Glanbia launches recruitment drive to fill 200 vacancies

Food group Glanbia is launching a Christmas recruitment drive to fill more than 200 vacancies across its global operations.

Glanbia is specifically targeting members of the Irish diaspora who may be returning to Ireland for Christmas.

The positions are spread across a range of sectors within the group including IT, science and innovation, sales and marketing, finance, human resources, operations, engineering, and executive and general management.

The performance nutrition and ingredients group already employs nearly 6,000 staff globally, including 2,000 in Ireland.

Some 90 of the vacancies are based in Ireland, with the remainder located in the US, UK, Denmark, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. Some 50 positions earmarked for Ireland have been newly created.

Glanbia’s campaign will go live across a number of print and online media outlets from Sunday.

"Glanbia has delivered sustained growth by creating new nutritional products and solutions, and in doing so has become a world leader," Michael Patten, Glanbia's human resources and corporate affairs director.

“To sustain our growth, we need exceptional people to join our team in Ireland, the US and indeed worldwide,” he said.

“With this campaign, we are targeting the rich seam of talent in the global Irish diaspora who may be returning home for Christmas and particularly people with expertise in areas including IT, science and innovation, finance, operations, engineering and management.”

Passion and know-how

“Our message to this group of people is, if you have skills in these areas, if you can identify with our purpose and vision, and if you have the passion and know-how to drive growth in a world leading global nutrition company, we would like to hear from you.”

Candidates are invited to visit glanbia.com/2016careers.

The company, which generated a turnover of €3.5 billion in its latest financial year, recently completed the acquisition of ThinkThin, a US firm that specialises in protein, for $217 million (€198.4 million).

It is also in advanced discussions on a new $140 million (€128 million) project with its US joint venture partner, South West Cheese.

The project, which will take two years to complete, will boost production at its cheese and whey production plant in New Mexico by 25 per cent.

Glanbia’s sports nutrition business, which includes a range of products derived from once-discarded whey protein, has become one of the largest contributors to group earnings.

According to its latest half-year results, performance nutrition accounted for 38 per cent of total earnings, eclipsing its ingredients division for the first time.

On the back of best-selling brands such as Optimal Nutrition and BSN, the company is now ranked as the biggest global player in the market.