Head of Legal Affairs

About The Role

Having celebrated its 50-year anniversary in 2022, Kerry Diary Ireland looks forward to the future with optimism as the organisation continues to grow and develop its strategic priorities. With the recent change in ownership structure (whereby Kerry Co-operative agreed to purchase Kerry Dairy Ireland from Kerry Group plc on a phased basis) Kerry Dairy Ireland is seeking to appoint a new Head of Legal Affairs. Reporting to the Chief Financial & Strategy Officer, the role of the Head of Legal Affairs is to become a trusted legal advisor to the Board and the Executive team of Kerry Dairy Ireland and will manage an efficient and effective legal and company secretarial administration function.

Kerry Dairy Ireland is a vertically integrated farm-to-fork business with a very substantial consumer foods division 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.

The role represents an exciting opportunity to play an important role in supporting Kerry Dairy Ireland’s growth at an exciting juncture for the company. Taking ownership of the legal affairs remit, the Head of Legal Affairs will shape the legal strategy as the business continues to grow and evolve. They will play an active role on the Leadership Team, providing counsel on strategic decisions, including M&A, governance, change and transformation. They will act as trusted adviser to the CEO, CFO, and the Board advising them on the legal implications of decisions made by Kerry Dairy Ireland.

This is a hybrid role with a requirement to be in the Tralee offices 3 days per week.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide commercial and proactive advice on all legal matters to the Board of Directors, CEO, CFSO, Executive Leadership Team, Business Leaders and Function Leaders
• Assist the Company Secretary to ensure that the Board of Directors is appropriately advised on its fiduciary duties, coordinate and facilitate board meetings, ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements (including filing annual returns and maintaining statutory books) and implement corporate governance best practices
• Provide legal support and counsel on strategic decisions, including M&A, governance issues, change and transformation
• Develop and lead a corporate legal strategy that supports and protects Kerry Dairy Ireland in the achievement of its strategic objectives
• Provide legal advice as required including in relation to M&A, Intellectual Property, Commercial Law, Contract Law, Dispute Resolution, Environment & Property Law and Employment law matters
• Support Kerry Diary Ireland operations to ensure compliance with all relevant law and regulations in the regions in which it operates
• Manage Kerry Dairy Ireland’s Intellectual Property portfolio and support in the protection and optimisation of its IP assets
• Engage and manage external legal counsel efficiently and effectively, where appropriate

The Candidate:

• A high calibre commercial solicitor/barrister with minimum 10 years post-qualification experience, preferably with experience as an in-house lawyer
• Strong commercial awareness and an understanding of business needs, being able to effectively switch between the roles of legal and commercial advisor
• An ability to partner with the business and gain the trust and confidence of the Leadership Team and Board
• Proven confidence and maturity to effectively deal with complex legal issues and challenging situations
• Direct hands-on experience of a diverse and complex range of technical legal matters, including but not limited to M&A transactions, Commercial Law, Contracts, IP
• Excellent negotiation skills with substantial experience of leading negotiations and agreeing mutually acceptable solutions without compromising critical objectives and/or risk appetite
• Strong material litigation track-record, including management of negotiation in commercial litigation
• Ability to prepare a legal strategy, with extensive experience of internal and external stakeholder management

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.