About Kerry
Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.
About the role
The People Service Lead at Kerry is responsible for leading and managing site services while also driving employee experience and people-focused initiatives. This role expands beyond operational site services to include strategic people service management, ensuring compliance, employee well-being, and organizational culture alignment. The position collaborates closely with Operations, Human Resources, and senior leadership to deliver excellence in both site operations and employee engagement.
Key responsibilities
Operational Excellence & Site Services
- Lead and optimise site services (front desk, utilities, pantry, transport, supplies, dispatch) to ensure smooth plant operations.
- Plan and manage nonwires manpower to maintain continuity.
- Uphold strong service standards through clear KPIs, Gemba checks, and continuous improvement (5S, Lean, digital tools).
- Partner with Operations to address resource gaps, efficiency issues, and sustainability initiatives.
Employee Services & Workplace Experience
- Oversee uniforms, PPE, lockers, canteen, laundry, and facility hygiene.
- Manage canteen quality, food safety, and vendor performance.
- Improve time & attendance accuracy and ensure SWA/SMETA compliance.
- Enhance employee wellbeing and workplace experience.
- Serve as a trusted partner to employees/supervisors and resolve concerns promptly.
Strategic Partnership with HR
- Work with HR on staffing, onboarding, retention, foreign worker management, disciplinary matters, and engagement.
- Support HRDF, SSO claims, compliance checks, and medical renewals.
- Provide insights on workforce morale, absenteeism, and engagement risks.
- Co-drive culture building, values initiatives, and communication.
- Support operative hiring, interviews, and employee induction.
Employee Engagement & Culture
- Lead plant-wide engagement activities (townhalls, celebrations, culture days).
- Design programs to improve productivity, teamwork, and retention.
- Track engagement effectiveness through surveys and feedback.
- Strengthen communication channels and maintain plant event/public holiday calendar.
Compliance, Safety & Ethical Workforce Practices
- Ensure full compliance with GMP, SWA, SMETA, and legal requirements.
- Manage foreign worker documentation, accommodation, transport, and ethical labour standards.
- Support internal/external audits and follow-up actions.
- Drive safety awareness and manage permits, licenses, and visitor approvals.
Visitor & Stakeholder Management
- Lead end-to-end visitor management for government, auditors, customers, candidates, and suppliers.
- Coordinate travel, accommodation, and onsite support.
- Represent the site professionally to build strong stakeholder relationships.
Leadership & Team Development
- Lead and develop the Site & People Services team to deliver consistent, high-quality support.
- Build capability through training, cross-skilling, and development plans.
- Drive succession planning and foster a culture of ownership and continuous improvement.
Qualifications and skills
- Bachelor's degree in Business, HR, Operations, or related field (preferred).
- Proven experience leading site/facility/people services in manufacturing or similar environments.
- Strong leadership and team management background.
- Knowledge of HR operations, workforce compliance, GMP, and ethical labour standards.
- Experience in employee engagement and culture-building programs.
- Strong collaborator with the ability to influence across levels.
- Analytical, data-driven, and confident using insights for decisions.
- Creative, resourceful, and adaptable in fast-paced settings.
- Leadership & Development Coaching, capability-building, and team motivation.
- Operational Excellence Ensure smooth plant operations and high service standards.
- Employee Engagement Foster a positive, inclusive, and connected workforce.
- Collaboration & Influence Partner effectively with Ops, HR, and cross-functional teams.
- Communication Clear, professional, and impactful communication across all levels.
- Compliance & Ethics Uphold ethical practices and regulatory requirements.
- Problem Solving & Innovation Provide creative and practical solutions.
- Data-Driven Decisions Use metrics and insights to elevate service levels.
- Safety & Sustainability Promote safe behaviours and sustainable practices.
- Crisis Management Respond effectively to incidents and support continuity.
