Lakeland Dairies Co‑operative Society Limited (The Group) is the second largest dairy processor on the island of Ireland, operating a milk supply chain of 2 billion litres sourced from over 3 200 family farms across 16 counties. With modern dairy manufacturing facilities in eight cross‑border locations, the Group supplies a wide customer base—including some of the world’s leading ‘blue‑chip’ companies—in the dairy food ingredients, foodservice and consumer food channels across Ireland, the UK, Europe and the global market, exporting roughly 240 products to more than 100 countries. The Group’s Agribusiness Division (Lakeland Agri) operates a state‑of‑the‑art animal‑feed manufacturing facility and is an innovative provider of high‑quality feeds and agricultural inputs for dairy, beef and sheep farmers throughout Ireland.
The Role
As a key member of our production operations, the successful applicant will lead our production staff in various areas including powder, weigh‑up, UHT material movements and milk intake. A strong communicator, the applicant will focus on delivering on safety, quality and output standards and continually improving all areas.
* Lead teams and be present on the factory floor to ensure standards are met, providing coaching when applicable.
* Work collaboratively with all site functions, especially Engineering, Planning, QA and Warehouse.
* Work closely with finance and material movements to ensure accurate consumption and return of materials.
* Lead the Powder and WUP team to deliver schedule adherence safely and cost‑effectively, aiming to streamline processes and reduce costs while maintaining or improving quality.
* Lead the Milk intake and separation team to continually improve hygiene and quality standards, ensuring efficient on‑time milk processing.
* Support process improvement and continuous improvement activities with formal and informal teams, using business improvement tools such as 3Cs and A3.
* Provide weekend cover on a rota basis for milk movements and develop team decision‑making around milk activity.
* Be responsible for the team’s delivery of site KPIs (customer service, quality, cost, housekeeping and H&S).
* Promote positive employee engagement and an engaging working environment to support manufacturing objectives and maintain high morale.
* Manage team holidays and absence to ensure operational objectives are met, conducting timely return‑to‑work meetings, escalating cases and liaising with HR when necessary.
* Ensure company policies and procedures are adhered to by team members, carrying out appropriate disciplinary procedures in line with the company’s disciplinary policy where needed.
The Person
Our team are seeking an individual that possesses the following:
* Supervisory/management experience in a production‑related role.
* Financially astute and cost‑competitive.
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
* Knowledge of Health and Safety practice within a production environment.
* Confidence in using Microsoft Office packages, including Word and Outlook.
* Experience in food production, dairy production, and project work would be desirable.
If you have the necessary skills and attributes to meet this exciting opportunity in a dynamic, high‑volume and fast‑moving business, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Application Process: To apply or for further information, please submit a copy of your CV to glen.young@lakelanddairies.com by no later than Monday 1st December 2025.
Lakeland Dairies Ltd is committed to having an inclusive workplace where every employee feels they belong. If you require accommodations to be made during the recruitment process or have questions relating to accessibility, please contact us.
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