Head of Ingredients, Ornua International
Date: 15 Apr 2025
Location: Dubai, AE, 54993
Company: Ornua Co-operative Limited
Ornua is a dairy co-operative which sells dairy products on behalf of its members, Ireland’s dairy processors and, in turn, Irish dairy farmers. It is Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products, exporting to 110 countries worldwide. Headquartered in Dublin, Ornua has annualised sales of over €3.5 billion and a global team of 3,000 employees.
Ornua is structured across two divisions: Ornua Foods and Ornua Ingredients. We operate from 10 business units worldwide, including 16 production facilities, and have sales and marketing teams working in-market across the globe in Africa, Asia, Germany, Ireland, the Middle East, Spain, the UK, and the US.
You may know us by our brands Kerrygold, Dubliner, Pilgrim’s Choice, Avantage, Forto, and BEO.
Ornua’s Values
At Ornua, our Values lie at the core of everything that we do and how we behave both individually and as a business. Our five values, and their underlying behaviours, encourage us to Seek and Embrace New Ideas, Make It Happen, Be Our True Selves, Show You Care and Achieve Great Things Together.
Ornua’s Growth
At Ornua, our co-operative ethos lies at the heart of how we do business. We care passionately about driving sustainable, profitable growth, underpinned by our ambitious ‘Path to Prosper’ strategy. We have delivered significant growth in our core business and. we have ambitious plans for continued growth over the next five years.
WHY THIS ROLE IS VALUABLE
Ornua’s Ingredient business across the Middle East and Africa represents 20% of our Group member supply and as such is a key strategic route to market for Irish dairy.
The Head of Ingredients will have responsibility for ensuring the strategy and execution of the business maximises the return to our members through efficient volume movement, particularly in our key categories of FFMP & Cheddar, while maintaining profitability.
KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:
- Full P&L accountability for our Ingredients business across the Middle East and Africa.
- Lead, develop and execute an exciting five year growth plan for the business in conjunction with the Regional Heads of SSA and MENA.
- With the member relations team, manage the supply base for our key strategic product category of Fat Filled Milk powder.
- Provide accurate monthly forecasts for the business, ensuring these proactively manage working capital impacts across stock and debtors appropriately.
- With the International HR business partner, focus on the continued development of people, recognising talent and its cultivation as a key business enabler. Ensure robust and well-developed succession plans are in place for key positions.
- Through your team, curate the continued expansion of a sustainable customer base across the region.
- Ensure the concerns of the business are addressed appropriately within the relevant parts of the wider Ornua Ingredient business.
- Proactively and appropriately manage the level of risk within the business.
KEY REQUIREMENTS:
- Minimum of 10 years experience in managing a commodity portfolio in International markets, preferably dairy
- Excellent understanding of Global dairy markets and factors impacting volatility
- Strong numeracy skills with the ability to interpret and interrogate financial data
- Clearly demonstrates ownership of a business, makes considered decisions, manages performance and recognises success
- Excellent people leadership skills with a clear commitment to developing talent
- A strong role model for Ornua values and behaviours
- Excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills, with the ability to build trust and rapport at all levels of the organization
- Flexibility and willingness to travel as appropriate.
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