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 Role
The Group Head of Environmental, Health & Safety will provide strategic leadership, direction and governance to ensure Lakeland Dairies operates to the highest standards of environmental performance, health, and safety across all sites. The role holder ensures the organisation operates with integrity, sustainably, and safely across all sites and jurisdictions.
The role is pivotal in embedding a proactive EHS culture, maintaining and advancing industry certifications, and supporting the cooperative's long-term growth through robust governance, risk management, and environmental practices. The successful candidate will work cross-functionally to ensure that Lakeland Dairies continues to meet evolving regulatory expectations while delivering on its commitment to responsible business practices and continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead the design and delivery of Lakeland Dairies Environmental, Health and Safety Strategy across ROI, NI, UK and future markets ensuring it's aligned with business objectives and sustainability commitments.
* Act as a trusted advisor to the COO and SLT on EHS risks, opportunities and emerging regulatory trends.
* Lead the integration/standardisation of EHS into all business functions and strategic initiatives.
* Ensure group-wide compliance with relevant EHS legislation and industry standards.
* Establish robust governance, reporting and auditing frameworks to monitor and mitigate risks.
* Liaise with regulatory bodies to represent the organisation in audits, inspections and external engagements.
* Establish and manage group-wide Health & Safety (H&S) policies, procedures, and systems to ensure compliance and operational excellence.
* Continuously monitor safety performance, lead investigations into incidents, and drive improvement initiatives to enhance safety outcomes.
* Champion a "safety-first" culture across all operational environments, including production sites and office locations focusing on prevention, accountability and behavioural safety
.
* Lead, mentor and develop a team of EHS professionals across multiple sites.
* Oversee the implementation of best-in-class systems, standards and practices to reduce incidents, emissions and environmental impact.
* Ensure effective management of environmental permits, water usage, effluent and waste streams.
* Develop and manage Group EHS KPIs and performance dashboards.
* Lead incident investigations, root cause analysis and corrective action planning.
* Promote innovation and continuous improvement in EHS systems and culture.
* Perform any other reasonable tasks as required by the Chief Operating Officer.
Qualifications and Experience
* A relevant third-level qualification in Environmental Science, Occupational Health & Safety, or a related discipline.
* Significant experience in a senior EHS leadership role within a complex, multi-site organisation (preferably in food, manufacturing, or agri-business).
* Proven track record of strategic EHS leadership across multiple sites and jurisdictions.
* In-depth knowledge of Irish, UK, and EU environmental and health & safety legislation.
* Strong leadership and influencing skills with the ability to engage at all levels of the organisation.
* Proven ability to work collaboratively with both internal teams and external stakeholders
* Experience working in a highly automated, high volume, fast paced environment is essential.
* Excellent leadership, communication and problem-solving skills.
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 or email