Lead Talent Acquisition Partner, Global Foundational Technologies

About Kerry

About the role

Talent Acquisition Lead, Global Foundational Technologies

Location: Naas, Ireland or East Coast, USA

Reports to: Regional Head of Talent Acquisition, NAMER, dotted line to Global Head of Talent Acquisition

Led by Curiosity, Driven by Purpose

Across fields from manufacturing to food science, Kerry’s workforce of over 21,000 employees is advancing the future of food, supporting the nourishment and enjoyment of consumers globally. We are seeking a Talent Acquisition Lead, Global Foundational Technologies to join our Regional & Global Talent Acquisition Leadership Teams, and the global Foundational Technologies HR group. This role is critical for providing strategic Talent Acquisition counsel to Foundational Technologies HR and business leadership, with cross-functional responsibility for delivering senior leadership recruiting and Talent Acquisition services worldwide. Responsibilities include collaborating with business and global HR leaders on Strategic Workforce Planning, developing and executing regional hiring strategies alongside Regional Heads of Talent Acquisition and their teams of Managers, Recruiters, Specialists, Sourcers, and Vendor Partners.

The Talent Acquisition Lead, Global Foundational Technologies serves as a global strategic recruitment partner, with both individual-contributor & management responsibility, dedicated to achieving impactful hiring outcomes for Kerry’s Taste & Flavor (T&F) businesses. Acting as the single point of contact (SPOC) for leadership across Flavor Creation, Applied Flavor Technology, Sensory, Ingredient Science, and related Foundational Technologies, this position directly caries a requisition load (primarily for North America), oversees comprehensive recruitment processes, proactively builds international talent pipelines, and influences workforce planning strategies for specialized technical roles—particularly Flavorists, Flavor Developers, and other scientific professionals.

This Lead TA Partner works closely with global HR, R&D, Technology, and commercial stakeholders to deliver hiring solutions aligned with organizational priorities, capability roadmaps, and evolving market demands. We seek an experienced professional with global expertise and a successful track of directly and indirectly leadeing others, who thrives in collaborative cross-functional environments and drives Talent Acquisition initiatives from inception to completion in a rewarding atmosphere. Ultimately, the successful candidate will shape and support the execution of a multi-year strategy and advance Talent Acquisition practices at Kerry, supporting our goal to be the employer of choice for top talent.

Key responsibilities

Strategic Talent Acquisition & Partnership

•  Serve as the global lead and SPOC for the Taste & Flavor business, advising leaders across R&D, Technology, and Commercial functions on hiring strategy, talent availability, & competitive market insights.

•  Partner with Hiring Leaders, HRBPs, and TA Leadership to shape and execute hiring plans informed by Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) and long term capability needs.

•  Champion Kerry’s Talent Acquisition Guiding Principles — talent advisory, data driven insights, employer branding, diverse pipelines, and process excellence — in all interactions.

•  Provide market intelligence for niche talent groups (Flavorists, sensory scientists, application specialists), synthesizing competitive landscape data from both internal and external sources.

Full Cycle Global Recruitment

•  Own execution of all recruitment processes for niche scientific and technical roles in Flavor Creation, Taste, Biotechnology Solutions and related functional areas, from intake through offer.

•  Design and lead structured recruiting strategies including sourcing Jams, targeted outreach, and collaboration with scientific networks, universities, and industry bodies.

•  Deliver a delightful and inclusive candidate experience through transparent communication and advisory level engagement.

Global Talent Pipeline Development

•  Build, curate, and maintain strategic talent pools of Flavorists, Flavor Trainees, Senior Flavor Chemists, and cross functional technical talent across key regions (Americas, Europe, APMEA).

•  Leverage sourcing tools, market mapping, and digital channels (LinkedIn Recruiter, campaign based outreach, scientific community engagement).

•  Partner with R&D and marketing teams to deploy compelling, credibility driven talent attraction content (e.g., thought leadership posts co authored with Senior Flavorists).

Data Driven Insights & Reporting

•  Use hiring data, talent funnel metrics, and market signals to forecast demand, optimize process efficiency, and identify risk areas.

•  Produce recurring reports synthesizing hiring performance, pipeline health, and strategic recommendations for senior leadership.

Cross Functional Global Collaboration

•  Partner with stakeholders across R&D, Technology, Talent Management, Total Rewards, Employer Branding, Sourcing, and regional TA teams to ensure seamless alignment.

•  Represent TA in cross functional meetings focused on capability building, organizational design, and talent development pathways.

Qualifications and skills

•  Bachelor’s degree in HR, Business, Food Science, Chemistry, Life Sciences or a related field.

•  10+ years of experience in multinational Talent Acquisition and/or Talent Management in North America and globally.

•  7 years of global experience in Talent Acquisition experience in a matrixed, corporate environment.

•  5 years of Corporate or Agency experience direct or indirectly leading TA teams & coaching leaders.

•  3-5 years of experience recruiting in a Food & Beverage or Pharma FMCG environments.

•  Proven track record delivering against hiring plans & managing volume recruitment through systems.

•  Proven project management skills & a record of implementing enterprise programs.

•  Proven data analytical skills & knowledge of recruiting operational effectiveness methodologies.

•  Experience managing vendor relationships & selecting the right strategic partners (where required).

•  Proven ability to drive others to action using data & think creatively & pragmatically about solutions.

•  Excellent communication & influencing skills, strong (English) written & verbal communication skills.

•  Willingness to travel up to 25% of the time within region and/or globally.

The pay range for this position is $88,100 - $144,800 in Annual Salary.  Kerry typically does not hire an individual at the top or near the top of the range, as we are a pay-for-performance company, and this range is set to continue to reward performance annually while in role.  Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.  The specific compensation offered to a candidate within the above range may be influenced by a variety of factors including skills, qualifications, experience, internal equity, and Location.  In addition, this position is also eligible to earn a performance-based incentive compensation.  Kerry offers a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, paid time off, a 401(k) plan with employee and company contribution opportunities, Employee Share Plan, Life, disability, and accident insurance, and tuition reimbursement.  This job posting is anticipated to expire on August 5, 2026.