HR Director - 12 month FTC

Kepak is a leading food company with 14 manufacturing sites and over 4,500 employees across Ireland and the UK, with a turnover of €1.75 billion. The Group operates across three divisions: the Foods Division, Meat Division UK, and Meat Division Ireland. Guided by our values - Responsibility, Ambition, Passion for Food, and Teamwork - we are committed to operating as a successful, sustainable, future-ready business that is a great place to work. We supply fresh and value-added meat based products to retail and foodservice through private label and our own brands, including Rustlers, Big Al's and John Stone.

HR Director - Meat Division Ireland (12 mth FTC - Maternity Leave)

We're currently seeking to recruit a strategic HR Director to become an integral part of our leadership team for a fixed-term appointment, coinciding with a pivotal transformation phase within the Meat Division - Ireland. This temporary contract will span from March 2026 to April 2027, stepping in during a maternity leave. In this role, you will report directly to the Group CPO, while also maintaining a dotted line to the CEO of the Meat Division Ireland.

This position will play a crucial role in defining the future of our Meat Division - Ireland. As we transform our operating model, enhance our leadership pipeline, and instill a culture of high performance throughout our business, your contributions will be invaluable. In this role you will lead the HR agenda across a complex, multi site industrial business, with a strong focus on organisational design, leadership development, workforce effectiveness, and change execution. This is a highly visible, hands on role for an HR leader with strong business judgment, credibility with senior leaders and the ability to drive delivery in operational environments.

Key focus areas:

Organisational Design & Change Leadership

• Lead the design and implementation of a fit-for-purpose organisational structure aligned with strategic goals.
• Partner with the CEO and senior leadership to assess current capabilities, identify gaps, and reshape teams for future growth.
• Drive change management initiatives that support cultural alignment, agility, and operational excellence.

Leadership Development & Talent Strategy

• Design and deliver a leadership development framework
• Coach and challenge senior leaders to enhance their effectiveness, resilience, and people leadership.
• Lead succession planning and talent reviews, ensuring a strong pipeline of future leaders.
• Strengthen performance management and leadership standards across all levels of the business.

People Strategy & HR Operations

• Lead the HR team in delivering core people processes including performance management, employee relations, and workforce planning.
• Provide strong leadership on employment legislation and best practice, particularly in the context of Irish and EU employment law.
• Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion across all levels of the organisation.

Stakeholder Engagement & Culture

• Act as a trusted advisor to the executive team, providing insight and challenge on people-related matters.
• Build strong relationships with the leadership teams to embed HR as a true partner in delivery and performance
• Lead and shape the culture agenda, reinforcing accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• Proven experience as an HR Director or senior HR leader in a fast-paced, multi-site environment - ideally within the food, FMCG, or hospitality sectors.
• Proven credibility with senior leaders and operational management teams, with the confidence to challenge and influence at executive level.
• Demonstrated expertise in organisational design, operating model transformation, and leadership development.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to align people strategy to business outcomes.
• Exceptional interpersonal and influencing skills, with a pragmatic and solutions-focused mindset.
• Experience managing change and ambiguity with resilience and clarity.

Travel: Some travel will be required within Ireland.

Location: We offer complete flexibility on your location, allowing you to travel to our sites across Ireland.

What can we offer you?

• Hybrid Working
• Company Pension
• Bonus scheme
• Further Education support
• Employee Discount Platform - All Kepak employees are entitled to access to the WrkIt platform, which offers significant discounts and cashback with hundreds of brands.
• Cycle to Work Scheme - You can buy a bike and safety equipment through a salary sacrifice scheme which reduces your taxable income – meaning you pay less tax!