Senior Commercial Manager in Belfast

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 towards 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. The company is an Equal Opportunities employer and is committed to a safe, inclusive and relationship based workspace. 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.

Role Summary

Reporting to the Director of Ingredients, the Senior Commercial Manager – Dairy Ingredients/B2B will play a central role in driving the commercial performance of Dale Farm’s Cheddar cheese business, while supporting the optimisation and sale of associated dairy ingredient streams. The postholder will be responsible for managing key customer relationships across B2B and food manufacturing sectors, identifying commercially attractive market opportunities, and contributing to strategic planning, pricing, forecasting, and value optimisation. The role requires well-developed commercial judgement, strong negotiation capability, and a sound understanding of Cheddar cheese markets, dairy commodity dynamics, and international trade flows. Domestic and International travel will be required.

Main Responsibilities

• Support the Director of Ingredients in the development and delivery of the commercial strategy for Cheddar cheese and associated dairy ingredient streams.
• Maximise returns from Cheddar cheese production by identifying the most commercially advantageous market channels, customer segments, and route-to-market opportunities.
• Manage the sale of bulk and ingredient Cheddar cheese to food manufacturing, foodservice, and international customer accounts.
• Develop new business opportunities across processed food, ready meals, cheese ingredients, and export markets.
• Lead commercial negotiations with key customers in relation to contracts, supply agreements, and pricing structures.
• Monitor global and regional market pricing, supply and demand trends, and competitor activity in order to inform commercial decision-making.
• Build and maintain effective long‑term relationships with strategic B2B customers and act as the primary commercial contact for major accounts.
• Ensure a clear understanding of customer requirements in relation to age profile, specification, format, and packaging.
• Work closely with operations, supply chain, production, technical, quality, logistics, and finance teams to align production planning, customer demand, export activity, and forecasting.
• Deliver agreed sales volume, revenue, margin, and stock management targets, and report on key commercial performance measures.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 5 years’ commercial experience within the dairy industry.
• A demonstrable leadership track record, including at least 3 years in a senior‑level commercial role.
• Significant experience in Cheddar cheese sales, trading, or dairy commodity markets.
• Proven success in managing key commercial customer relationships and developing strategic accounts.
• Experience of negotiating commercial contracts and pricing structures.
• A strong understanding of Cheddar cheese markets, dairy commodity pricing, and wider market dynamics.
• Excellent analytical, negotiation, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• A degree in Business, Economics, or a related discipline.
• A highly commercial and results‑focused approach, with the ability to operate effectively in a fast‑moving commodity market environment.
• Willingness and ability to travel both domestic and international as required.
• Experience of working with international dairy markets and export customers.
• Knowledge of dairy futures markets.
• Additional commercial or business qualifications.
• Experience of developing new business opportunities within food manufacturing, foodservice, or ingredient‑led sectors.

Why Dale Farm?

Dale Farm offers a competitive salary commensurate with the responsibilities of the role, together with a comprehensive benefits package. This includes 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, a contributory company pension, Life Assurance, access to wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Programme, and enhanced maternity and paternity leave. We are also committed to supporting the learning and development of our employees throughout their careers. We are proud to 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 our organisation on our LinkedIn and Facebook Career pages and on our company website where you will find the link to apply. The closing date for applications will be confirmed.