05 feb
Ornua
El Barco de Ávila
Project Optimisation Manager
Job title:
Project Optimisation Manager
Reports to:
NPD Director
Location:
Avila, Spain
Ornua (meaning "new gold") is Ireland's largest exporter of Irish dairy products, proudly bringing the unique taste of Irish dairy to the world for over 55 years.
Are you an NPD Project Specialist looking for the challenge of taking a mission driven organisation to its next level of success?
Ornua is actively seeking a Project Optimisation Manager to join our NPD department as we continue our growth trajectory.
As our Project Optimisation Manager you will be experienced in project management, leading cultural change which will refine and embed best practice New Product Development (NPD) and Existing Product Development (EPD) processes across our Processed cheese business out of Avila factory, Spain.
You will coordinate cross functional teams to deliver NPD and EPD projects (both product and packaging) and be skilled at doing this to short timelines, demanding internal and external clients and, at times, with limited resources.
This role requires exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills and a strong knowledge of the product launch process (kitchen to factory trials through launch).
You will be an excellent communicator, highly organised with strong planning and project management abilities.
Why Ornua?
Ornua operates from 10 business units worldwide, including 12 production facilities, and has sales and marketing teams working in-market across all four corners of the globe.
The Group is structured across two divisions: Integral Commercial and Route to Market with one global operating structure. This role sits with Ingredients Europe business unit which is within the global commercial division – added value ingredients.
Ornua Ingredients Europe (OIE) produces, markets and sells a range of processed and natural cheese from its site in Spain and the UK into QSR/Foodservice and food manufacturers.
This role is focused on the cheese made in our Avila facility and managing the NPD/EPD process.
Our co-operative ethos lies at the heart of how we do business as a purpose and values-led organisation, creating value for Irish dairy farming families.
Our Values lie at the core of everything we do.
Our five values encourage us to Seek and Embrace New Ideas, Make It Happen, Be Our True Selves, Show You Care, and Achieve Great Things Together.
We invest in our people and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
Career Progression including Global Mobility opportunities.
Comprehensive Benefits with regional specific offerings.
Why This Role Is Valuable:
As our Project Optimisation Manager you will;
Lead and embed best in class project management processes around the planning, execution, monitoring and delivery of complex projects across multiple departments.
Own, embed and refine the Stage & Gate process and role model best in class behaviours, holding colleagues to account and being instrumental in driving cultural change around how innovation is managed in our business.
Ensure fellow colleagues are engaged and adhere to the new processes.
Coordinating factory samples, feasibility trials, and raw material orders.
Chairing and minuting development, feasibility, and pre-production meetings.
Preparing product handover packs and supporting production trials.
Tracking project critical paths and maintaining the site NPD tracker.
Analysing trial data (labour, wastage, cost) and reporting insights to senior stakeholders.
Overseeing launch readiness with pre-production and pre-launch meetings.
Driving continuous improvement in processes and project delivery.
Develop detailed project plans, manage (sometimes tight) timelines, and monitor progress to ensure milestones are met, ensuring internal and external key stakeholder visibility and management of expectations.
Identify and manage project dependencies, risks, and issues, implementing mitigation strategies where necessary.
Establish and communicate project KPI/success metrics and own the master Project Tracker dashboards. These will include financial and commercial metrics,
resource & budget tracking and recommendations for where improvements can be made.
Integral in driving cultural change around continuous improvement in project management processes, tools, and methodologies, including ensuring application of learns from post launch reviews.
What You Bring To The Role:
Strong knowledge of the product launch process (kitchen to factory trials through launch).
Experience in trial data analysis and reporting.
Excellent communication (written & verbal) and stakeholder management skills.
Highly organised with strong planning and project management ability.
Analytical, detail-focused, and numerically confident.
Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).
Fluent in English and Spanish
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with shifting priorities.
Experience in FMCG/Food and factory environments
Good understanding of food safety, technical and operational considerations in product development.
Ornua has ambitious growth plans and we're building a team to help enable and accelerate that growth.
We are looking for people who share our values, are curious, forward-looking, take ownership and work together to build a future for themselves and Ornua.
Would you like to make an impact?
To learn more, please visit Ornua at
Ornua values diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds. We also strongly encourage women and other underrepresented groups in the manufacturing industry to apply. Your unique perspectives and experiences are highly valued and will be instrumental in driving our company's continued success. Join us in shaping a more innovative, inclusive, and sustainable future.
Ornua is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace.
We will make every effort to provide for any reasonable accessibility needs you may have during your employment with us.
If you require accommodations at any stage of the recruitment process or in your role, please let us know — we're here to support you.
Nivel de antigüedad
Intermedio
Tipo de empleo
Jornada completa
Función laboral
Gestión de proyectos y Tecnología de la información
Sectores
Fabricación de alimentos y bebidas
📌 NPD Project Optimisation Manager (El Barco de Ávila)
🏢 Ornua
📍 El Barco de Ávila
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