Job Description

Job Title: Digital Communications Manager (12-month FTC)

Function: Communications

Reports to: Communications director

Location: Dublin

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Ornua is a leading dairy co-operative which sells premium dairy products globally on behalf of its Member Co-operatives, Ireland’s dairy processors and, in turn, Irish dairy farmers.

Ornua has revenues of €3.4 billion and is supported by a global team of approximately 2,800 employees. The Group operates as a commercial organisation across 10 business units, including 12 production facilities located in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa.

The commercial organisation is responsible for the marketing and sales of Ornua’s consumer brands including Ireland’s most successful food export: Kerrygold. Consumer markets are served by production facilities in Ireland, Germany and the UK and by in-market Sales & Marketing Teams in Asia, Germany, Ireland, MEA, Poland, Spain, rest of Europe and North and Latin America.

It also manages the procurement of Irish and non-Irish dairy products, the sale of dairy ingredients to food manufacturing and foodservice customers globally, and the implementation of de-risking and trading strategies to manage market volatility. These activities are supported by production facilities and in-market teams in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa.

The Role

An exciting opportunity to experience the Ornua Communications team as a Digital Communications Manager has opened. It is a versatile role encompassing corporate, brand and internal communications, stakeholder management and reputation management.

The role requires bringing great ideas and strategic thinking to life; being a creative storyteller; embracing communication technologies; as well as conceptualising and executing impactful communication programmes which resonate with Ornua’s many shareholders and strengthen Ornua’s brand and reputation globally.

As a key member of the Communications team, the Digital Communications Manager leads cross-functional initiatives, manages agency and vendor relationships, and provides strategic counsel to senior executives, including the Executive Team. As this is a maternity leave cover role, the focus will be on ensuring continuity, maintaining momentum on existing programmes, and providing stable leadership during the contract period.

Areas of Responsibility

Project manage a key strategic project across the organisation and wider dairy industry, providing structured project management, industry insight, and the development of internal and external educational and awareness‑building collateral.
Act as a strategic advisor to senior leadership, including the Executive Team, on digital communications and reputation management.
Oversee the governance and strategic direction of Connect, Ornua’s internal communications platform, ensuring it supports employee engagement and business priorities.
Lead crisis and issues communications responses, serving as deputy lead on the Crisis Communications Team when required.
Drive the creation of high-impact digital content and campaigns, ensuring consistency with Ornua’s brand identity and tone of voice.
Manage and mentor junior team members and cross-functional contributors, fostering a high-performance culture.
Manage relationships with external agencies and partners, ensuring delivery of high-quality work and value for investment.
Own the digital communications budget, including planning, forecasting and reporting.
Support global teams with strategic guidance and tools to amplify their digital communications efforts.

Key Requirements

Proven experience in a senior digital communications or marketing role, with clear evidence of team leadership and strategic influence.
Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels, including C-suite.
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional projects and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Deep understanding of digital and social media platforms, trends, and analytics.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a flair for storytelling.

Strong project and budget management capabilities.
Experience in managing external agencies and creative partners.

Ornua Core Competencies

Customer Focus: Advocates for the customer, balances customer and business needs, and spots opportunities for growth.
Forward-Looking: Helps others to accept change, implements change, and looks ahead to anticipate change.
Curious: Open to asking questions and willing to learn and continuously improve.
Working Together: Encourages co-operation in own team and supports cross-functional working.