Manufacturing Engineering Manager

Abbott in Ireland

Abbott has maintained a strong presence in Ireland since 1946 and celebrates its 80th anniversary in the country in 2026. The company supports the Irish healthcare sector with a broad portfolio spanning diagnostics, diabetes care, medical devices and nutritional products. Today, Abbott employs more than 6,500 people across ten sites located in Dublin, Donegal, Clonmel, Cootehill, Galway, Kilkenny, Longford and Sligo.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 122,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Abbott Ireland Nutrition Division Cootehill Cavan

Abbott Nutrition produces a range of infant formulae in all pack sizes under the brand name “Similac”. To complement the range of “Similac” infant formulae, the facility also manufactures a range of follow on formulae under the brand name of “Gain”. The essential ingredient is liquid skim milk and this is combined with carbohydrate, vegetable oils, vitamins and minerals. The product is blended, pasteurised, dried and packaged at the site and once packaged, is distributed to Europe, South East Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Canada.

Established in 1975, Abbott Nutrition in Ireland is the largest powder manufacturing facility for the production of infant formulae within the Abbott Corporation worldwide. Approximately 1,000 dairy farms in Ireland and Northern Ireland supply quality milk to the Cootehill facility which processes 500,000 litres per day. This secure supply together with Ireland’s reputation as a green, clean environment is of significant strategic importance to Abbott Nutrition.

* Please note any offer of employment for this position is conditional upon the successful completion of a pre-employment medical examination, including drug and alcohol screening, conducted by a medical

practitioner designated by the Company

Primary Function / Goals / Objectives

The Manufacturing Engineering Manager is responsible for consulting any SOP’s for any job task he/she may carry out and ensure they fully understand and adhere to the SOP.

Direct responsibility to lead and manage team of engineers and maintenance which maintain, monitor, plan, and improve packaging equipment performance and life cycle. Organization will include approx. 5-8 multi disciplined engineers and 18 skilled craft.

Monitor and improve equipment reliability through the use of KPI’s, problem solving tools, and action plans

Manages budget across capital equipment improvements and maintenance

Develops staffing plans for technical support in packing

This Job function will change where update procedures to GMP, EHS, Technical / New Equipment, Quality Procedures & SOP’s are made.

This list of responsibilities may change depending on plant needs and employees are expected to be adaptable and flexible where this need arises.

Major Responsibilities

General Management:

Provide leadership, supervision & motivation to the engineering team

Ensure that critical metrics are monitored regularly and that clear process improvement plans are implemented for any issues that impact these metrics

Represent the engineering department at strategic and daily operations meetings

Handle all packing engineering/maintenance headcount planning, development, reviews and goal setting for department

Liaise with EH&S to ensure safe working standards and practices are being designed and adhered to in the manufacturing process.

Collaborate with multi-functional peers on key business initiatives. Actively participate in these discussions in a fully transparent manner and bring data to these discussions based on the knowledge and input from your team.

Creates plans and holds self and others accountable to right first time and ontime

Actively manages and develops staff competencies through training programs and development of SOP’s

Actively monitors staff workload and capacity

Promote a positive culture that focuses on continuous improvement & operational excellence

Demonstrate Abbott’s Leadership Competencies (Anticipate, Innovate, Deliver Results, Build, Set Vision & Strategy).

GMP, Quality, Compliance and Food Safety:

Ensure a strict Food Safety & GMP Compliance Culture by maintaining an audit ready Maximo System and following guidelines for change management from a documentation perspective

Own efforts required to deliver quality and compliance performance for the department of accountability. Coach and direct individuals to be in position to take appropriate action related to quality and compliance issues

Ensure & reinforce personnel to adhere and follow all Quality & Compliance Policies and Procedures

Manage the Preventative Maintenance (PM) program for the Packing department, ensuring all PM activities are completed on time with appropriate follow through ensuring no overdue PM’s escalated within the Quality System. Manage the Demand Maintenance program ensuring there are no ageing DM’s that result in gaps in the Quality System and / or impact line productivity.

Prepare for and actively participate in internal and external Quality/Regulatory audits. Accountable for sustaining audit readiness through reinforcement of key programs such as 5S program, Master sanitation, PM program, etc. Prioritize and manage exceptions and abnormal events coupled with timely implementation of corrective and preventative actions. Accountable to ensure all GQMS investigations/actions are closed in a timely manner.

Financial/Business Responsibility:

Ensure and monitor adherence to the Maintenance and Capital Budget Plan for Packing

Responsible for submitting financial LBE’s as per the fiscal financial calendar

Track and trend maintenance budget adherence to ensure healthy financials to properly maintain equipment site wide

Developing and submitting annual Maintenance and Capital Budget for packing

Own efforts required to assist in development of budget and deliver to all financial performance metrics and achieve the Profit & Loss (P&L).

Continuous drive to identify and execute cost improvement projects that match product cost glide path strategies

Allocate the appropriate maintenance spending to each area of the organization based on facts and data considering failure frequency, risk of failure, reliability factors, age and obsolescence of assets and parts

Integration of the maintenance functions to the Plant Capital Planning Process

Reliability Engineering:

Creates and monitors appropriate metrics which improve equipment reliability and performance

Develops culture which uses problem solving tools

Drive to ensure successful root cause of asset driven events and follow through robust corrective and preventive action plans to prevent reoccurrence

Develops appropriate skill sets internally to prevent failures

Develop the strategies to improve equipment uptime and availability

Manage the continual optimization of the asset care program through condition monitoring and Preventive Maintenance

Ability to monitor, track and report Maintenance Performance across the business

Identify plans to balance internal competencies with external support

Developing and maintaining the Asset Management Program for Packing

Project Management:

Establishes workable and trackable schedules. Sets performance metrics.

Maintains project controls and reporting for cost, scope and schedule.

Compliance:

Complies with all regulations and standards for quality, Environmental, Health, Safety, and Energy (EHS&E) Global Policies, Abbott Engineering Standards, and other governance areas as applicable.

Ensures quality and effectiveness of assigned tasks.

Has awareness of the potential consequences of changes to established processes.

Identifies areas of risk with respect to compliance.

Supervisory/Management Responsibilities

A number of employees report directly and indirectly to this position. Direct employees include Engineers (Reliability, Maintenance & Automation). Indirect employees include Electricians and Fitters.

Education Required:

Bachelors Degree in Engineering or equivalent discipline

Knowledge & Experience:

Minimum of 10 years relevant experience in engineering and maintenance including at least 3 years as a manager.

Strong interpersonal and demonstrated leadership skills are essential, along with ability to operate comfortably in a fast moving and flexible environment.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, problem resolution and analytical skills.

Demonstrated strong technical skills in a high volume manufacturing environment

Accountability / Scope

Equipment reliability and OEE improvements

Works under general direction. Independently determines and develops approach to solutions. Work is reviewed upon completion for adequacy in meeting objectives.

Makes appropriate risk based decisions or recommendations to achieve site/department/project objectives.

* Failure on the incumbent part not to exercise due care could cause losses or damage to plant/equipment.

What We Offer

At Abbott, you'll have the opportunity to lead innovation, develop high-performing teams, and make a meaningful impact on people's lives.

We support our employees through a comprehensive rewards package that includes health and wellbeing benefits, financial security programs, family-focused support, and ongoing leadership and career development opportunities.

Connect with us at www.abbott.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.