Assistant Brand Manager - Incubator Brands

About the role

We’re looking for an ambitious and proactive Assistant Brand Manager to support our GB & International incubation agenda.

Kerry Dairy Ireland has relaunched as Kinisla, marking an exciting new chapter of growth and ambition as we focus on building future-fit dairy brands designed around evolving consumer needs.

As part of this renewed ambition, we are creating an exciting opportunity for an Assistant Brand Manager to support the development of high-potential incubator brands and help unlock new avenues for growth.

Working closely with the Senior Brand Manager – Incubator Brands, you will play a key role in building and scaling our incubator portfolio, with an initial focus on our new start-up brand, Smug Dairy.

This role offers broad exposure across brand strategy, innovation, commercial execution and marketing activation. You will work cross-functionally to help deliver growth initiatives, support retailer engagement, bring innovation projects to life and ensure brilliant execution across all consumer touchpoints.

Operating in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, you will be empowered to take ownership, develop your commercial and marketing capabilities, and contribute meaningfully to the growth of emerging brands.

This is a hybrid role, with 2 days per week in our Staines offices (Tuesday & Wednesday) and requires occasional travel to our partners in London and our sites across Ireland and the UK.

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 29 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 1,600 dedicated professionals across Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, USA, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and China. In 2024, we achieved a turnover of approximately €1.3 billion, reflecting our commitment to excellence and growth.

What you’ll be doing

• Support the Senior Brand Manager in developing and executing brand strategies and annual brand plans.
• Assist in the delivery of marketing campaigns, activations and brand initiatives across multiple channels.
• Coordinate cross-functional projects, working closely with Commercial, R&D, Supply Chain, Finance and external agency partners.
• Support retailer presentations and customer engagement by helping develop compelling sell-in materials, insights and commercial stories.
• Monitor market, category and competitor activity, identifying opportunities and sharing actionable recommendations.
• Analyse brand performance, campaign effectiveness and commercial results, helping to translate data into insights and actions.
• Support innovation projects from concept development through to launch and post-launch evaluation.
• Manage day-to-day agency relationships, ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget.
• Coordinate the creation and approval of marketing assets, ensuring consistency and quality across all consumer touchpoints.
• Support budget tracking, purchase order management and marketing administration processes.

What you can bring to the role

• Experience in a marketing, brand or category role, ideally within FMCG.
• Strong organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Commercial curiosity and a desire to understand how brands drive business growth.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and generate actionable insights.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• A proactive, entrepreneurial mindset and willingness to take ownership.
• Creativity and enthusiasm for developing brands consumers love.
• Resilience, adaptability and the ability to thrive in a fast-moving environment.
• A growth mindset and eagerness to learn and develop within a dynamic business.

What we can offer

At Kinisla, we believe in giving talented, curious people the opportunity to make a difference. We work as a team, searching for the best ways to inspire food and nourish life.

We are a community of innovators, working across disciplines to solve global food challenges with a fresh approach. We want you to achieve whatever you put your mind to.

We also offer:

• 25 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays)
• Health Care
• Matched pension scheme
• Benefits platform offering discounts and cashback on major retailers.

Get in touch today!

In Kinisla we benefit from the knowledge of our colleagues who bring a diverse range of cultures, backgrounds, lifestyles and experiences. One team fostering an inclusive culture that, above all, inspires food and nourishes life. One culture where everyone brings their unique perspectives and experiences to help make us better, together. 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.

Please note: 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.