Head of Corporate Procurement

Job Title: Head of Corporate Procurement 

Reports to: Chief Operating Officer 

Location: Dublin, Ireland 

About Ornua:  

Ornua is a leading dairy co-operative which sells premium dairy products globally on behalf of its Member Co-operatives, Ireland’s dairy processors and, in turn, Irish dairy farmers. 

Ornua has revenues of €3.4 billion and is supported by a global team of approximately 2,800 employees. The Group operates as a commercial organisation across 10 business units, including 12 production facilities located in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa. 

The commercial organisation is responsible for the marketing and sales of Ornua’s consumer brands including Ireland’s most successful food export: Kerrygold. Consumer markets are served by production facilities in Ireland, Germany and the UK and by in-market Sales & Marketing Teams in Asia, Germany, Ireland, MEA, Poland, Spain, rest of Europe and North and Latin America. 

It also manages the procurement of Irish and non-Irish dairy products, the sale of dairy ingredients to food manufacturing and foodservice customers globally, and the implementation of de-risking and trading strategies to manage market volatility. These activities are supported by production facilities and in-market teams in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa. 

The Role 

This role sits on the Global Operations Leadership Team. The successful candidate will have responsibility for the procurement of non-dairy products for Ornua Co-op, ensuring the efficient and cost-effective sourcing of goods and services. The role will have full ownership and responsibility for the purchase of all non-dairy product and services procurement. This role will have a team of employees based in Dublin.  

Key Responsibilities 

• Operate a comprehensive procurement policy in relation to all non-dairy products and services supplied to Ornua Co-op.​ 

• Manage and maintain a warehousing and logistics network which ensures Ornua Co-op’s needs are adequately met in a cost-effective manner.​ 

• Negotiate the purchase of non-dairy products and services in accordance with the agreed policy and objectives.​ 

• Build and manage strong and sustainable relationships with all suppliers and to ensure suppliers add value to Ornua and are in keeping with Ornua’s values and sustainability targets.​ 

• Responsible for Ornua Travel Team, who provide travel planning support to Ornua employees.​ 

• Manage key supplier relationships including Sodexo (Canteen for Ornua HQ).​ 

• Ensure effective communication in Ornua with all relevant stakeholders to understand their needs and requirements for non-dairy products. ​ 

• Liaise and co-ordinate with subsidiaries to facilitate effective procurement strategies as well as analysing spend information to identify cost savings. ​ 

• Stay abreast of changes in the regulatory environment and consumer insight trends relevant to the dairy sector and about best practices in procurement. ​ 

• Ensure that the Procurement Team operates within the cost parameters and culture of Ornua.​ 

• Oversee management of cost recovery from suppliers for identified performance issues.​ 

• Focus on the continued development of people, recognising talent and its cultivation as a key business enabler.​ 

Key Requirements 

• 10+ years of procurement experience, Food/Dairy sector a distinct advantage. 

• Ability to articulate business success.

• Proven ability to manage diverse groups of stakeholders, build strong relationships and the ability to build the same culture within your team.​ 

• Strong analysis, purchasing, planning, forecasting, budgeting and pricing skills.​ 

• Excellent negotiation skills, commercial acumen and supplier management.​ 

• Excellent people leadership skills and associated track-record, with a clear commitment to working inclusively, developing talent and building future leaders. 

• Leadership profile as a strong role model of the Ornua values and behaviours. 

• Flexibility to travel as needed  

Ornua Competencies 

• Working Together: Creates and reinforces a collaborative culture within and across the organisation and sets up external strategic alliances/partnerships. 

• Forward-Looking: Leads others through change and contributes to competitive challenges and functional strategic plans. 

• Ownership: Empowers performance, ensures quality and delivery; rewards initiatives, courage and success and makes decisions about sustainable growth. 

• Customer Focus: Advocates for the customer, balances customer, commercial and business needs, and spots opportunities for growth.

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: 30th November 2025

Accessibility at Ornua

Ornua is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace. We will make every effort to provide for any reasonable accessibility needs you may have during your employment with us. If you require accommodations at any stage of the recruitment process or in your role, please let us know — we’re here to support you.