Food Safety Lead Location variable NI/ROI Lakeland Dairies Co-operative Society Limited (The Group) is the second largest dairyprocessorontheisland ofIreland.Thebusinessiscomplexandambitiouswithamilksupply pool of 2 billionlitresof milk, drawn from over 3,200 family farms across 16 counties. With the most modern dairy manufacturing facilities in 8 locations on across-borderbasis, the Group supplies to a broad customer base including some of the worlds foremost blue chip companies across the dairy food ingredients, foodservice and consumer food channels on a domesticIreland,UK,Europeanandglobalbasis. Internationallyweexportsome240different products to over 100 countries worldwide. The Groups Agribusiness Division (Lakeland Agri) operates astate-of-the-artAnimal Feed Manufacturing Facilityandisaleadingandinnovativeproviderofthehighestqualityfeedsand agricultural inputs to dairy, beef and sheep farmers across the north and south of Ireland. Applicationsareinvitedfortheabovepositionto be based at any of our NI or ROI operational sites: The Role Are you a technical leader ready to shape the future of food safety in a leading dairy organisation? Our new, Group Food Safety Lead will drive the evolution of our FSQ structure, spearheading Group Food Safety Standardsand driving our Food Safety continuous improvement and sharedlearningsagenda. Fromsupporting incident investigationsand CAPEX projectsto acting as an Operational Excellence ambassador, the successful applicant will play a critical role in standardisation, resource optimisation, and continuous improvement. This is a tailormade role for an ambitious subject matter expert who is passionateabout building robust quality frameworks and leading key transformations. The successful applicant can be based at any of our operational sites across NI or ROI. Key responsibilities will include (Not limited too): Standards & Compliance:Establish best-in-class food safety standards across our Dairy Business. Incident Management & RCA:Supportthe response to food safety and quality incidents, ensuring a consistent approach to Root Cause Analysis (RCA), CAPA implementation, and effectiveness reviews. Microbiology Leadership:Provide strategic oversightforExternal and InternalMicrobiology Laboratories, including budget and service optimisation. Operational Excellence:Act as a key enabler for our Operational Excellence Programme, driving continuous improvement and risk mitigation across all sites. Capital Projects & Investment: Partner with site FSQ teams on CAPEX processes, providing technical expertise for high-priority equipment and infrastructure upgrades. Stakeholder & Customer Engagement:Support the Customer Segmentation model by engaging with key clients, participating in working groups, and sharing best practices. Continuous Improvement:Identify opportunities to standardise ways of working and facilitate the sharing of best practice and shared learnings across our Dairy Business. Cross-Functional Collaboration:Support supplier and TPM approval processes while partnering with wider business functions to deliver the overall Group Strategy. What do I need to be successful in this role? Industry Expertise:Extensive experience in a food safety leadership role within the food manufacturing sector. Technical Mastery: A proven track record in developing and maintaining high-level food safety frameworks. Regulatory & Compliance:Deep technical expertise inBRCandFSSC 22000standards and their practical application.Demonstrated experience of working with customer and other compliance standards. Visionary Leadership:A "lead from the front" people manager with a proven ability to inspire teams and drive a culture of excellence Communication & Influence:Exceptional ability to translate complex technical data into clear, actionable insights for stakeholders at all levels. Commercial & Budgetary Acumen: Demonstrated experience in budget management, resource optimisation, and financial oversight. Educational Background: A third-level qualification (Degree or higher) in Food Science, Technology, or a related disciplinewould be desirable. Valued extras:Priorexperienceinsystemdigitalisation,large-scaleFSQimplementations,orthe foodservice/retail sectors is highly desirable.Experience working with SAP beneficial. Ifyouhavethenecessaryskillsandattributestomeetthischallengingopportunityinadynamic, high volume andfast-movingbusiness, we would be delighted to hear from you! ApplicationProcess: To apply for this role, please submit a copy of your CV by no later than midday on Monday 23rd March. 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 at. Benefits: Pension Free parking Health and Wellbeing program