Head of Supply Chain

Lakeland Dairies Co-operative Society Limited (The Group) is the second largest dairy processor on the island of Ireland. The business is complex and ambitious with a milk supply pool of 2 billion litres of milk, drawn from over 3,200 family farms across 16 counties. With the most modern dairy manufacturing facilities in 6 locations on a cross-border basis, the Group supplies to a broad customer base including some of the world’s foremost ‘blue chip’ companies across the dairy food ingredients, foodservice and consumer food channels on a domestic Ireland, UK, European and global basis. Internationally we export some 240 different products to over 100 countries worldwide.

The Group’s Agribusiness Division (Lakeland Agri) operates a state-of-the-art Animal Feed Manufacturing Facility and is a leading and innovative provider of the highest quality feeds and agricultural inputs to dairy, beef, and sheep farmers across the north and south of Ireland.

The Head of Supply Chain will provide strategic leadership across the Demand Management and Demand Fulfilment aspects of Lakeland Dairies supply chain including the planning, warehousing and inbound/outbound logistics functions, optimising the Sales & Operations planning process and delivering a top-class customer experience. Responsible for maximising supply chain efficiency, and ensuring compliance, while keeping a keen eye on financial performance and cost management.

The Head of Supply Chain will deliver continuous improvements in operational efficiency and in the operation of a strategic supply chain that is aligned with the overall business strategy supporting sustainable and scalable growth for the organisation. The Head of Supply Chain will play a vital role in the seamless integration of procurement, planning, logistics, and warehousing functions.

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing supply chain team, fostering a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Lead the construction of a robust Sales & Operations Planning process through effective demand planning (including forecasting) and supply planning.
• Oversight of optimisation of inventory levels ensuring effective cost control and excellent customer service.
• Oversight of a coordinated approach to warehousing activities to maintain efficient storage, handling, and inventory management practices.
• Oversight of logistics operations to optimise transportation and distribution networks, ensuring timely delivery of products to customers.
• Oversight and management of major KPIs within the Supply Chain. Measure Supply Chain performance and develop roadmaps to improve key metrics for cost, service, and inventory.
• Maintenance of efficient workflows through consistent review and automation (where possible) of all Demand Management and Demand Fulfilment activities.
• Create a high-performance culture with regular feedback, performance discussions and communication across the team.
• Collaborate with finance, operations, procurement, and other teams to ensure alignment of supply chain activities with broader business goals.
• Drive cross-functional initiatives that enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve overall business performance.
• Foster a culture of health and safety within the supply chain team through regular training, audits, and performance reviews. Championing compliance, Health and Safety, risk, data protection, security standards and ISO standards and policies.
• Lead on sustainability and socially responsible practices that align with company values and objectives.
• Drive process improvements to enhance operational performance.

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in supply chain, Logistics, Engineering, Business or a related discipline.
• Significant supply chain experience ideally in the Food Industry.
• Proven track record of managing complex supply chains with perishable goods.
• Proficiency in forecasting tools and supply chain analytics. SAP experience desirable.
• Demonstratable experience in leading and developing large cross-functional teams.
• Experience investigating and solving complex problems with innovative solutions.
• Proven ability to drive a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration and influencing across all areas of an organisation.
• Demonstrated effective communication skills with the ability to influence and set expectations across various functional teams, and across all levels within the organisation.
• Proven ability to prioritise, manage, and deliver multiple complex projects against key deliverables and timelines.

To request a detailed job description, please email gemma.lambe@lakelanddairies.com. To apply for this role, please e-mail your CV and cover letter quoting reference OPS00253 to Gemma Lambe, Group Head of Talent Acquisition at gemma.lambe@lakelanddairies.com. Closing date for receipt of applications is Friday 2nd May 2025.

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 049 4364200 or email careers@lakelanddairies.com.