Production Manager

Requisition ID: 59035 Position Type: FT Permanent Workplace Arrangement: #LI-Onsite 

About the role

As Production Manager, you will play a key leadership role in overseeing the daily operations of the production area, ensuring that all activities are carried out efficiently, safely, and to the highest quality standards. Reporting to the General Manager, you will lead a cross-functional team to deliver production stream goals aligned with the Kerry Production System.

This is a full-time, permanent, on-site role based in Listowel, working Monday to Friday. You’ll be part of a small team of around 50 people, where collaboration is natural and cross-functional networking is part of everyday life. With our business expanding, this is the right time to join us and play a meaningful role in shaping our continued growth.

About Kerry Dairy Ireland

Kerry Dairy Ireland is a vertically integrated farm-to-fork business with a very substantial consumer foods presence and a leading nutritional and dairy ingredients division, delivering high-quality dairy solutions with a focus on sustainability and innovation. From partnering with local family farms to producing world-class dairy products, we ensure every step of our value chain reflects our commitment to excellence.

With over 50 years’ experience in milk processing, dairy and nutritional technology advancement, and product innovation, we are a key stakeholder in the global food industry and creators of a strong portfolio of market leading dairy brands including Cheestrings, Charleville and Coleraine Cheese, Dairygold, Golden Cow and our new SMUG range. Our from food, for food culture and deep-rooted connection to our 2,800 milk suppliers differentiates our business and offers captivating opportunities for our customers and consumers.

Our dairy comes from some of the world’s richest grazing land and is produced by a network of Irish family farms that have one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world. Through a combination of expertise, innovation, and sustainability, Kerry Dairy Ireland is proud to shape the future of dairy while meeting the diverse needs of our farmers, customers, and communities.

Globally, Kerry Dairy Ireland employs over 1,600 dedicated professionals across Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, USA, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and China. In 2024, we achieved a turnover of approximately €1.3 billion, reflecting our commitment to excellence and growth.

Our Safety purpose: “we work together in a caring culture where everybody goes home safe every day”. We are committed to providing a safe working environment and ensuring that all safety protocols are strictly followed. Join us in creating a workplace where safety is everyone's responsibility.

Key responsibilities

• Plan, organise and direct optimum day-to-day operations to consistently meet our customers’ expectations
• Ensure delivery of the Dairy Consumer Foods production plan in conjunction with the General Manager
• Provide leadership to the production management team across Safety, Quality, Cost, and KPI attainment
• Drive the people agenda in partnership with HR and the General Manager, including recruitment, training, and performance management
• Foster positive employee relations and engagement, aligned with company values and union agreements
• Promote a culture of safety and compliance across the department
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives for capacity, efficiency, and quality
• Manage department inventories in collaboration with supply chain and commercial teams
• Support implementation of Kerry Dairy Ireland initiatives and policies
• Oversee the introduction of new products and customers in collaboration with R&D
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory and customer-specific requirements.

Qualifications and skills

• Experience of managing a multifunctional team in a high-speed process environment
• Capacity to align the production stream strategy with that of the site, both in the short (1 year) and medium (5 years) term
• Strong grasp of lean manufacturing principles and tools
• Proactive in identifying and implementing improvements
• Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability to be successful in a changing environment
• Strong communication skills with a collaborative approach.

What we offer

• A supportive and collaborative team environment
• Opportunities to develop your skills through hands-on experience and collaboration with expert teams
• Clear pathways for career progression and personal growth
• The chance to contribute to a major organisational transformation that is shaping the future of our business
• A meaningful role in a company deeply committed to sustainability, working in partnership with local family farms and leading initiatives like Origin Green to promote responsible, low-carbon dairy production.

Beware of scams online or from individuals claiming to represent us. A Kerry employee will not solicit candidates through a non-Kerry email address or phone number. In addition, Kerry does not currently utilise video chat rooms (e.g., Google Hangouts) to conduct interviews. Refuse any request that asks you to provide payment to participate in the hiring process (e.g., purchasing a “starter kit,” investing in training, or something similar). Kerry will not ask you to pay any money at any point in the hiring process with the exception of reimbursable travel expenses. In addition, any payments made by Kerry will be from official firm accounts bearing the Kerry name.

Recruiter: #LI-SR1 Posting Type: LI 

Please note also: We do not accept CVs or candidate profiles from recruitment agencies where terms of business have not been signed. Additionally, we will not consider or agree to payment of any recruiter fee under these circumstances. This also applies to CVs or candidate profiles sent directly to any Kerry Hiring Managers. In the event that speculative CVs or candidate profiles are submitted by recruitment agencies, we reserve the right to contact these candidates directly and consider them for current or future vacancies without any financial obligation to the recruitment agency.