About Kerry

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.

About the role

Kerry Dairy Ireland (KDI) is establishing an independent, cloud‑first technology landscape.

The Application Manager (Non‑SAP) is accountable for the end‑to‑end ownership, stability, and evolution of KDI’s Non‑SAP application estate, including delivery through separation, cutover, and long‑term BAU operations.

This role provides single‑point accountability for Non‑SAP systems, governing vendors, integrations, migration, and run services while ensuring alignment with KDI’s SAP core and enterprise architecture.

Key responsibilities

Non‑SAP Application Estate Ownership

Maintain the authoritative inventory of all Non‑SAP applications.
Define and own application lifecycle decisions (retain, replace, rebuild, retire).
Ensure clear ownership, documentation, and lifecycle governance for all systems.
Act as the single point of accountability for all Non‑SAP applications across KDI.
Partner with SAP CoE and Enterprise Architecture to ensure architectural alignment.

Migration & Separation Delivery

Lead the migration of all Non‑SAP applications to KDI’s Azure environment.
Approve migration approaches and readiness criteria.
Ensure all Non‑SAP systems align with overall separation milestones and dependencies.
Own Non‑SAP application readiness for cutover, including formal go/no‑go decisions.
Ensure a clearly defined high‑level delivery plan exists for each Non‑SAP system.

M365 / SharePoint Data & Copilot Readiness

Govern SharePoint and Microsoft 365 application data structures supporting Non‑SAP systems and business processes.
Ensure SharePoint sites, document libraries, and permission models are structured to support secure access and effective information retrieval.
Partner with Workplace, Security, and AI governance teams to ensure Non‑SAP application content is optimised for Microsoft 365 Copilot usage.
Ensure data boundaries, access controls, and information quality standards prevent unintended data exposure via Copilot.
Support initiatives to improve document discoverability, metadata usage, and content lifecycle management for application‑related data.

SaaS Tenant & Instance Establishment

Coordinate the establishment of new KDI SaaS tenants and instances.
Oversee data extraction, data quality, cleansing, and selective data loads.
Ensure separation and data boundary principles are enforced.

Testing & Quality Governance

Ensure testing is planned, executed, and evidenced by the appropriate vendors.

Review and validate test outcomes to confirm business and technical readiness.

Vendor & Third‑Party Management

Govern third‑party vendors, SIs, and SaaS providers delivering Non‑SAP systems.
Manage contracts, SLAs, deliverables, and escalations in line with KDI standards.
Ensure clear transition from build to run across all Non‑SAP applications.

Security, Compliance & Licensing

Ensure all Non‑SAP systems meet KDI security, compliance, and access standards.
Maintain oversight of licensing, renewals, and entitlement management.

Post‑Cutover Run & AMS Ownership

Own the Non‑SAP application operating model post‑cutover.
Govern SLAs, KPIs, incident, and problem management across AMS providers.
Ensure documentation, runbooks, and operational artefacts are complete and current.
Act as senior escalation point for Non‑SAP application incidents.
Identify opportunities for application rationalisation and cost optimisation.
Drive improvements aligned to KDI’s cloud‑first and simplification strategy.

Qualifications and skills

Experience in Application Management, Service Ownership, or Product Ownership.
Strong experience managing SaaS‑based and enterprise application estates.
Proven leadership through complex migrations and cutover events.
Strong vendor management, service governance, and stakeholder engagement skills.
Experience working in manufacturing, FMCG, or regulated environments is desirable.

Why This Role Matters

Provides single accountable ownership for all Non‑SAP applications.
Protects business continuity through separation and beyond.
Enables a scalable, vendor‑led, cloud‑first application operating model.

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 Dairy Ireland 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.

Application Manager Non-SAP

Job Description