HR Business Partner
Date: Sep 13, 2025
Location: Whitehall, WI, US, 54773
Company: Ornua Co-operative Limited
Company Background
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. Founded in 1961, the Ornua Co-operative has become Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products, exporting to 110 countries worldwide. Headquartered in Dublin, it has annualized sales of over $4.3 billion and a global team of 2,900 employees. Ornua operates from 10 global business units, including 13 production facilities located worldwide.
The Ornua family 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, Dubliner, Pilgrims Choice, Forto and BEO. Ornua Ingredients is responsible for the procurement of Irish and non-Irish dairy products and for the sale of ingredients to food manufacturing and foodservice customers around the world.
Ornua Ingredients North America is the largest of the four global Ornua Ingredients organizations worldwide, with USA-based processing and innovation that services customers across the western hemisphere.
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 behaviors, 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.
Summary: To provide HR support, coaching and advice to line managers, team leaders and employees in line with Group policies and procedures, in support of HR and Business Strategies. To be a trusted, credible and challenging partner to the site leadership teams.
Key Areas of Responsibility:
- Devise and implement a people plan for the business which is aligned to the business strategy and local business plans, in close collaboration with key stakeholders e.g. Senior Leadership, other HR team members (Talent Acquisition, People Services) and local management teams. People plan to include a robust workforce plan with associated action plan and insights that support the site operational plans.
- Drive focus and improvements across the broad spectrum of employee lifecycle, including:
- Attraction and retention, onboarding
- Employee engagement, wellbeing and diversity and belonging
- Enhancement of a high-performance oriented culture
- Performance management
- Talent and succession planning
- Talent and leadership development
- Employee communications
- Employee relations
- Organizational development and change
- Take the lead, from a people perspective, on local organisation design matters and change programmes e.g. business restructuring, ensuring sensitive and appropriate change and communication plans are in place. Supporting with change management approaches, interventions and supporting managers to ensure change is delivered with the focus on the impact on our colleagues.
- Leadership development intervention planning and delivery in cooperation with key stakeholders. Coaching leaders and delivering training and development programs to support their development.
- Provide expert and proactive advice to line management on employment related queries, including performance, grievance and disciplinary matters.
- Identifying opportunities to further increase HR effectiveness and efficiency, via policies, practices and approaches across the broad spectrum of HR in cooperation with other HR colleagues and functions.
- Produce a variety of statistical people information and insights to feed into HR reports for management meetings and presentations to inform the business.
- Facilitate pay and benefits reviews.
- Involvement on projects and initiatives.
- Work collaboratively with the HR Centres of Expertise teams and People Services team to ensure best practice service delivery to relevant business area.
Key requirements:
- A relevant HR (Bachelor’s level) degree (or relevant field), post-graduate qualification or human resource certification.
- Significant post-qualification experience in a HR/people environment.
- Prior experience in a manufacturing or Food/FMCG environment is desirable.
- Demonstrated experience in organizational change programs and resolving complex employee relations issues.
- High levels of drive for achievement, curiosity and initiative.
- Strong stakeholder and relationship management skills with a track record of providing HR partnership to business leaders.
- Excellent communication, influencing, interpersonal and teamwork skills, with a strong customer service focus and attitude.
- Skilled across wide range of HR practices, including: talent management, resourcing, development, employee relations, organisational development and change.
- Excellent Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint skills are essential. Experience in utilising HRIS, Success Factors HRIS is desirable.
- A strong role model of the Ornua values and behaviours – with heart, with thought, with vision and with drive.
Competencies:
- WORKING TOGETHER: Ensures own team effectiveness; facilitates and leads cross-functional working.
- COMMUNICATIVE: Applies advanced communication skills, considering impact on the audience and desired outcomes.
- RIGOUR: For complex challenges or new areas, applies effective professional skill, analysis and decision making, and planning and reviewing.
- FORWARD LOOKING: Leads others through change and contributes to competitive challenges and functional strategic plans.
Ornua Ingredients North America is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be provided with equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, disability status, or genetic information.
APPLICATIONS CLOSING OCTOBER 6TH
Nearest Major Market: Eau Claire
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