General Manager Job at Ornua Co-operative Limited

Ornua is a dairy co-operative which sells dairy products on behalf of its members, Ireland’s dairy processors and, in turn, Irish dairy farmers. It is Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products, exporting to 110 countries worldwide. Headquartered in Dublin, Ornua has annualised sales of over €3.5 billion and a global team of 3,000 employees.

Ornua is structured across two divisions: Ornua Foods and Ornua Ingredients. We operate from 10 business units worldwide, including 16 production facilities, and have sales and marketing teams working in-market across the globe in Africa, Asia, Germany, Ireland, the Middle East, Spain, the UK, and the US. You may know us by our brands Kerrygold, Dubliner, Pilgrim’s Choice, Avantage, Forto, and BEO.


We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: General Manager

Job Location: Lagos
Employment Type: Full time

Why this Role is Valuable

  • Leadership role with responsibility for our Nigerian team & the financial performance of Ornua in Nigeria which has been designated as a region of special strategic significance for Ornua.
  • The role will be tasked with an ambitious business development agenda to grow in-market volumes with existing customers as well as driving increased business with new clients.
  • The role will also have responsibility for marketing, brand management and overall market positioning.
  • The role will also manage the oversight of the packing facility in Lagos Nigeria in a Finance function and see to the viability of the current model of the business, including partner and stakeholder management.
  • The role will be based in Lagos, Nigeria and will directly report to the Head of Foods MEA with a dotted line to the Finance Director, Ornua Ingredients International, based in Dubai, UAE.

Key Areas of Responsibility

  • The development of strategic plans for growth of in-market sales through data and statistics, and interpreting results against targets.
  • The development of risk assessments and pricing structures for products to work toward commercial efforts. Designing and implementing a strategic sales plan that expands company’s customer base and ensure its strong presence.
  • Delivery of the budgeted metrics, including sales revenue, volume, profit and loss, in the specified region.
  • Identifying new business opportunities within the existing and in new geographic territories and market channels.
  • The achievement of Commercial Targets through the implementation and growth of the Kerrygold Avantage Strategy
  • The Management of the finance transactional team, organising roles and responsibilities, work plans, timetables and deadlines for finance objectives and deliverables for the Factory
  • With the Head MEA Foods, the development and implementation of a detailed 5-year strategic ingredients plan for the territory, with focus on our Fat Filled milk powder business in Nigeria.
  • The implementation of an annual budget for each market in line with the business needs. The monitoring of actuals against this budget and the update of this budget into periodic forecasts as required by the business.
  • The production of monthly and quarterly management accounting
  • Ensuring that budget holders receive and understand financial, economic and resource information necessary to fulfil their own responsibilities.
  • Management of the production of the annual statutory accounts to completion and finalisation of its audit and reports.
  • Ensuring the integrity of financial reports used by Finance and budget holders across the organisation
  • Responsibility for all aspects of staff management of the team including training and development, performance evaluations, setting of standards and KPIs
  • Assisting the co-ordination of the long-term financial planning exercise and budget cycle undertaken by the organisation.
  • Assisting in the development of business financial processes and ensuring they are regularly maintained.
  • Proactively seeking to maintain and improve all financial controls, ensuring the processes are fully documented, frequently reviewed and updated and communicated as appropriate.
  • Managing the business arrangement between Joint venture partners and holding strong knowledge in the group around the commercial & financial relationship between them.
  • Maintaining the strong relationships built with all internal stakeholders especially at management level between Distributors and JV Partners.
  • Demand planning (forecast & flash reporting)
  • Managing both internal and External audits.

Key Requirements

  • 10+ years of progressive experience in senior Finance positions in the FMCG sector.
  • Qualified accountant (ACA /ACCA or its equivalent).
  • To have a strong knowledge of the Nigerian Business Landscape with experience Fast Moving Consumer Goods
  • International experience of dairy ingredient products preferably in the African business context
  • Can work well in a team with a collaborative approach
  • Excellent communication, interpersonal, presentation, reporting and negotiation skills
  • Strong numeracy skills and experience of interpreting management accounts
  • Excellent commercial, financial and analytical acumen, while possessing a strategic mindset.
  • Flexibility and willingness to travel from time to time
  • A highly respected and credible individual, who will be able to influence and advise key stakeholders.
  • Ability to build strong relationships and to operate as a trusted strategic partner to the Ornua Ingredients International team.
  • Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
  • Experience of working with an ERP system is preferable
  • Enthusiastic and energetic team player
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills
  • Able to work with pace and achieve tight deadlines
  • Ability to collaborate effectively with different functions (sales team, supply chain, procurement, operations finance) and across multiple locations
  • Treats colleagues professionally and courteously, whilst adhering to company policy.

Ornua Competencies:

  • Ownership
  • Working Together
  • Customer Focus
  • Integrity.