Lion is Australasia’s largest food and beverage company. With some of the region’s most iconic breweries and vineyards, Lion has a rich local heritage.
Our success is built on the foundations of great people and great brands boasting a portfolio of New Zealand’s most adored brands in beer, wine, spirits and RTDs. Some of our iconic brands include Speight's, Steinlager, Mac's, Lion Red, Waikato, Becks, Corona, Stella Artois, Lindauer, Wither Hills and Yoplait.
Our core purpose is bringing more sociability and wellbeing to our world; it’s a driver of how our business and people behave each and every day.
Choose Lion
With close to 8,000 people across New Zealand and Australia, we are committed to attracting, developing and retaining great people, supporting them to be the best they can be, really make a difference, and have a great time doing it.
Join Australasia’s leading food and beverage company, and New Zealand’s leading alcoholic beverage company, and you can guarantee that your future is in good hands. You will be working within a function that is aligned to your passion and experience, you’ll also benefit from being a part of our broader graduate development program. This encompasses on the job training, coaching and support as well as targeted capability and leadership development programs. There will be plenty of opportunity for networking with graduates from across the business to share experiences and to learn from each other.
Who are you?
You are committed to personal growth and achieving great results, passionate, open to new ideas and to feedback, and keen to work with great people and great brands.
Sales & Marketing
Whether it’s planning and executing promotional campaigns or keeping your finger on the pulse of what our customers throughout New Zealand want, Sales & Marketing is an exciting and challenging area of Lion’s business. In sales you’ll be selling our range of iconic products - from beer, wine and spirits to non-alcoholic beverages. In marketing, you’ll be at the forefront of developing new products and keeping our established brands in the hearts and minds of all Kiwis.
Marketplace Insights
Understanding why a consumer loves a brand, or how they shop for wine, what categories are growing and why - the Marketplace Insights team gathers information and research to provide the business with in-depth understanding of what’s happening in our market. This enables us to influence roadmaps for growth such as new product development, product management, communications and channel development.
Danny Phillips
Role: Beer Marketing, Sponsorship and International Director
Quote: Lion is like a family and a great place to work. You work hard but you have fun doing it.
Graduated: Victoria University, Wellington, NZ
Graduate Programme year: 2001
Function: I work with my team to set the strategy and build and execute activity for our brands and sponsorships in the NZ market. Our core function is to get consumers to love our brands. I also have a strategic role in the management of the international marketplace.
1. What attracted you to the program?
I chose Lion because it was easy to be passionate about the company and its brands. Lion actively seek to build brands that people adore, so I have had many opportunities work with some great people on some great brands. And when you’re just out of university what could be more attractive than a career with a company like Lion Nathan.
2. What were your first impressions?
My first impressions were around the fantastic culture at Lion. Everyone was supportive of your development and allowed you take risks, to make mistakes and to learn. It’s still like that today but in fact it’s even better – our culture continues to grow and become stronger each year.
3. What type of development opportunities were you given?
I have had 10 different roles within Lion Nathan which have all been different and challenging. We also focus on both results and the behaviours we use to achieve them; this has helped to develop me both personally and professionally. The personal development has been hugely important to me.
4. How did these processes set you up for later success?
Lion Nathan has an extensive offering of personal development courses, focused on leadership, coaching and personal development but I’ve done a lot of my learning through working with passionate and talented people. It’s when you’re talking to great people every day that you gain the most value and insight.
5. What’s the journey your career has taken?
I joined Lion in the Sales Team in Wellington where I worked as a Merchandiser and then a Sales Executive. From there I moved into trade marketing and brand marketing before I became the Marketing Manager for Steinlager, Corona and Mac’s. I then moved back to sales to lead teams in both Auckland and Wellington before returning to Auckland to take on my current role as Marketing Director.
6. How would you describe the culture at Lion?
At Lion we have four core values: being passionate, acting with integrity, achieving together, and living sociability and wellbeing. Sharing a drink and catching up with mates is a great way of bringing more sociability to the world. Lion is like a family and a great place to work. You work hard but you have fun doing it.
7. And from the Lion range, what is your favourite product?
For me it would have to be Steinlager Pure because of the role I played in developing it. We were challenged with creating a brand that was built on the success of Steinlager Classic, and would appeal to other consumers. So for me it represents the journey we went on to bring the Steinlager Pure brand to life and not a bad drop as well!
Monique Henderson
Role: Brand Manager – International Premium, Becks & Steinlarger
Quote: To me, Lion meant great brands, great people and great career opportunities.
Graduated: Victoria University with Marketing (1st Class Honours) in 2007 & The University Otago in 2006 with a commerce degree (majoring in Marketing and Management).
Graduate Programme Year: 2008
1. What attracted you to the program?
Who wouldn’t want to work for a company with a vision to ‘bring more sociability and wellbeing to our world’?! To me, Lion meant great brands, great people and great career opportunities.
2. What were your first impressions?
Amazing people! Lion is a fun and highly engaging place to work.
3. What type of development opportunities were you given?
I have been fortunate to work on a number of New Product Development projects - from new formats to launching new products into the market. This has given me valuable cross functional, project management and leadership experience. My frequent flier miles are certainly accumulating – I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel across Australia and NZ to meet our sales teams and work with them to develop and execute great plans, sponsorships and exciting activity!
4. How did these processes set you up for later success?
Building relationships is one of the most important aspects of working at Lion. There are so many wonderfully skilled people, so much to learn and everyone is willing to impart their knowledge. Since joining Lion, I have embraced new opportunities and ideas, always looking for opportunities to learn and grow through other people and new experiences. And most importantly…never under estimate the value of a smile and sense of humour!
5. What’s the journey your career has taken?
My first role at Lion was working as an Assistant Brand Manager on Hahn Super Dry and Barefoot Radler. HSD was one year old when I joined the team and I was fortunate to be part of the exponential growth curve and the national excitement from the sales force for this new brand. My next role was working on a more established brand, Tooheys Extra Dry and I launched Tooheys Extra Dry 5 Seeds cider on tap nationally through which I built some great relationships with sales teams across Australia. In my current role, I am the Brand Manager for Beck’s and the Steinlager trademark. I work closely with our partners at Anhauser Busch Inbev in Europe and Steinlager in NZ to develop awesome marketing activities.
6. How would you describe the culture at Lion?
The culture at Lion Nathan is definitely the most amazing part of working for this company. The people at Lion are intelligent, fun and really live and breathe our constructive behaviours. When you get up and out of bed in the morning knowing that you get spend the day with good friends and really have the opportunity to make a difference – how much better can it get?
7. And from the Lion range, what is your favourite product?
Becks & Steinlager.
Trent Bos
Role: Customer Activation Manager – Coles Liquor Group (Lion Australia)
Quote: The characteristics that really set the Lion business apart is the quality of the people, the positive culture and of course the iconic brands.
Graduated: University of Waikato, New Zealand
Graduate programme year: 2008
1. What attracted you to the program?
I was in my honours year of a Bachelor of Management Studies (B.M.S.) degree, majoring in Strategic Management, and I had already begun applying for graduate positions with the major business consultancy firms. I then came across the Lion Nathan booth at the Waikato University careers day. Being an iconic New Zealand company, I had heard of the name, but I was far more familiar with its brands – drinking the likes of Waikato Draught, Macs Gold and Steinlager Pure throughout my university years. The opportunity to work with such iconic and loved household brands spurred me to hand in my application, but as I progressed further through the selection process, I realised just how special of a company Lion is. It’s the down-to-earth professionalism of the people, the drive to break new ground as a team and the absolute passion throughout the business that reinforced to me that I had made the right decision to forge ahead with my career at Lion.
2. What were your first impressions?
The strong work ethic and passion of the people at Lion was clear right from the get go, but I immediately felt as though I was part of a team and that sociability is a way of life here. What struck me most in my first few weeks at Lion were how genuine the connections between work mates were and the strong emphasis that was placed on your work/life balance. I remember how quickly and easily it was to get to know everyone – whether it be at the Tooheys Extra Dry uncharTED live music gig, enjoying a meal at the Coogee Bay Hotel and of course Friday night drinks up on the level seven bar.
3. What type of development opportunities were you given?
One of the great aspects of Lion is that it places a huge amount of emphasis on the development of its people. Strong leadership qualities are fostered within our company and the coaching, support and belief that I’ve received from my leaders has been a big contributor to my personal development and success to date. In particular, the trust that I was granted early in my career to lead a number of key Tooheys Extra Dry brand projects, including; a large scale outdoor marketing campaign, the 2010 Big Day Out sponsorship programme and the launch of a new product development to market – Tooheys Extra Dry Festival Release 3.5%.
4. How did these opportunities set you up for later success?
Some important advice given to me by a leader was to view my development in terms of compiling a toolkit of experiences and capabilities rather than being focused on reaching a particular level within the company. As mentioned above, I was given some fantastic opportunities to lead projects that would really make a difference and grow my individual skill base. These new experiences exposed me to a number of learning situations involving strategic development, communication and people management. These prior experiences and learning have helped to set the foundations for the success I’ve had in my current role – managing the promotional programme across our portfolio of brands in second largest customer (Coles).
5. What’s the journey your career has taken?
In my first three years with Lion Nathan I’ve moved across the marketing function, where I’ve been an Assistant Brand Manager for Tooheys Extra Dry and a Customer Activation Manager for Coles. I have aspirations to move into the sales function of the business in the near future in order to broaden my capabilities further. Gaining cross-functional experience is something that is very much encouraged right throughout the Lion business. In doing so, it allows you to identify what particular function you excel at and enjoy the most as well as enabling you to build a more diverse skill set and experience base in order to better prepare you to succeed in your future roles.
6. How would you describe the culture at Lion?
Our core values of achieving together and being passionate come to life through the culture here – it’s in our DNA. At Lion, you’re definitely part of a caring team environment, where everyone has the opportunity to express their thoughts, be open with each other and coach at all levels. You’re expected to work hard in order to feel that great sense of achievement, but at the same time having fun while you’re doing it and pursuing your passions outside of work is what makes Lion such a great place to be.
7. Of the Lion range, what are your favourite brands?
Steinlager Pure & Wither Hills Pinot Noir.
Neil Hinton
Role: Corporate Affairs Director, New Zealand
Quote: We’ve got a great achieving culture where people want to grow and develop, and have a great time along the way.
Graduated: Canterbury University, Christchurch, NZ
Graduate Programme Year: 1995
1. What attracted you to the program?
Two of my friends worked for Lion and I was really impressed by how much they loved their jobs – when the grad roadshow turned up on campus later that year I thought I’d have a go.
2. What were your first impressions?
The quality of the people and their attitude, were first class. It struck me as a really great place to work. On my first day I came home with a branded ute and a my first mobile phone.
3. What type of development opportunities were you given?
There have been lots of learning opportunities. I had a new job every year for my first 7 years which included two and a half years in our Chinese business. I spent time in the sales, finance (strategy) and marketing functions. The on the job training is backed up by great people development processes.
4. What’s the journey your career has taken?
Since joining Lion, I’ve been a Sales Rep, a Strategic Analyst, , I’ve worked in marketing both in NZ and in China, Regional Director for the lower North Island, Regional Director for the South Island, and now I’m Corporate Affairs Director. My career path has been exciting and varied.
5. How would you describe the culture at Lion?
Fantastic! It’s what makes it different and it’s why people tend to stay so long.
We’ve got a great achieving culture where people want to grow and develop, and have a great time along the way.
6. And from the Lion range, what is your favourite product?
I’m a beer adorer – it’s a tough choice, but for me it’s a toss-up between an icy cold Steinlager Classic and a Mac’s Hop Rocker.