Project Manager, R&D Project Manager, R&D

Job Title: Project Manager R&D

Reports to: Head of Programme Management

Location: Kerrygold Park, Mitchelstown

About Ornua

Ornua is a dairy co-operative which sells dairy products on behalf of its Member Co-ops; Ireland’s dairy processors and, in turn, Irish dairy farmers. It is Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products, exporting to 110 countries worldwide. Headquartered in Dublin, it has annualised sales of over €2.3 billion and a global team of 2,400 employees. Ornua operates from 10 business units worldwide, including 12 production facilities, and has sales and marketing teams working in-market across all four corners of the globe.

The Group 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. Markets are served by production facilities and in-market sales and marketing teams in Africa, Asia, Germany, Ireland, the UK, the rest of Europe, the Middle East and the US.

Ornua Ingredients is responsible for the procurement of Irish and non-Irish dairy products and for the sale of dairy ingredients to food manufacturing and foodservice customers across the world. Ornua Ingredients is also responsible for managing volatility through de-risking and trading strategies. The business is supported by production facilities in Saudi Arabia, Spain, the UK, the US and by in-market teams in Africa and the Middle East.

Growth for Good

Ornua is the home of Irish dairy. Our cooperative ethos is at the heart of who we are and how we do business. Our global success would not be possible without the close collaboration, care, and commitment of our 2,400 strong team. Ornua cares about building sustainable livelihoods for all our people, who in turn care about driving sustainable profits for our co-op members and the Irish dairy farming families we proudly represent.

Ornua 2025 is our strategic plan that will help realise our vision for growth in the next five years. It outlines what we will do well, what we will do with the profits we generate, and what additional services we will provide to our members. We will be guided by 3 guiding principles; focus, simplicity and adding value to our volume and we will clearly define what market we will play in.

Together, we will grow for good – creating value for our Irish farming families and for our 2,400 strong, committed, and proud global team.

Role Summary

The Project Manager is an integral role within the R&D Foods Global team. The role is critical in growing the Kerrygold Brand to new heights through consumer centric innovation.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

- Lead end-to-end delivery of high-impact innovation projects, from concept through launch and post-implementation review, ensuring alignment with brand strategy and consumer trends.
- Drive cross-functional project teams (R&D, Marketing, Supply Chain, Commercial, etc.) to deliver new products and process innovations at pace, balancing speed-to-market with quality and compliance.
- Develop robust project plans, timelines, and budgets using best-in-class FMCG project management methodologies and tools.
- Champion agile ways of working, fostering a culture of experimentation, rapid learning, and continuous improvement.
- Engage and influence senior stakeholders, translating strategic objectives into actionable project plans and clear deliverables.
- Oversee risk management, proactively identifying and mitigating barriers to successful innovation delivery.
- Ensure effective communication and stakeholder engagement, tailoring messaging for diverse audiences from factory floor to executive leadership.
- Support and coach team members and people managers through change, building capability for innovation and resilience.
- Share best practices and drive standardization of innovation processes across the business.
- Provide governance, reporting, and coaching for innovation projects as required by the business.

Key Requirements & Competencies:

- 10+ years’ experience in Project Management (PMP), ideally within FMCG or a fast-paced consumer brand environment, with a strong track record in innovation delivery.
- Demonstrated leadership of large-scale transformation, new product development, or change management programs.
- Proven ability to build relationships and influence at all levels, quickly interpreting stakeholder needs and converting them into timely, actionable plans.
- Highly collaborative, with a passion for bringing cross-functional teams on the innovation journey.
- Strong problem-solving skills, comfortable navigating ambiguity and driving solutions that require cross-functional alignment.
- Expert communicator, able to craft and deliver compelling messages tailored to diverse audiences.
- Comfortable with both hands-on project execution (e.g., leading workshops, developing plans, tracking progress) and strategic leadership (e.g., presenting to senior teams, influencing key decisions).
- Positive, entrepreneurial outlook, passionate about delivering business value through customer-centric innovation.
- Willingness to travel as needed to support project delivery and stakeholder engagement

RIGOUR: Demonstrates excellence in project execution, analysis, decision-making, and continuous improvement.

FORWARD: LOOKING: Leads teams through change, anticipates market trends, and contributes to competitive strategy.

OWNERSHIP: Takes accountability for sustainable growth, quality, and delivery of results; recognizes and rewards success.

WORKING TOGETHER: Fosters a collaborative, innovative culture across the business.

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