General Operative

Job Description

Job Title:                                        General Operative    

Function:                                        Operations                    

Reports to:                                     Shift Manager             

Location:                                        Mitchelstown              

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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

As a General Operative, your primary responsibility is to ensure the efficient and accurate filling of various products into tubs or foil. This involves a comprehensive understanding of the product range and the ability to manage machine settings using work instructions. This role requires a proactive approach to troubleshooting, a keen eye for detail, and a commitment to maintaining high-quality standards throughout production.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Have a working knowledge and understanding of the product range and how each reacts during the filling process in either tubs or foil.

• Have a detailed working knowledge and understanding of consul commands and screen options and take ownership for setting-up machine run parameters for the range of products through undertaking sequenced events or corrective action(s) as appropriate and in a timely manner.
• Consult Manufacturing Order for product specifications.
• Set-up ink-jet printer(s) ensuring correct positioning of the head. Enter product data to the printer consul as per the Manufacturing Order.
• Undertake X-Ray test and ensure that the metal detection system is working correctly.
• Where required for product change, physically change internal machine components machines.
• Monitor the machine while in production and physically clear blockages/spills should they arise. Clean out spills immediately where required.
• Prepare machines for cleaning as per quality schedules. Manually remove internal components for hand wash bath cleaning and follow CIP procedures for complete washing down of the machine. Complete and initial CIP documentation.
• Support the Site Health and Safety Strategy and KPIs and ensure commitment to strive for a Health & Safety culture.

Key Skills / Attributes

• Proven manufacturing experience and leadership experience
• Proven experience in leading and facilitating Continuous Improvement
• Proven experience in training and developing teams

• Strong communication, interpersonal, organisational and administrative skills
• Flexible and committed attitude with the ability to display initiative
• Flexibility in covering different shifts and weekends
• IT literate with strong Word, Excel and database skills
• Problem solver, disciplined in collecting information, ascertaining root cause of issues and identifying and developing practical solutions

Ornua Core Competencies

• Working Together: Encourages co-operation in own team and supports cross functional learning.
• Communicative:  Communicates confidently, adapting style for different situations
• Ownership:  Clarifies accountabilities, overlaps, and gaps, and helps others remain motivated through difficult times.
• Forward Looking:  Helps others to accept change, implement change, and looks ahead to anticipate change.

Closing date: January 5th 2026