Sales Manager - Dairy Ingredients

Kinisla; Tralee; On-site; EUR 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Health Care Allowance

Matched pension scheme up to 10%

Benefits platform offering discounts

Employee Assistance Policy

Job summary

Kinisla, a leading dairy ingredients company based in Tralee, Ireland, seeks a Senior Account Manager to grow key customer relationships across our dairy ingredients portfolio. You will drive commercial growth through account management, pricing, contract negotiations, and market insight.

You will collaborate with Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Technical and Finance to deliver excellent customer service, support business objectives, and represent the company at customer and industry events.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in a commercial or sales role within the dairy, food ingredients, or agri-food sector
• University Degree in Food Science; Agricultural Science; Chemistry; Business Management; or any other relevant Major
• Demonstrated experience managing B2B customer relationships in a complex supply environment
• Strong commercial understanding, including pricing, contracts, and margin management
• Experience with dairy ingredients (milk proteins, cheese, whey, and/or milk fats) is highly desirable
• Strong skill set in relationship building & delivering to an agreed target
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Experience with CRM systems & Microsoft Suite tools
• Self-starter with a high level of autonomy/initiative
• Strong communication and relationship building skills across customers and internal teams
• Confident negotiator with a pragmatic and solutions focused approach
• Analytical mindset with strong attention to detail

Responsibilities

• Manage commercial relationships across the dairy ingredients portfolio, including milk proteins, cheese, whey, and milk fats
• Act as the primary point of contact for assigned customers, delivering excellence in commercial and operational engagement
• Lead pricing discussions, contract management, and commercial negotiations in line with business guidelines
• Work closely with internal stakeholders across Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Technical, and Finance to support customer requirements and ensure effective execution
• Develop account plans and sales forecasts aligned with broader business objectives
• Monitor market dynamics, customer needs, and competitor activity to inform commercial decision‑making
• Represent the business at customer meetings, industry events, and trade shows as required
• Travel as necessary to support customer engagement and commercial activities
• Ensure adherence to company policies, food safety standards, and regulatory requirements

Skills

Relationship building

Negotiation

Communication

Analytical mindset

Education

Food Science/ Agricultural Science/ Chemistry/ Business Management

Tools

CRM systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

About the Role

You will manage key customer relationships across our Dairy Ingredients portfolio, driving commercial growth through account management, pricing, contract negotiations, and market insight. Working closely with cross-functional teams, you will ensure excellent customer service, support business objectives, and represent the company at customer and industry events.

About the Role: You will manage key customer relationships across our Dairy Ingredients portfolio, driving commercial growth through account management, pricing, contract negotiations, and market insight. Working closely with cross-functional teams, you will ensure excellent customer service, support business objectives, and represent the company at customer and industry events.

What will I be doing?

• Manage commercial relationships across the dairy ingredients portfolio, including milk proteins, cheese, whey, and milk fats
• Act as the primary point of contact for assigned customers, delivering excellence in commercial and operational engagement
• Lead pricing discussions, contract management, and commercial negotiations in line with business guidelines
• Work closely with internal stakeholders across Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Technical, and Finance to support customer requirements and ensure effective execution
• Develop account plans and sales forecasts aligned with broader business objectives
• Monitor market dynamics, customer needs, and competitor activity to inform commercial decision‑making
• Represent the business at customer meetings, industry events, and trade shows as required
• Travel as necessary to support customer engagement and commercial activities
• Ensure adherence to company policies, food safety standards, and regulatory requirements

What do I need to be successful?

At 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 5+ years' experience in a commercial or sales role within the dairy, food ingredients, or agri-food sector
• University Degree in Food Science; Agricultural Science; Chemistry; Business Management; or any other relevant Major.
• Demonstrated experience managing B2B customer relationships in a complex supply environment
• Strong commercial understanding, including pricing, contracts, and margin management
• Experience with dairy ingredients (milk proteins, cheese, whey, and/or milk fats) is highly desirable
• Strong skill set in relationship building & delivering to an agreed target
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment
• Experience with CRM systems & Microsoft Suite tools
• Self-starter with a high level of autonomy/initiative
• Strong communication and relationship building skills across customers and internal teams
• Confident negotiator with a pragmatic and solutions focused approach
• Analytical mindset with strong attention to detail

What will I get in return?

• 25 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays)
• Health Care Allowance
• Matched pension scheme up to 10% Employer Contribution
• Benefits platform offering discounts and cashback on major retailers
• Employee Assistance Policy

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 28 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 1,700 dedicated professionals across Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, USA, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and China. In 2019, we achieved a turnover of approximately €1.3 billion, reflecting our commitment to excellence and growth.

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.

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.