areas of the farm, and become part of a supportive team.
You’ll be part of a close-knit team of five, working alongside an experienced Farm Manager who will support your development and help you work towards your career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to take on a variety of responsibilities, learn new skills and build your confidence across the farm.
You don’t need to have years of experience – we’re open to people at different stages of their farming journey and will provide the support you need to succeed.
This is a drive in – drive out position.
Your key responsibilities will include:
Caring for and managing livestock, including day-to-day stock work
Supporting animal health and welfare
General farm maintenance
Fencing and other farm development work
Working as part of the wider farm team to get the job done safely and well
ABOUT YOU
You’re passionate about farming, love working with livestock, and want to be part of a team that gets results. You’re practical and always looking for ways to do the job better.
You will:
Enjoy working with animals and take their welfare seriously
Ideally, you’ll have a couple of capable working dogs
Be organised, reliable, and self-motivated in your daily tasks
Communicate clearly and work well as part of a team
Be comfortable keeping accurate records and using farm technology (or keen to learn)
Take a proactive approach to health, safety, and looking after farm assets
Have a valid restricted or full driver licence
We’re proud to have a supportive and inclusive culture at Pāmu. If this role sounds like a good fit for you, but you don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply.
THE PĀMU FARM
Cheltenham Downs is a 1050 effective ha Sheep and Beef Pāmu farm, 25 minutes from Palmerston North. It is an important finishing operation which has stock supplied from other Pāmu breeding farms within the North Island. We have approximately 25,000 lambs finished year-round, plus grazing of ewe hoggets and dairy heifer replacements from Pāmu Farms.
ABOUT US
Pāmu Landcorp Farming Limited is a State-Owned Enterprise with over 110 farms across New Zealand. Our purpose is to lead the delivery of innovative and sustainable agriculture solutions for future generations.
We’re proud to have a supportive and inclusive culture at Pāmu, and we encourage applications from people who share our values – even if you don’t tick every box.
BENEFITS
We care about your wellbeing - that’s why we offer health and life insurance, enhanced parental leave benefits, and up to 4% KiwiSaver matching as part of a competitive salary package. You’ll also receive an extra day of leave over Christmas, along with ongoing training and development to help you thrive.
APPLY NOW
Applications close midnight Sunday 6 September 2026, and we will be interviewing candidates as we go.
For a copy of the position description, please use this link:
2026_Shepherd_General.pdf
If you’ve got any questions, please contact David Woolston (Farm Manager) on [email protected] or (027) 3065 055
To be eligible for this role, you must be available for an in-person interview and have unrestricted legal rights to work in New Zealand. We are unable to accept applicants on temporary work visas for permanent opportunities.
Pāmu provides a safe workplace and the successful applicant will be required to pass a drug and alcohol test and undergo a criminal background check prior to being appointed.
Our values are core to who we are at Pāmu and the way that we all work together. We are Grounded, Genuine, Bold, and Shoulder-to-Shoulder. To read more, click on this link to see them on our website. To see what it's like to work in our Dairy team, click on this link to see A Day In The Life of a Dairy Assistant at Pāmu, or to learn about what our Livestock team is all about, click on this link to see A Day In The Life of a Shepherd at Pāmu.
Pāmu is the brand name for Landcorp Farming Limited, and successful applicants will be employed by Landcorp Farming Limited.
Skills Required
- Valid restricted or full driver licence
- Unrestricted legal right to work in New Zealand
- Availability for an in-person interview
- Ability to pass a drug and alcohol test
- Ability to undergo a criminal background check
- Experience caring for and managing livestock
- A couple of capable working dogs
- Ability or willingness to use farm technology and maintain accurate records
What We Do
Pāmu Landcorp Farming Limited is a New Zealand state-owned enterprise and one of the country's most innovative and diverse farming businesses. Its mission is to lead the delivery of commercial and sustainable agriculture solutions for future generations. Pāmu manages over 100 farms, forests, and horticultural operations, including sheep, beef, deer, and dairy, while focusing on innovation, environmental stewardship, and long-term value.
.png)
