Procurement Manager

Date: 3 Nov 2025

Location: Leek, GB, ST13 5SP

Company: Ornua Co-operative Limited

Procurement Manager

 

Job title:       Procurement Manager                  

Reports to:   Head of Procurement

Location:       Leek, Ornua Foods UK                 

Salary:           Generous salary depending on experience

Hours:            36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday                  

Benefits:         Matched pension scheme up to 8%, Generous holiday allowance increasing with length of service, Subsidised staff canteen, Company shop offering discounts on Ornua products, Sports & Social Club, Staff Lottery, Discount on Bikes & Tech Scheme, Confidential Employee Assist Programme, Free onsite parking               

Ornua (meaning “new gold”) is Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products, proudly bringing the unique taste of Irish dairy to the world for over 55 years.

Are you a Procurement Manager looking for the challenge of taking a mission driven organisation to its next level of success?

Ornua is actively seeking an organised, strategic Procurement Manager to join our procurement department as we continue our growth trajectory.

The Procurement Manager will play a key role in overseeing the design, development and execution of packaging solutions ensuring quality, cost-effectiveness aligned to brand guidelines and compliant with industry standards.

You will support the Head of procurement as a packaging specialist on key Innovation projects and sharing best practice/initiatives with colleagues across the Ornua group.

This role plays a vital part in Ornua Food UK’s ambition to become the UK’s cheese Centre of excellence. 

Why Ornua?

  • Ornua operates from 10 business units worldwide, including 16 production facilities, and has sales and marketing teams working in-market across all four corners of the globe.
  • The Group is structured across two divisions: Ornua Foods and Ornua Ingredients.
  • Ornua Foods is responsible for the marketing and sales of Ornua’s consumer brands including Kerrygold, Pilgrims Choice.
  • Our co-operative ethos lies at the heart of how we do business as a purpose and values-led organisation, creating value for Irish dairy farming families.
  • Our Values lie at the core of everything we do. Our five values encourage us to Seek and Embrace New Ideas, Make It Happen, Be Our True Selves, Show You Care, and Achieve Great Things Together.
  • Dynamic Working policy in place which facilitates flexible hours and hybrid working
  • We invest in our people and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
  • Career Progression including Global Mobility opportunities.
  • Comprehensive Benefits with regional specific offerings.

 

Why This Role Is Valuable:

As our Procurement Manager you will be responsible for leading on;

  • Sourcing packaging and ingredients that meet business and customers sustainable packaging agendas
  • Managing new supplier tender process for packaging and ingredients (non-Cheese)
  • Ongoing contract management for packaging and ingredients suppliers
  • Implementing procurement best practice in line with group procurement and ethical trading policy
  • Supported by the Procurement assistant, ensure packaging stocks are managed effectively
  • Identifying and implementing opportunities for cost savings across all areas of Direct spend
  • Building strong customer and supplier relations including negotiations
  • Horizon scanning for changes in regulations/Macro economic factors that may impact supply.
  • Procurement lead for IBP process into supply chain
  • Responsible for identifying and implementing packaging improvements (Sustainability/performance/quality/cost)
  • Reporting on sustainable achievements (internal and external)
  • Main point of contact for PL customer/Commercial on all things packaging
  • Reporting on legal requirements for packaging regulations and submits data to relevant governing bodies
  • Project Management for packaging innovation
  • Project lead for all packaging change requests/Artwork changes/Material changes
  • Providing cover for the head of Procurement as required

 

 

What You Bring To The Role:

 

  • Experience in Food packaging- Flexibles and board
  • Extensive experience in a procurement/Buyer role
  • Effective communicator with the ability to negotiate and manage stakeholder relationships
  • Proficient in purchasing software and MS Excel 
  • CIPS level 4 or equivalent is desireable

 

Our interview process is designed to be thorough yet supportive. This process includes a first stage via Teams to allow us to get to know you better and to understand your skills and experiences and, if successful, a second stage face-to-face interview that will build upon the first stage and give you the opportunity to get a feel for Ornua and the environment in which you will be working.

Ornua has ambitious growth plans and we’re building a team to help enable and accelerate that growth. We are looking for people who share our values, are curious, forward-looking, take ownership and work together to build a future for themselves and Ornua.

Would you like to make an impact?

To learn more, please visit Ornua at www.ornua.com

 

Ornua values diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds. We also strongly encourage women and other underrepresented groups in the manufacturing industry to apply. Your unique perspectives and experiences are highly valued and will be instrumental in driving our company’s continued success. Join us in shaping a more innovative, inclusive, and sustainable future.

 

 

 


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