About the Role:

We are recruiting a Strategic Marketing & Business Development Director for our Dairy & Nutritional Ingredients business units. This role is critical to delivering our growth ambitions by driving strategy, market insight, and value led business development. At Kinisla, we offer a flexible working policy.

What will I be doing?

Leadership

Build and implement a best in class Strategic Marketing & Business Development function,

Lead, develop, and grow the Marketing & BD team (initially 2–3 people).

Business Strategy

Lead the Dairy & Nutritional Ingredients strategic planning process in close collaboration with the Ingredients MD and leadership team,

Contribute to major business and investment decisions with a strong market driven perspective.

Market Insight

Anticipate market, customer, and competitive trends,

Partner with Sales to translate insights into actionable opportunities,

Communicate clear market intelligence across the organization.

Portfolio & Pricing Management

Define and drive product and growth strategies aligned with market and key customer plans,

Provide leadership on pricing strategy informed by market and competitor insights.

Customer Focus & Business Development

Work closely with Sales to understand customer needs and dynamics and identify growth opportunities,

Enable a strong opportunity pipeline by positioning technologies and solutions around customer insights,

Collaborate with Sales and R&D to develop compelling value propositions and sales narratives.

Innovation & Pipeline Management

Influence the innovation funnel through customer and competitor insights,

Support product launches, including positioning, sales enablement and execution planning,

Drive pipeline conversion by aligning resources and ensuring clear execution plans.

Marketing

Strengthen brand awareness and market positioning,

Lead priority marketing initiatives aligned with business objectives.

What do I need to be successful?

In Kinisla 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:

Minimum 10 years’ experience in the ingredients or nutrition industry

Proven success driving growth in B2B, value-added Nutritional Ingredients

Strong commercial and strategic acumen

Ability to operate effectively in a matrix organization

Clear, open communicator and collaborative leader

Strong prioritization skills with a focus on impact

Multilingual skills are a plus

Willingness to travel up to 30%

What will I get in return?

At Kinisla, 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)

Hybrid working

Health Care

Matched pension scheme

Benefits platform offering discounts and cashback on major retailers.

About Kinisla:

Kinisla 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, Kinisla 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, Kinisla 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 Kinisla 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 Kinisla 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.

Please note: We do not accept CVs or candidate profiles from recruitment agencies where Kinisla 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 Kinisla Hiring Managers.

Strategic Marketing and Business Development Director

Benefits

Job Description