Glanbia Foods Hiring for Quality Manager – Kilkenny Cheese Job at Kilkenny , Ireland Full Time

This is an exciting opportunity to be involved in the start-up of Kilkenny Cheese Limited. Kilkenny Cheese is a joint venture between Tirlán, formerly known as Glanbia Ireland and Dutch family business Royal A-ware, a 130-year-old company with strong positions in EU and global markets. The facility is to be located at a greenfield site adjacent to Glanbia Ireland’s specialised nutrition facility at Belview, Co Kilkenny.

Royal A-ware is a traditional Dutch family business with a passion for food and with a strong entrepreneurial attitude. Demand-led, we offer our clients tailored products and services. In recent years investments have been made in the development and management of own supply chains resulting in independence, efficiency, and flexibility. We are specialized in producing, ripening, cutting, and packaging cheese, and also produce and package cream and fresh dairy products.

About Tirlán

Tirlán, formerly known as Glanbia Ireland, is a world-class food and nutrition co-operative, with a diverse portfolio of quality ingredients, leading consumer and agri brands.

The farmer-owned co-operative has a first-class track record of success in the global market. Rooted in a rich heritage of family farming and embedded in its communities, Tirlán has evolved to bring the passion of its farmers and their high-quality milk and grains to the international marketplace. Using modern-day technology and applying the best processes to its milk pool of three billion litres and its premium grains portfolio, Tirlán now exports to more than 80 countries. Its award-winning brands are household names in Ireland, and include Ireland’s number one consumer dairy brand, Avonmore.

Based in Belview in South Kilkenny the role reports to the Site Director. This role will be responsible for the managing all aspects of Quality operations at the plant. This includes leading the Quality function, on-going development of the plant Quality system, management of the plant’s hygiene program, all quality control activities and oversight of a leading Food Safety Programme. This role is also responsible for the product disposition function. This role provides the leadership to the plant team ensuring that our customer and GI standards are maintained.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Lead the site’s Quality Operations team in the management of the plant quality control, hygiene and product disposition processes

Drive the performance of a highly skilled, professional QA team in the delivery of team KPIs including in-process testing, Customer Management, Investigations and Event Reports

In line with SLAs with Operations ensure on–time testing of raw materials, in process and finished products vs. target, and efficient laboratory operations.

Provide quality data to the Operations team by ensuring all processes within the Quality Operations remit meet the service levels (SLAs) agreed with the Plant Operations Team.

Ensure timely product disposition vs. targets / product trending / compliance to food labelling to meet customer standards

Take a leadership role amongst management peers in developing and executing the site quality strategy and development of the quality culture in the site

As a member of Plant Management Team contribute to the implementation of site-wide KPIs relating to: Plant Efficiency; Throughput; Sustainability, Quality, Regulatory Compliance, Health and Safety, C.I., Employee Engagement, Business Risk and Financial ROI targets.

Play a leadership role in establishing and managing SLAs with other GI and 3rd party labs

Work with the Site Manager and team to ensure quality operations requirements are fully resourced at a shift level to deliver on plant in process, sampling and testing schedules

Maintain customer product specifications / certifications and deliver final product grading

Ensure all site employees are trained and coached to the appropriate standard in line with Plant Quality standards

As part of the GI Quality community contribute to on-going development of best in class standards across the wider GI organisation

Ensure the approval and sign off on process validations and all change controls.

Maintain the site in a state of inspection readiness, prepare and successfully host customer, regulatory and certification audits.

Run scheduled and unannounced audits. Track / Report compliance to the output of audits

Contribute to the development of site culture and act as role model for Plant values and behaviours.

Act as role model in the implementation of site cleanliness and hygiene standards

Key Requirements

A third level qualification in Food Science or equivalent

5 years plus experience with strong quality and people management in the food or dairy industries preferably including experience in a management capacity

Experienced in Quality, Food Safety Management and adopting this expertise into a Right First Time quality compliance program

Understand key business drivers for the industry with previous experience in Food business regulations, Quality and a proven track record in managing multiple projects.

Demonstrate high technical ability and attention to detail to do the job at a high level of accomplishment

Experience

Experience of complex project delivery

Be able to demonstrate excellent problem solving skills

Advanced organisation and planning skills.

Strong PC skills, Microsoft Office (Word, excel and MS Project),

Ability to liaise effectively with internal and external stakeholders

Person Profile

Successful track record of project delivery in a start-up or large scale development project

Knowledge of Dairy or similar food processing industry

Ability to manage a range of complex projects to completion

Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills

Team player, good communication skills, can stimulate and enthuse colleagues, proactive, decisively, flexible.

If you are interested in this position, please apply with an up-to-date resume.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

Tirlán embraces diversity, equal opportunity and inclusion. We are committed to building diverse teams where different perspectives drive innovation and growth. We strive to create an inclusive workplace where people can bring their true self to work and achieve their full potential.

Join our Talent Pool

Considering a new career in Tirlán but this isn’t the role for you?! Then why not register your experience & sign up for career opportunities at www.tirlan.com/careers .

At Tirlán, we celebrate diversity, because we know that our individual strengths make us stronger together. We welcome and encourage interest from a wide variety of candidates, and we will give your application consideration, without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, or disability status.

At Tirlán our culture will celebrate individuality, knowing that together we are more.

Tirlán owns leading consumer and agri brands such as Avonmore, Kilmeaden Cheese, Millac, Solmiko, Truly Grass Fed, Premier Milk, Wexford , mymilkman.ie and GAIN Animal Nutrition.

Tirlán is a Values Based Organisation – www.tirlan.com

Glanbia Ireland is a Values Based Organisation – www.glanbiaireland.com