Location : Belfast
Job Ref: UDF/2025/512
Employment : Full-Time Permanent
Closing Date : 07 October :00 pm
Dale Farm Cooperative is a UK dairy farmer co-operative owned by over 1200 dairy farmers who supply us with fresh milk. Dale Farm has operations throughout the UK and Ireland producing and distributing a wide range of dairy products which it sells across the UK and Ireland as well as exporting to over 45 countries worldwide.
At Dale Farm virtually every career discipline is represented in our workforce, from production, engineering and distribution, to sales & marketing and food technology/quality assurance, to Finance, HR and IT through to general management. Our standards are high and when we recruit we are looking for those with energy and drive, who are keen for responsibility and motivated to succeed with a record of achievement and with the potential to develop as the company grows.
Culture
Our culture is based on setting best in class standards, working to-wards and delivering on committed objectives, striving for constant improvement and involving everyone in the company. We strive to develop our people and harness everyone's contribution to deliver a winning team.
Equal Opportunities
The company is an Equal Opportunities employer and is committed to a safe, inclusive and relationship based workspace.
Benefits
In return, we offer a high degree of responsibility, plenty of challenge, good opportunities for learning and personal development and rewarding benefit packages, all within a fast moving and results oriented environment.
Group Cost Transformation & Compliance Support Manager
About Us
Dale Farm is the largest UK farmer-owned cooperative, owned by 1,300 UK farmers. We supply a wide range of consumer and food ingredients dairy products including fresh milk, cheeses, milk powders, butter & dairy spreads, and ice cream into the UK, Irish and international markets.
Core to our success is our people, and we now have an exciting opportunity within our Finance team, based at our Head Office in Belfast. This role has a hybrid working arrangement available to the successful candidate.
About the Role
As the Group Cost Transformation & Compliance Support Manager, you will Oversee the administration of and compliance with a number of Group policies, with a strong focus on the Group's Framework for 3rd Party Spend, providing support to decentralised functions ensuring value for money and effective risk mitigation.
The role will business partner with decentralized departments, working to identify cost transformation opportunities by consolidating supplier spends, negotiating new contracts to include new discounts & favorable pricing, as a result of leveraging the Group's significant 3rd Party spend wallet & bargaining power.
Reporting to the Head of Risk and Finance Transformation, within this role your responsibilities will include:
* Establish and maintain strong relationship with Suppliers, negotiating contracts and ensuring the best terms and conditions for Dale Farm.
* Lead on the Group's strategy to consolidate suppliers and generate a Group wide "preferred supplier" list for decentralised spend not controlled by the centralised procurement function.
* Ensuring contracts are in place and up to date for key suppliers providing critical services or products to the Group.
* Support decentralised functions throughout the procurement process for new suppliers (completing risk assessments, support with tendering process, completing supplier due diligence and executing effective contractual terms which mitigate risk and have appropriate KPI's).
* Maintain the Group's 3rd Party supplier register.
* Performing ad-hoc audits of new supplier procurements ensuring full compliance with the Group's Framework.
* Perform other value for money compliance audits ensuring spend is in line with Group policies (e.g. Corporate Travel spend).
* Support the group to maintain regulatory compliance with Data Protection laws (G.D.P.R) through ensuring policies and procedures are updated by operational owners on a regular basis.
* Establish close relationships with internal stakeholders to understand their needs. Work collaboratively with cross functional groups to develop and implement procurement strategies that meet these needs.
* Ensure compliance with relevant European Laws/Windsor Framework, regulations, industry standards as well as organisational policies and targets.
* Communicate monthly updates on savings identified and other metrics to measure the success of cost transformation initiatives.
About You
Candidates should be educated to degree level in Accountancy & Finance, Business Admin, Supply Chain Management (or similar) and have at least 3 years' experience in a finance function or purchasing/procurement function, linked to manufacturing, FMCG or food retail business environment. In the absence of a degree, candidates who possess more than 5 years relevant experience will be considered.
This opportunity calls for a candidate with first rate communication skills both written and verbal, who will be a hands-on, results-oriented individual and who can demonstrate their creativity, skills, energy and ability to multitask effectively.
We are looking for a highly motivated and ambitious person who has the energy and determination to make an impact in an extremely challenging, dynamic, and competitive marketplace. The successful candidate must have strong interpersonal skills alongside excellent negotiation skills and be commercially focused. Candidates must also possess strong IT skills and be highly analytical.
Why Dale Farm?
We have a lot to offer our employees at Dale Farm and we are committed to everyone's learning and development journey. In addition to a competitive salary commensurate with the role, as well as standard benefits such as 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and contributary company pension, we also offer additional benefits such as Life Assurance, full wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Programme, and enhanced Maternity and Paternity leave.
We promote an open and supportive culture which is based on our core values
Teamwork | Positivity | Resolve | Ambition | Curiosity | Accountability
You can find out more about life at Dale Farm on our LinkedIn and Facebook Career pages, and on our company website.
The closing date for applications is 5pm on Tuesday 7th October 2025. Please apply
We are an Equal Opportunities Employer
Only applications from EU Nationals or those with a valid permit to work in the UK will be accepted
No unsolicited CVs from Agencies