Dairy IT Director Job Description (Free Template)

This Dairy IT Director job description sets out the main duties, qualifications, skills and measures of success for the role, which is also known as Head of IT, Chief Information Officer (CIO), Technology Director or Digital Director. Download it free as a Word or PDF template and adapt it for your own vacancy.

Download Word template

Download PDF

Job title	Dairy IT Director
Also known as	Head of IT, Chief Information Officer (CIO), Technology Director, Digital Director
Department	Dairy leadership and board
Reports to	Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer
Direct reports	Heads of business systems, infrastructure, cyber security, data and plant systems

What does a Dairy IT Director do?

Leads information technology across a dairy business, from business systems and plant technology to cyber security and data. Makes sure systems are reliable and secure, support traceability from farm to customer, and help the business work more efficiently and make better decisions.

Dairy IT Director duties and responsibilities

IT strategy and governance

Set the IT strategy and roadmap in line with the business plan
Manage the IT budget and prioritise investment with the executive team
Set IT policies, architecture standards and governance
Report IT performance, risks and projects to the executive team and the Board

Business systems and ERP

Own the enterprise resource planning system and other core business systems
Lead system upgrades and implementations on time and on budget
Make sure systems support finance, planning, sales, procurement and milk payments
Manage software suppliers and service contracts

Plant systems and traceability

Work with engineering to manage plant control and operational technology systems
Keep traceability systems able to track milk and products from farm to customer
Support laboratory, quality and manufacturing execution systems
Make sure systems support fast and accurate product recalls

Cyber security and resilience

Lead the cyber security programme across IT and operational technology
Protect systems and data with security controls, monitoring and staff training
Maintain tested backup, recovery and business continuity plans
Make sure the business meets data protection law in every market where it operates
Lead the response to cyber incidents and report them to the Board and authorities as required

Data, digital and portals

Build data platforms and reporting that give leaders accurate and timely information
Set data quality and ownership standards across the business
Develop farm and supplier portals for milk records, payments, quality results and contracts
Adopt automation, analytics and other new technology where it delivers clear value

Team and partners

Lead, coach and develop the IT team
Manage outsourced providers against clear service levels
Build digital skills across the business

Dairy IT Director qualifications and experience

Essential

Degree in computer science, information systems or a related field, or equivalent experience
Extensive senior IT leadership experience in manufacturing, food or a similar industry
Proven record of leading ERP implementations or major upgrades
Strong knowledge of cyber security, including operational technology
Experience of managing IT budgets, suppliers and outsourced services
Understanding of traceability and data needs in a regulated industry

Desirable

Experience in dairy or food processing
Professional certification in IT service management or cyber security
Experience of integrating plant control systems with business systems
Experience of building digital services for farmers or suppliers

Skills and attributes

Strategic planning
Cyber risk management
Leadership and team development
Supplier and contract management
Project and programme management
Clear communication with non-technical audiences
Problem solving

How success is measured

Availability of critical business and plant systems
Cyber security incidents and time to recover
IT projects delivered on time, on budget and with the agreed benefits
IT cost against budget
Traceability test results and time to complete a trace
User and farmer satisfaction with systems and portals

Working conditions and safety

Office-based with regular travel to plants and other sites. Must be available out of hours to lead the response to major system failures or cyber 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 IT Director interview questions

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

How would you approach replacing an ageing ERP system across a multi-site dairy business?
What a good answer shows: Defines business needs, keeps scope tight, involves users, plans data migration and phases go-live to protect operations.
How do you protect plant control systems from cyber attack?
What a good answer shows: Segments networks, controls remote access, patches carefully, monitors traffic and works closely with engineering.
What does a good traceability system need to do in a dairy business?
What a good answer shows: Tracks milk from farm through processing to customer quickly and accurately, links quality data and supports fast recalls.
How would you improve a farmer portal that members say is hard to use?
What a good answer shows: Talks to farmers, finds the main problems, simplifies key tasks and tests changes with real users.
Ransomware locks the ERP system during peak milk season. Talk me through your response.
What a good answer shows: Contains the attack, activates the incident plan, keeps milk moving manually, restores from clean backups and informs authorities.
A major IT project is behind schedule and the business wants to go live anyway. What do you do?
What a good answer shows: Assesses readiness and risk honestly, explains the consequences and recommends go-live only when critical risks are controlled.
How do you report cyber risk to the Board in a way it understands?
What a good answer shows: Uses plain language, key indicators, business impact and clear actions, and avoids technical jargon.
How do you make sure farmer and employee data is handled lawfully across several countries?
What a good answer shows: Understands data protection principles, sets clear policies, controls access and checks compliance in each market.
How do you build an IT team that works well with plant engineers and operators?
What a good answer shows: Encourages time on site, joint projects and shared goals, and builds understanding of production needs.
How do you manage outsourced IT partners to get good service?
What a good answer shows: Sets clear service levels, reviews performance regularly, builds a good relationship and acts on poor delivery.

Hiring a Dairy IT Director? Advertise your vacancy on Dairy Jobs and reach a combined network of over 250,000 dairy professionals worldwide, or ask our team about recruitment support. Looking for a Dairy IT Director job? Browse live dairy jobs or create a free job alert.

Related dairy job descriptions

Frequently asked questions

What does a Dairy IT Director do?

What qualifications does a Dairy IT Director need?

Employers usually look for: degree in computer science, information systems or a related field, or equivalent experience; extensive senior IT leadership experience in manufacturing, food or a similar industry; proven record of leading ERP implementations or major upgrades.

Who does a Dairy IT Director report to?

A Dairy IT Director usually reports to the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer. Direct reports typically include heads of business systems, infrastructure, cyber security, data and plant systems.

Can I use this Dairy IT 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.