Company description: TIRLN LIMITED Job description: R&D Manager Customer and Technical Solutions Hybrid working Tirln Tirln, is a world-class food and nutrition co-operative, with a diverse portfolio of quality ingredients, leading consumer and agri brands. Tirln owns leading brands such as Avonmore, Kilmeaden Cheese, Millac, Solmiko, Truly Grass Fed, Premier Milk, Wexford, and GAIN Animal Nutrition. We nurture a talented team across Ireland, the US, MEA and China, delivering annual revenues of over €3 billion, approx2,000 people to manage our network of 11 processing plants and 52 agri branches. Our purpose is to nourish the world, while safeguarding our environment for future generations Role Profile Reporting to the Head of Ingredients R&D and Business Partnering, the R&D Manager Customer and Technical Solutions is responsible for providing people, technical, and customer leadership to drive the development and commercial success of Tirlans ingredient and solutions portfolio. This role plays a critical part in strengthening customer partnerships, accelerating solutions and application innovation, leveraging supplier capabilities, and developing a team to support long-term business growth and value add. Responsibilities Team Leadership Manage, coordinate, and prioritise team activities to ensure delivery of business and customer objectives. Coach, mentor, and develop team members to achieve and exceed individual and collective performance goals. Foster a positive, high-performance culture focused on continuous learning, collaboration, and cross-functional knowledge-sharing. Support talent development, succession planning, and capability building within the team. Technical Leadership Provide technical leadership for strategic customers, building strong, trusted relationships with technical counterparts. Lead the development of differentiated application concepts that enhance the sensory, functional, nutritional, and commercial value of Tirlans ingredient portfolio. Evaluate customer products and processes to identify opportunities for new solutions, applications, replacements, or upgrades that add value and accelerate customer uptake. Work closely with R&D teams, Category, Sales, Marketing and Customer Experience teams to identify emerging consumer, market, and technology trends and translate insights into commercially viable customer solutions. Partner with the Digital team to identify and adopt AI and digital tools that accelerate solution development and improve effectiveness. Continuously update technical, regulatory, and industry knowledge through participation in relevant internal and external training and professional development activities. Customer Engagement Engage customers through in-person and virtual interactions, including technical training, solution demonstrations, presentations, and capability reviews. Clearly articulate the value proposition of Tirlan ingredients and solutions to support sales generation and pipeline development. Collaborate cross-functionally with Category, Sales and Marketing to support customer initiatives and ensure appropriate planning and resourcing. Supplier & External Partner Management Manage and develop collaborative relationships with key suppliers and external technology or innovation partners. Build strong alignment between R&D and Procurement to position suppliers as strategic innovation partners. Leverage supplier insights, technologies, and capabilities to accelerate innovation and strengthen Tirlans competitive advantage. Core Competencies Building Effective Teams Analytical Thinking Customer Focus Strategic Agility Drive for Results Commercial acumen Influencing & collaborating Requirements Essential Proven experience of 10+ years in technical leadership, applications development, or innovation within the food or ingredients sector Strong people management and coaching capability Customer-focused mindset with commercial awareness Ability to lead cross-functional and external collaborations Excellent communication and presentation skills Strong problem-solving and decision-making capability Desirable Experience working with digital or AI-enabled development tools Track record of successful customer-driven innovation Experience managing strategic supplier or partner relationships We offer Hybrid working (flex Fridays) Free parking incl. EV charging where applicable Work/life balance and collaborative work culture Career progression opportunities Closing Date: 1st May 2026 About us Through our expertise in research and development, customer insights, food safety and state-of-the-art manufacturing we bring innovative food and nutrition solutions to a global market. Our new and vibrant headquarters in Kilkenny City operates as a collaboration hub where multi-functional teams come together in a hybrid work environment. Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion We believe in the value of difference. We know that different perspectives, life experience and backgrounds can drive innovation and deliver growth. We welcome people from all walks of life without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, or disability status. Join our Talent Pool Considering a new career in Tirln but this isnt the role for you? Join our talent community and sign up for job /careers Tirln is a Values Based Organisation Profile description: Reporting to the Head of Ingredients R&D and Business Partnering, the R&D Manager Customer and Technical Solutions is responsible for providing people, technical, and customer leadership to drive the development and commercial success of Tirlans ingredient and solutions portfolio. This role plays a critical part in strengthening customer partnerships, accelerating solutions and application innovation, leveraging supplier capabilities, and developing a team to support long-term business growth and value add. Skills: R&D Manager Customer and Technical Solutions R&D