Chief Animal Welfare Specialist (Maternity Cover), Aarhus, Stockholm, Leeds, Düsseldorf

Om jobbet

Chief Animal Welfare Specialist (Maternity Cover), Aarhus, Stockholm, Leeds, Düsseldorf

Are you driven by improving animal welfare at scale and motivated by turning scientific insight into practical solutions on farms? This is your opportunity to influence animal welfare standards across one of the world's leading dairy cooperatives.

"You will work at the heart of Arla's animal welfare agenda, collaborating closely with colleagues and external experts to ensure our standards continue to develop in line with science, farmer reality and societal expectations," says the hiring manager.

This is afixed-term maternity cover 9-12 months

How you will make an impact

As Chief Animal Welfare Specialist, you will partner closely with Arla's Chief Veterinary Specialist and the wider Arlagården team to lead the development and delivery of Arla's animal welfare strategy across our global supply chain. Acting as a subject matter expert, you will work with internal stakeholders and external networks to translate evidence-based knowledge into practical, value-creating solutions for dairy production. The role is project-oriented and highly collaborative, with a strong focus on compliance, brand integrity and measurable improvements at farm level.

Your key responsibilities include

• Leading the development, implementation and communication of Arla's animal welfare strategy in close collaboration with veterinary and Arlagården colleagues
• Contributing to the continuous development of Arlagården standards, ensuring welfare requirements are scientifically robust and practically applicable at farm level
• Providing clear, evidence-based positions and policies on animal welfare issues, engaging with internal stakeholders, customers, NGOs and external experts across Arla's European markets
• Driving cross-functional welfare-related projects that support Arla's Future26 strategy, including risk mitigation, incident response and crisis management
• Working with data teams to define welfare metrics, analyse farm-level data, identify trends and prioritise interventions that deliver tangible welfare and reputational benefits

The role sits withinFarmer Tools and Programmes - Arlagården.

What will make you successful

Your background includes several years of experience in animal welfare or livestock-related roles, supported by a relevant academic qualification such as an MSc in Animal Science or equivalent experience. To succeed in this role, you bring a deep understanding of dairy farming systems and the complexity of animal welfare across different countries and production contexts. You are recognised as a trusted expert in animal welfare, with strong insight into current and emerging legislation, standards and societal expectations, particularly within Europe and the UK. You are comfortable operating in a matrix organisation and thrive in collaborative environments where influence, relationship-building and credibility are key. You combine strong project management capability with excellent communication skills, enabling you to translate complex technical topics into clear, practical guidance for both specialist and non-specialist audiences. Fluency in English is essential, and additional languages such as Danish, Swedish or German are an advantage.

What do we offer?

At Arla, you will join a purpose-driven organisation where animal welfare, sustainability and farmer ownership are central to everything we do. You will work with highly engaged colleagues across markets and disciplines, in an environment that values collaboration, knowledge-sharing and professional development. We offer a role with real influence, where your expertise helps shape standards and practices that matter - for animals, farmers, customers and society.

Would you like to join us?

If you want to play a key role in advancing animal welfare in a global dairy cooperative, we would love to hear from you. Please apply as soon as possible, as applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and the position may close once the right candidate is found.

For further information about the role, please contact Associate Director Vicky Porteus at +447580040956.

Shape the Future of Dairy

Arla is a global leader in the dairy industry, committed to enabling good food choices that make life better, providing people with natural, sustainable nourishment, while taking care at every step to ensure Arla is a choice they can feel good about. If you are looking to shape the future with an ambitious global cooperative that truly cares about your growth, where everyone feels valued and empowered, and collaboration is the core of culture, Arla is a choice you can feel good about.

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