We are delighted to announce that Heather Gordon has been promoted to Marketing Manager with Barden’s Talent Advisory and Recruitment Firm in Ireland.

Heather began her career in Consulting at Deloitte before joining Barden in 2017, where she worked as a Senior Associate in the Newly Qualified Accountants Team. Additionally, she played a key role in establishing Barden’s Practice division.

After taking a sabbatical to focus on building her trail running business, Heather returned to Barden in April 2024 as Content Lead to help build the firm’s marketing capabilities.

“I initially joined the Barden business nine years ago, back when we were very much a start-up. It has been incredible to witness how the business has evolved and matured since then, and I am delighted and honoured to play a small part in the next phase of Barden’s growth as Marketing Manager.

The Barden talent advisory team is packed with high-calibre, experienced professionals. Combining their insights with the creative brilliance of our marketing team (namely Luke & Minh!) gives us a unique capability to elevate the Barden brand and the wider recruitment profession. While the business has grown a lot since I first arrived, what hasn’t changed is the genuine support, friendship, and great craic we share as a team. I am excited to experience my next chapter with Barden!” – Heather Gordon | Marketing Manager | Barden Ireland

“Congratulations Heather! I am absolutely delighted that you have been appointed Marketing Manager with Barden.  The impact you have had on how we think about marketing, our ambitions for what marketing can achieve for our people, the engine that you have created and the incredible quality (and consistency) of what you have, and continue to deliver, with Luke, Minh and your team, is the envy of our profession! 

Drucker said that there are only two things in business that make money – marketing and innovation (everything else is a cost centre) – and you do both!  It’s a joy to have you as part of Barden Heather, and I’m excited to see the impact that you and your team will inevitably have in 2026 and beyond! No pressure now!” Ed Heffernan | Managing Partner | Barden Ireland

Congratulations Heather!  

We are delighted to announce that Jodie Meehan has been promoted to Senior Associate with Barden Leinster’s Business Support practice.

Jodie joined Barden in November 2023. She partners with clients on critical appointments across HR, business support, and other strategically important roles.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be stepping into the role of Senior Associate at Barden. Having joined the firm with no prior recruitment experience, it has been a real pleasure to learn from and work alongside such a supportive and talented team. The past few months have been particularly exciting for the practice, as we continue to broaden our scope and expand our expertise in the HR space. I’m really excited to build on this momentum in 2026 and beyond and feel very privileged to be part of this team.” – Jodie Meehan | Senior Associate | Business Support | Barden Leinster

“I am delighted to announce Jodie’s well-deserved promotion to Senior Associate in Barden. Jodie joined the business two years ago and immediately stepped into an environment that was adapting to meet the needs of the external market. Over the past two years, Jodie has been a trusted talent advisor to our core clients and has built long-term partnerships with them. Internally, Jodie is a constant source of support, joy and energy for the people lucky enough to work alongside her – congratulations from all the Barden gang, Jodie!” Cole Carroll | Associate Director | Barden Leinster

Congratulations Jodie!

Last week marked the second anniversary of the passing of Jonathan Irwin, Founder of The Jack and Jill Foundation. Jonathan’s son, Phonsie, is part of our team here in Barden. Phonsie shares what his dad and Jack and Jill means to him, and how he wants to help continue the legacy, which all began with his brother Jack.

“Growing up with a sibling who has complex medical needs shapes your world long before you have the words to describe it. As a small child, you don’t know any different. It’s simply the life you know. I was three or four when my baby brother Jack was born. At first everything seemed fine, Jack arrived healthy and well but complications soon followed, leaving him with a severe learning disability and complex medical needs.

As a little boy, I remember thinking it was perfectly normal to live in a house where nurses came and went at all hours. Normal to wait, in a way, for my parents’ attention tugging at a sleeve or a trouser leg while they navigated the intense, relentless care Jack required. That was just our rhythm as a family.

It’s only with adulthood that perspective sharpens.

After Jack passed away, and as I grew older, I began to understand the extraordinary strength it took for my parents to make the choices they made. My dad, Jonathan Irwin, was a dynamo, a force of nature. I came to see how passionately he spoke about those early days the trauma of Jack’s birth, the warnings they were given and the advice from professionals at the time that suggested bringing Jack home might damage their marriage or overwhelm the rest of us as children.

However, my parents disagreed. They said no and decided that Jack would come home to live with us, surrounded by love and not left behind in a system that couldn’t support him. And while that decision was powerful, it wasn’t easy. They were processing their own heartbreak while juggling work, launching a new business and raising a house with small children.

Everything changed the day a local lady offered to help by providing nursing care.

It gave my parents a moment to breathe and became a lifeline. It was that which sparked something in my dad. Despite his own grief, he realised that if we needed this support, countless other families must need it too. And so, he channelled his pain into purpose. He began fundraising, raising his voice, calling out the complete lack of services for families like ours. From that determination, the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation was born.
Since 1997, Jack and Jill has supported more than 3,000 families across Ireland families caring for children who like my brother Jack need help with care in their own homes.

When my dad passed away almost two years ago, I remember thinking how lucky I was that I never had to look far to find a hero. He was right there with his courage and creativity and his refusal to accept “no” for an answer. I grew up hearing again and again how people were struck by the way he spoke. When he came to my school, I watched the room fall silent with everyone absorbed in his words.

People always told me how eloquent he was, how powerful his message was and how deeply they were affected by Jack’s story. Now that Dad is gone, I feel ready to give back in my own way, in honour of both him and Jack.

I would like to stay connected to the organisation that is, quite literally, part of my family story.

So, this year, my colleagues at Barden and I are taking on a challenge that fills me with both excitement and trepidation, a sea swim in Cork and Dublin, plunging into the freezing Irish waters. Dozens of us will be stripping off and throwing ourselves into the cold sea all to raise funds and awareness for Jack and Jill.

And while I try, in my own way, to follow in Dad’s very large footsteps, I’m fairly certain he’d draw the line at jumping into icy water. Warm weather and sunny climates were much more his style!

However, I’m doing it anyway, because I know better than anyone what in-home nursing care and respite mean for families. I know what it meant for mine, and I know that today, there are parents across Ireland walking the same road my mum and dad once walked who need the same lifeline that Jack and Jill provided to us.”

To help continue Jonathan and Jack’s legacy of providing these invaluable services to families all across Ireland, join us in being 1 of our 100 swims this December or donate to our fundraising campaign – details of how to contribute can be found here>>>>>

Barden are delighted to be assisting a multinational company to identify a recently qualified accountant to join their company as a Financial Accountant.

This is a unique opportunity for a recently qualified accountant or someone close to qualifying to progress their career in a supportive and progressive environment.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

• Reconcile monthly balance sheets
• Support reporting packs and inventory GL management
• Support the collection of data for cashflow management
• Post monthly journal entries including accruals and prepayments
• Support internal and external audits
• Assist with CSO and statutory reporting
• Process intercompany recharges
• Contribute to process improvements
• Ad hoc projects as required

ABOUT THE PERSON:

• Qualified accountant
• Must have previous financial reporting and industry experience
• Ideally experience with a multinational shared service centre environment
• Strong Excel skills
• Ability to analyse large data sets
• Excellent communication skills

1. What inspired you to pursue a career with Barden?

I was job-hunting after graduation when I came across Barden’s hiring post on LinkedIn. I immediately felt this strong, almost weird, sense of connection – as soon as I read the job specs, I just knew I wanted to work in this environment, with these people. And I haven’t looked back since.

2. What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career so far, and how has it impacted your work?

Since my work often involves tight deadlines, I have learned the importance of being flexible and organising my workload effectively. Luke, our Creative Lead, once shared a piece of wisdom that really stuck with me: “Never overpromise.”

I’ve also learned not to be a stranger. Everyone at Barden is so friendly and supportive — even when we don’t have much in common, it’s always lovely to chat with anyone here. That sense of connection has really helped me open up and feel like I belong.

3. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone considering a career change?

I wouldn’t have as much advice compared to the talent advisors in Barden, but I think it’s important to give yourself time to reflect on the feeling of changing jobs. Write down the pros and cons, and think about what truly matters to you, both personally and professionally. Clarity often comes when you give your thoughts space to breathe.

4. Can you describe a project or accomplishment at Barden that you’re particularly proud of?

I have been working with the team at Barden for almost a year now, and honestly, it’s hard to pick just one! I love the challenges and can clearly see how much I’ve grown with each project. If I had to choose, I’d say the Future of Tech series (see here!>>>). We poured so much time and effort into it, and I think it’s both meaningful and inspiring for younger generations.

5. What aspect of your work at Barden excites you the most?

The challenges, the space to explore creatively, and the people. Seriously, chatting with people in Barden just makes work more enjoyable. I never hate having meetings at Barden.

6. What’s a hobby/ interest you have that might surprise us?

I’m not sure my hobbies are very surprising, but I like trying out everything that interests me. I enjoy many creative outlets like playing guitar and singing, painting in the park, journaling and crocheting. I even dream of busking or doing small gigs one day, but I need more courage for that!

7. If you could master a new skill instantly, what would it be and why?

Skateboarding, or skydiving. I love the thrills and speed, but I haven’t had the chance to try either yet…Maybe in the future!

8. If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be and what would you do?

Hmm… I’d love to be an instructor for a workshop for kids — something creative or tech-related like crafting, coding, or computer skills.  I love to be able to make an impact and inspire the younger generations.

9. What’s one thing you’d like to accomplish, personally or professionally, in the next year?

Professionally, I want to level up my creative skills, especially in animation and colour grading for videography. I might even take traditional art classes to strengthen my digital art foundation.

Personally, I want to build more meaningful connections, make a positive impact, and maybe start my own social media channel!

10. What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received? 

My mom used to say, “Thoughts become habits, habits become character, and character becomes destiny.” This saying has guided me throughout my life. It reminds me that even the smallest actions can shape something great.

1. What inspired you to pursue a career in talent advisory with Barden?

Having worked for 13 years in recruitment with fabulous people and companies, I had the feeling that there might be a way to do recruitment a little differently. Myself, Elaine Brady and Jonathan Olden, while very different people, shared the same moral compass and why when it came to recruitment. It was just a natural thing when we started Barden back in 2014.

2. What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in your career so far, and how has it impacted your work?

No matter what the situation, be it internal or external, the thing that guides me most, and I say almost every day to people, is “it doesn’t matter what you say or do, it’s about how you make people feel”.  It is a simple sentence, but it has a deep, resonating meaning when it comes to life and business.

3. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone considering a career change?

Career change is kinda like a diet – there is usually never a good time to just do it.  Most people procrastinate for their entire lives, “wait till next year”, and never end up making that change.  That said, it’s not something to do lightly and requires lots of planning – you will usually take a financial hit (earning follows learning, and if it’s a career change, you’ll be doing more learning than earning for a while), so you need resources to see you through that.  Also, it has impacts on those around you, so you need to be sure you have the support and backing of those who matter.  Sometimes,  it’s not a complete career change that people need, but rather a repositioning – be it a different team, a company with a different purpose or a different-sized company where the roles are broader or indeed narrower.  Changing Career does not need to be about moving straight from “Banking to Lion taming” (Monty Python quote there for anyone who fancies a bit of that) – it can just be about understanding what you enjoy in your role and seeking somewhere that you can do more of that.

4. Can you describe a project or accomplishment at Barden that you’re particularly proud of?

Look, it has to be the people who choose to work here, their personal and professional growth, their achievements, and how, for them, Barden is a vehicle to both do good for themselves and for others.  Nothing I have ever done in Barden myself comes even close to that in terms of pride for me.

5. What aspect of your work at Barden excites you the most?

The people – getting to work hard and take our jobs seriously, but not ourselves – that’s the single most important thing for me!  Sure, I love a bit of marketing, and I love the opportunity I am afforded to think about how recruitment could be different and how we can go about designing that future.  But that’s zero fun unless you’ve got people around to do it with.

6. What’s a hobby/ interest you have that might surprise us?

I love strategic board games or card games. I love history, maths, and all things science. I love “ideas” and concepts and things that wise people have said in ages past that resonate so strongly in life today – things that make me think and discover new perspectives.  I actually love recruitment too, but that might be a bit sad to put out in the public domain!

7. If you could master a new skill instantly, what would it be and why?

Piano. I have been self-teaching myself for 2 years, much to the disdain of my family, so as a relief for them as much as a joy for me, it would have to be Piano.

8. If you could swap jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be and what would you do?

There is a certified mad genius who works in Barden as Creative Lead – I’d love to try my hand at that at some stage!

(editor: Watch out Luke!)

9. What’s one thing you’d like to accomplish, personally or professionally, in the next year?

I’m on a bit of a mission at the moment (and have been for 10+ years) to try and define recruitment as an actual professional service.  If there were one thing that would be bucket list ticking on that front, it would be to have made progress in that regard.  But let’s just say getting more fit and doing a 10K, because that is a more normal thing to want to achieve 😊

10. What’s the best piece of advice you have ever received? 

“Never attribute to malice, that which can be explained by incompetence” – Hanlon’s Razor. This has helped me so much in situations that could have been stressful and frustrating otherwise.  Keeping calm, not reacting to information but getting curious instead – it’s a good way to exist!

We are delighted to be partnering with our client a leading large Irish business with a strong heritage and culture of innovation, in their search for a Sourcing Manager to join the team.

Do you want to be a part of a dynamic team driving positive change in the food industry? This company is committed to providing a supportive and rewarding workplace where you can grow and thrive.

About the Role:

This business is seeking a dynamic and experienced Sourcing Manager to join their central Sourcing team, reporting directly to the Head of Sourcing. In this role, you will collaborate with a number of different teams across the business to procure products for various ranges. This position presents a unique opportunity to delve into the intricacies of sourcing and value chain management, overseeing projects spanning multiple categories, developing strategies, and identifying new opportunities while driving cost efficiencies.

• Identify and deliver the most cost-effective solutions for products across retail and wholesale.
• Develop and execute the annual Sourcing Plan, ensuring timely and budget-conscious delivery.
• Lead tendering, negotiation, and contracting processes for products, focusing on quality and cost optimisation.
• Manage Buying Group lead projects to secure required products at the lowest cost.
• Challenge existing processes to foster a culture of continuous improvement.
• Cultivate collaborative relationships with stakeholders and suppliers.
• Act as a subject matter expert in sourcing for respective categories.
• Analyse market intelligence and trends to inform sourcing strategies.
• Generate and implement efficient category sourcing strategies.
• Participate in ad-hoc commercial projects and explorations.
• Ensure compliance with company policies and procedures.

About the Person:

• Relevant degree.
• Minimum of 3 years of Sourcing/Procurement experience.
• Sound understanding of market dynamics and business judgment.
• Strong project management and leadership skills.
• Attention to detail with excellent data analysis skills.
• Ability to work in and lead cross-divisional and cross-functional teams.

We are delighted to to partnering with our client, a leading FMCG business in West Cork, in their search for an Inventory Controller to join the team.

As a well-established Irish food producer with a strong footprint in both domestic and international markets, this business supplies premium fresh and frozen products to retailers, export partners, and hospitality customers alike. What sets them apart? A commitment to quality, creativity, and continuous innovation.

With ongoing investment in R&D and product development, the business continues to made strides in its sector and now they’re looking for a detail-focused Inventory Controller to support their next phase of growth.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Inventory Controller will sit at the heart of the operations team, playing a key role in maintaining optimal stock levels across the business. You’ll be responsible for tracking inventory movements, supporting planning teams, and ensuring accurate and timely reporting. This is a hands-on, systems-driven role where collaboration, problem-solving, and attention to detail are essential. You’ll be working closely with colleagues across supply chain, warehousing, logistics, and sales to ensure the right stock is in the right place, at the right time and that it’s all tracked seamlessly.

• Maintain up-to-date and accurate inventory records across multiple sites
• Coordinate with supply chain, warehouse, and sales teams on stock movement
• Conduct regular physical inventory audits and cycle counts
• Resolve discrepancies between system data and physical stock
• Forecast future inventory needs based on seasonal and sales trends
• Process and report on damaged goods or stock adjustments
• Optimise inventory flow with logistics and operations colleagues
• Utilise ERP/inventory software to track and analyse stock levels

ABOUT THE PERSON:

• At least 2-3 years’ experience in inventory control, warehousing, logistics or supply chain
• Relevant qualification in Supply Chain, Logistics, or Business Administration
• Proficiency with ERP/inventory management systems
• Strong Excel and MS Office skills
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving capabilities
• Solid understanding of inventory control principles
• Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively

Inventory Controller – Leading Irish Food Producer – West Cork

We are delighted to to partnering with our client, a leading FMCG business in West Cork, in their search for an Inventory Controller to join the team.

As a well-established Irish food producer with a strong footprint in both domestic and international markets, this business supplies premium fresh and frozen products to retailers, export partners, and hospitality customers alike. What sets them apart? A commitment to quality, creativity, and continuous innovation.

With ongoing investment in R&D and product development, the business continues to made strides in its sector and now they’re looking for a detail-focused Inventory Controller to support their next phase of growth.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Inventory Controller will sit at the heart of the operations team, playing a key role in maintaining optimal stock levels across the business. You’ll be responsible for tracking inventory movements, supporting planning teams, and ensuring accurate and timely reporting. This is a hands-on, systems-driven role where collaboration, problem-solving, and attention to detail are essential. You’ll be working closely with colleagues across supply chain, warehousing, logistics, and sales to ensure the right stock is in the right place, at the right time and that it’s all tracked seamlessly.

• Maintain up-to-date and accurate inventory records across multiple sites
• Coordinate with supply chain, warehouse, and sales teams on stock movement
• Conduct regular physical inventory audits and cycle counts
• Resolve discrepancies between system data and physical stock
• Forecast future inventory needs based on seasonal and sales trends
• Process and report on damaged goods or stock adjustments
• Optimise inventory flow with logistics and operations colleagues
• Utilise ERP/inventory software to track and analyse stock levels

ABOUT THE PERSON:

• At least 2-3 years’ experience in inventory control, warehousing, logistics or supply chain
• Relevant qualification in Supply Chain, Logistics, or Business Administration
• Proficiency with ERP/inventory management systems
• Strong Excel and MS Office skills
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving capabilities
• Solid understanding of inventory control principles
• Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively