Head of Manufacturing

Company Overview

The company is a Cork-based specialist engineering and manufacturing organisation serving global customers in highly regulated industrial environments, particularly within the life sciences sector. It designs, builds, and delivers engineered-to-order, highly automated equipment and containment systems, requiring close integration of mechanical, electrical, controls, and software engineering. Operating in a project-driven environment, the business places strong emphasis on safety, quality, compliance, and delivery performance, with manufacturing activities spanning precision assembly, system integration, factory acceptance testing (FAT), and shipment to international customers. Continuous improvement, technical excellence, and cross-functional collaboration are central to its culture and growth strategy.

Purpose

Own and lead end-to-end manufacturing performance across production, supply chain, and quality. Ensure machines are built, tested, and delivered safely, on time, and at target cost, meeting both internal standards and customer expectations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Production, Supply Chain, Quality, HSE, and Industrial Engineering (6S) functions, setting clear objectives, priorities, and accountability across teams.

• Translate project and order demand into robust capacity plans, production schedules, and resource plans, balancing labour, materials, and equipment availability.

• Drive on-time delivery against key project milestones, including start of build, assembly completion, FAT, and shipment.

• Define and own the supplier strategy, including supplier selection, performance management, risk mitigation, and dual-sourcing where appropriate.

• Ensure a robust Quality Management System (QMS) is in place and actively applied, covering NCR management, audits, incoming inspection, in-process control, and final inspection.

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on reducing lead time, improving productivity, optimising factory layout, and improving material and information flow.

• Own Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) performance on the shop floor, ensuring safe systems of work, effective training, incident investigation, and timely closure of corrective actions.

• Work closely with Engineering, Project Management, and Commercial teams to ensure manufacturability, cost control, and delivery commitments are achieved.

Success Metrics

• On-Time Delivery (OTD) against key internal milestones (start build, FAT, shipment).

• Manufacturing cost performance versus standard or quoted cost, including labour efficiency and material variance.

• Supplier performance, measured by on-time delivery, quality, and number of critical supplier issues.

• Internal and external quality metrics, including NCR rate, rework hours, audit findings, and customer complaints.

• HSE performance, including LTIs, near misses, audit scores, and corrective action closure rates.

• Productivity and efficiency measures for key manufacturing and assembly processes.