Requisition ID 62908
Position Type FT Permanent
Workplace Arrangement #LI-Remote
About the role
As the Early Careers Lead, you will be the driving force behind Kerry Dairy Ireland's early careers agenda. You will lead the attraction, selection, onboarding, and development of graduates, interns, apprentices, and summer students. Acting as the key point of contact for all early careers talent, you will ensure a best-in-class candidate and employee experience, build strong relationships with universities, and deliver engaging programmes that support our talent pipeline and business growth. This is a hands-on, visible role that requires strong stakeholder management, programme design, and event delivery skills, as well as a passion for developing early career talent. This role reports into the Head of Learning, Leadership and Talent.
Ideally, this person will be based in the Republic of Ireland, but we can be flexible for the right candidate.
At Kerry Dairy Ireland we offer a flexible working policy.
What will I be doing?
Talent Attraction & Sourcing
* Design and execute attraction strategies for graduate, intern, and apprenticeship roles, including advertising, employer branding, and social media campaigns.
* Build and maintain partnerships with universities, colleges, and external organisations; represent Kerry at careers fairs and campus events.
* Develop and deliver engaging assessment centres for graduate recruitment.
Programme Management
* Manage the end-to-end Early Careers Programme, including onboarding, rotations, learning modules, and engagement activities.
* Oversee the internship, apprenticeship, and summer student programmes, ensuring a consistent and high-quality experience.
* Act as the main point of contact for all early careers participants, providing guidance, support, and regular 11 check-ins.
* Plan and deliver large-scale onboarding, graduation, and engagement events.
Stakeholder Engagement
* Partner with HR, business leaders, and line managers to ensure effective programme delivery and talent development.
* Support line managers in performance management, pay planning, and offboarding for early careers talent.
* Liaise with external training providers to deliver development modules and workshops (to include Graduate Programme and Early Careers Programme)
Continuous Improvement & Reporting
* Monitor and analyse programme outcomes, engagement, and retention; provide regular reports and insights to inform decision-making.
* Drive continuous improvement of early careers processes, leveraging feedback and best practices from the sector.
* Support the execution of engagement surveys and action planning for early careers populations.
What do I need to be successful?
In Kerry Dairy Ireland we understand that people have very different career trajectories and experiences. In order to be successful in this role we would be looking for the right competencies and aptitudes as well as your proven track record of success in a similar role and environment.
These include
* Proven experience in early careers, talent management, graduate recruitment, or programme management.
* Experience designing and delivering assessment centres, onboarding, and development programmes for early careers talent.
* Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building skills, with confidence working with senior leaders and external partners.
* Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organisational skills; able to engage and motivate early career talent.
* Self-starter with the ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and drive projects to completion.
* Analytical mindset with experience in reporting, data analysis, and continuous improvement.
* Passion for talent development and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
What will I get in return?
At Kerry Dairy Ireland, we believe in giving talented, curious people the opportunity to make a difference. We work as a team, searching for the best ways to inspire food and nourish life. We are a community of innovators, working across disciplines to solve global food challenges with a fresh approach. We want you to achieve whatever you put your mind to.
We also offer
* 25 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays)
* Flexible working
* Health Care (depending on location)
* Matched pension scheme
* Benefits platform offering discounts and cashback on major retailers.
About Kerry Dairy Ireland
Kerry Dairy Ireland is a vertically integrated farm-to-fork business with a very substantial consumer foods presence and a leading nutritional and dairy ingredients division, delivering high-quality dairy solutions with a focus on sustainability and innovation. From partnering with local family farms to producing world-class dairy products, we ensure every step of our value chain reflects our commitment to excellence.
With over 50 years' experience in milk processing, dairy and nutritional technology advancement, and product innovation, we are a key stakeholder in the global food industry and creators of a strong portfolio of market leading dairy brands including Cheestrings, Charleville and Coleraine Cheese, Dairygold, Golden Cow and our new SMUG range. Our from food, for food culture and deep-rooted connection to our 2,800 milk suppliers differentiates our business and offers captivating opportunities for our customers and consumers.
Our dairy comes from some of the world's richest grazing land and is produced by a network of Irish family farms that have one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world. Through a combination of expertise, innovation, and sustainability, Kerry Dairy Ireland is proud to shape the future of dairy while meeting the diverse needs of our farmers, customers, and communities.
Headquartered in Tralee, Co. Kerry, we operate multiple manufacturing facilities in the southwest of Ireland, including Listowel, Charleville, Newmarket, and Farranfore. Additionally, we manage 29 Farm & Home stores throughout the region, ensuring comprehensive coverage and service. In Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom, our presence extends to key locations in Portadown, Coleraine, and Ossett.
Globally, Kerry Dairy Ireland employs over 1,600 dedicated professionals across Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, USA, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and China. In 2024, we achieved a turnover of approximately €1.3 billion, reflecting our commitment to excellence and growth.
Get in touch today
In Kerry Dairy Ireland we benefit from the knowledge of our colleagues who bring a diverse range of cultures, backgrounds, lifestyles and experiences. One team fostering an inclusive culture that, above all, inspires food and nourishes life. One culture where everyone brings their unique perspectives and experiences to help make us better, together. We are committed to nurturing an environment of positivity and inclusiveness, where everyone can be at their best, both personally and professionally.
Our recruitment, selection and assessment process are based on the skills and competencies of the specific roles and based entirely on merit. We are committed to and value Diversity and Inclusion in all recruitment processes within Kerry and do not discriminate based on gender, race, class, economic status, ethnic background, sexual orientation, age, political beliefs, veteran status, marital status or any other protected characteristic.
Beware of scams online or from individuals claiming to represent us. A Kerry Dairy Ireland (KDI) employee will not solicit candidates through a non-KDI email address or phone number. In addition, KDI does not currently utilise video chat rooms (e.g., Google Hangouts) to conduct interviews. Refuse any request that asks you to provide payment to participate in the hiring process (e.g., purchasing a "starter kit," investing in training, or something similar). KDI will not ask you to pay any money at any point in the hiring process with the exception of reimbursable travel expenses. In addition, any payments made by KDI will be from official firm accounts bearing the KDI name.
Please note We do not accept CVs or candidate profiles from recruitment agencies where Kerry Dairy Ireland terms of business have not been signed. Additionally, we will not consider or agree to payment of any recruiter fee under these circumstances. This also applies to CVs or candidate profiles sent directly to any Kerry Dairy Ireland Hiring Managers.
Recruiter #LI-HB2
Posting Type LI