Head of Strategy

Overview

Ornua is a leading dairy co-operative which sells premium dairy products globally on behalf of its Member Co-operatives, Ireland’s dairy processors and, in turn, Irish dairy farmers. Ornua has revenues of €3.4 billion and is supported by a global team of approximately 2,800 employees. The Group operates as a commercial organisation across 10 business units, including 12 production facilities located in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa. The commercial organisation is responsible for the marketing and sales of Ornua’s consumer brands including Ireland’s most successful food export: Kerrygold. Consumer markets are served by production facilities in Ireland, Germany and the UK and by in-market Sales & Marketing Teams in Asia, Germany, Ireland, MEA, Poland, Spain, rest of Europe and North and Latin America. It also manages the procurement of Irish and non-Irish dairy products, the sale of dairy ingredients to food manufacturing and foodservice customers globally, and the implementation of de-risking and trading strategies to manage market volatility. These activities are supported by production facilities and in-market teams in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa.

Role

Job Title: Head of Strategy - Ingredients

Reports to: Strategy & Growth Director

Location: Dublin/Hilbert/Avila

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Position context

We are seeking a commercially astute and analytically driven Head of Strategy to join our team and be focused on the Value-Added Dairy Ingredients sector. This role will play a pivotal part in shaping the strategic direction of our Value-Added Dairy Ingredients business, identifying growth opportunities, and driving cross-functional initiatives that enhance our competitive position in global markets.

Responsibilities

Strategic Planning

- In conjunction with our Ingredients BU’s, lead the development and refinement of the long-term strategy for our dairy ingredients business.
- Support annual strategic reviews and business planning cycles.
- Conduct in-depth market analysis on the value-added dairy ingredients, specifically the cheese category and its main End Use Markets (EUMs) in our key territories.
- Monitor competitor activity, customer needs, and regulatory developments across key markets.

Commercial & Growth Initiatives

- Collaborate with the BU’s to identify and evaluate the most profitable and accessible new business opportunities for us to pursue.

Stakeholder Engagement

- Work closely with senior leadership to align strategic priorities across functions.
- Prepare and deliver high-impact presentations and strategic updates to executive teams and board-level stakeholders.
- Analyse business performance, product profitability, and customer segmentation to inform strategic decisions.
- Support portfolio optimization and innovation pipeline prioritization.

Key Skills / Attributes

- 10+ years of experience in in-house strategy within or consulting for the foods’ ingredients industry, ideally with QSR exposure.
- Strong understanding of the dairy value chain and B2B commercial models.
- Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders.
- Exceptional communication and presentation abilities.
- Excellent analytical, financial modelling, and problem-solving skills.
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, Food Science, or related field.
- Customer Focus: Advocates for the customer, balances customer and business needs, and spots opportunities for growth.
- Forward-Looking: Helps others to accept change, implements change, and looks ahead to anticipate change.
- Curious: Open to asking questions and willing to learn and continuously improve.
- Working Together: Encourages co-operation in own team and supports cross-functional working.

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