Dairy HR Director Job Description (Free Template)

This Dairy HR Director job description sets out the main duties, qualifications, skills and measures of success for the role, which is also known as People Director, Chief People Officer, Head of HR or Human Resources Director. Download it free as a Word or PDF template and adapt it for your own vacancy.

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Job title	Dairy HR Director
Also known as	People Director, Chief People Officer, Head of HR, Human Resources Director
Department	Dairy leadership and board
Reports to	Chief Executive Officer
Direct reports	HR Business Partners, Head of Reward, Head of Talent and Learning, Employee Relations Manager and HR Operations Manager

What does a Dairy HR Director do?

Leads the people strategy for a dairy business with farm and factory workforces. Makes sure the business can attract, develop and keep the people it needs in a sector facing skills shortages, while building a strong health and safety culture and good employee relations. Advises the Chief Executive and executive team on organisation, culture, reward and workforce risk.

Dairy HR Director duties and responsibilities

People strategy and organisation

Develop the people strategy in line with the business plan and agree it with the executive team
Design organisation structures that support safe, efficient farm and factory operations
Plan workforce needs for seasonal milk peaks, new plants and changes in technology
Report people measures and workforce risks to the executive team and the Board

Recruitment, skills and development

Tackle skills shortages in roles such as herd staff, maintenance engineers, food technologists and drivers
Build links with colleges, universities and training providers, and grow apprenticeship and graduate schemes
Make recruitment fair, consistent and free from discrimination
Develop supervisors and leaders at every level, with clear career paths from the farm and factory floor
Make sure seasonal and agency workers are recruited lawfully and treated fairly

Shift patterns, working time and wellbeing

Design shift patterns and rotas that safely cover round-the-clock processing and daily milking
Keep working hours, rest breaks and fatigue risk within the law and good practice
Provide wellbeing and mental health support suited to rural and shift-based workers
Make sure any accommodation provided to farm staff is safe and of a good standard

Health and safety culture

Work with operations leaders to build a culture where everyone takes responsibility for safety
Make sure safety inductions, training and competence records are complete and up to date
Support investigations into serious incidents and help apply the lessons learned
Promote safe behaviour around livestock, machinery, vehicles, chemicals and confined spaces

Employee relations and reward

Lead relationships with employees, trade unions and works councils where recognised
Lead pay negotiations and collective bargaining within limits agreed with the executive team
Design pay, benefits and incentives that are fair, competitive and affordable
Make sure HR policies comply with employment law in each country of operation
Handle complex disciplinary, grievance and restructuring cases fairly and consistently

Leadership and governance

Lead and develop the HR team and improve HR systems and data
Support the remuneration and nomination committees on executive pay and succession
Promote an inclusive culture where everyone is treated with dignity and respect

Dairy HR Director qualifications and experience

Essential

Senior HR leadership experience in a manufacturing, food, agricultural or similar multi-site business
Strong knowledge of employment law and good employment practice
Experience of leading employee relations, including negotiations with employee representatives
Track record of tackling skills shortages and building talent pipelines
Experience of supporting health and safety culture change
Experience of advising executives and Board committees

Desirable

Membership of a recognised professional HR body
Experience in dairy farming or food processing
Experience of shift-based and seasonal workforces
Experience of managing HR in more than one country

Skills and attributes

Employee relations and negotiation
Strategic workforce planning
Coaching and influencing senior leaders
Sound judgement on sensitive people issues
Data analysis and reporting
Clear communication with people at every level
Leading change

How success is measured

Employee turnover and vacancy fill rates, especially in hard-to-fill roles
Time to hire and cost per hire
Lost-time injury rate and completion of safety training
Absence rates and employee engagement scores
Number of grievances, disputes and employment claims
Internal promotion rate and succession cover for critical roles

Working conditions and safety

Based at head office with regular visits to farms, plants and depots, including during night and weekend shifts. Some travel and out-of-hours work is needed for negotiations and serious incidents.

Lead by example on health, safety, food safety and animal welfare
Uphold the code of conduct and all legal and compliance requirements
Raise concerns and report incidents promptly

Dairy HR Director interview questions

Use these questions to assess candidates for a Dairy HR Director role. Each one includes what a good answer shows.

How would you tackle skills shortages in roles such as herd staff, maintenance engineers and drivers?
What a good answer shows: Combines a review of pay and conditions with apprenticeships, training partnerships, career paths and retention measures, backed by workforce data.
How do you design shift patterns that cover round-the-clock processing while managing fatigue?
What a good answer shows: Balances operational cover with rest, legal limits and worker preferences, consults employees and monitors fatigue and absence.
How do you build a workforce plan for a business with seasonal milk peaks and new plant investment?
What a good answer shows: Links plans to production forecasts, uses flexible and permanent staff sensibly, and plans recruitment and training well ahead.
What makes an effective reward strategy for farm and factory workers?
What a good answer shows: Fair, transparent and competitive pay, sensible benefits, recognition of skills and safe working, and affordability for the business.
A trade union threatens strike action over pay during the peak milk season. How do you respond?
What a good answer shows: Keeps talking, understands the issues, explores options within agreed limits, plans lawful contingency and protects safety and animal welfare.
Staff turnover at one plant has doubled in a year. How would you find out why and fix it?
What a good answer shows: Analyses data, holds exit and stay conversations, reviews leadership, shifts and pay, and agrees targeted actions with site managers.
How can HR help build a strong health and safety culture on farms and in factories?
What a good answer shows: Builds safety into recruitment, induction, training, appraisal and reward, supports investigations and makes sure leaders model safe behaviour.
How do you make sure seasonal and agency workers are recruited and treated fairly and lawfully?
What a good answer shows: Uses reputable agencies, checks for exploitation and illegal fees, gives equal safety training and audits conditions regularly.
How do you challenge a senior executive whose behaviour is harming their team?
What a good answer shows: Raises it promptly and privately with evidence, stays fair and objective, supports change and escalates if the behaviour continues.
How have you helped supervisors promoted from the farm or factory floor become confident leaders?
What a good answer shows: Provides structured training, coaching and mentoring, sets clear expectations and supports them through difficult conversations.

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Frequently asked questions

What does a Dairy HR Director do?

What qualifications does a Dairy HR Director need?

Employers usually look for: senior HR leadership experience in a manufacturing, food, agricultural or similar multi-site business; strong knowledge of employment law and good employment practice; experience of leading employee relations, including negotiations with employee representatives.

Who does a Dairy HR Director report to?

A Dairy HR Director usually reports to the Chief Executive Officer. Direct reports typically include hR Business Partners, Head of Reward, Head of Talent and Learning, Employee Relations Manager and HR Operations Manager.

Can I use this Dairy HR Director job description for my own vacancy?

Yes. Download the free Word template, add your location, contract and salary details, and adapt the duties to your site. You can then advertise the role on Dairy Jobs.