Lead Performance. Drive Transformation. Shape the Future of Manufacturing.
Abbott Ireland Vascular Division Clonmel
Abbott Vascular is one of the world's leading vascular care businesses. Abbott Vascular is uniquely focused on advancing the treatment of vascular disease and improving patient care by combining the latest medical device innovations with world-class pharmaceuticals, investing in research and development and advancing medicine through training and education.
Our broad line of vascular devices–which includes vessel closure, endovascular and coronary technologies–are used to treat vessel diseases of the heart, carotid arteries and peripheral blood vessels. These vessel diseases can lead to heart attack, stroke, critical limb ischemia and other serious vascular conditions.
This is not a typical engineering leadership role.
It’s an opportunity to step into a senior, highly visible position on the Site Leadership Team (SLT) where your decisions directly influence people, performance, and the future direction of manufacturing operations.
We are looking for a hands-on, mechanically minded engineering leader who thrives in a highly manual, people-intensive environment, someone who can combine structured problem-solving, strong leadership, and engineering expertise to deliver real operational impact.
The Opportunity
As Senior Engineering Manager, you will own the manufacturing engineering function and play a critical role in driving performance, transformation, and operational excellence across a high-volume production site.
This role is ideal for an ambitious professional ready to:
Move beyond functional leadership into true site-level influence
Lead in an environment where people, process, and problem-solving matter more than automation
Apply deep mechanical engineering expertise to improve real-world manufacturing performance
As a member of the Senior Leadership Team you will:
Drive engineering strategy and execution across the site
Play a role in shaping site strategy and influence key business priorities
Own and deliver step-change improvements across yield, productivity, quality, and cost performance
Build, develop, and empower a high-performing engineering organisation capable of delivering sustained operational impact
What You’ll Be Responsible For
People Leadership in a Hands-On Environment
Lead, develop, and inspire a highly engaged engineering team operating in a manual, production-driven setting
Build capability through coaching, mentoring, and succession planning
Set clear direction while empowering senior engineers and supervisors to operate with autonomy
Foster a performance-driven, problem-solving culture on the production floor
Engineering & Operational Excellence
Provide robust, real-time engineering support to high-volume manufacturing operations
Apply mechanical engineering expertise to optimise equipment, tooling, and processes
Lead structured problem-solving initiatives (root cause, CAPA, lean methodologies) to resolve complex production issues
Drive continuous improvement in efficiency, quality, and equipment performance
Support new product introduction, ensuring processes are scalable, robust, and manufacturable
Strategic Leadership & Site Influence
Act as a key voice on the Site Leadership Team, shaping site direction and priorities
Lead transformation initiatives across manufacturing operations
Define and execute engineering strategy aligned to business goals
Build strong cross-functional partnerships to enable performance delivery
Financial & Resource Ownership
Delivery & Execution
Set engineering priorities aligned to safety, quality, delivery, and cost (SQDC)
Ensure consistent execution of key engineering and validation programmes
Take ownership of site-level performance outcomes, not just function-level metrics
What You Bring
Experience
National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) level 7 qualification in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or related Engineering discipline
9+ years’ experience in manufacturing engineering, including leadership roles
Proven success leading teams in high-volume, operational environments
Technical Strength
Strong mechanical engineering aptitude with hands-on understanding of manufacturing systems
Experience in process development, equipment optimisation, and validation
Knowledge of regulated environments (FDA, ISO, or similar)
Leadership Mindset
Ambitious, career-driven, with a desire to operate at senior leadership level
Confident influencing at all levels, including executive stakeholders
Comfortable leading in a people-intensive, less automated environment
Problem-Solving & Execution
Exceptional structured problem-solving capability (root cause, data-driven decisions)
Proven ability to drive change and performance improvement in complex settings
Strong judgement with the ability to balance risk, performance, and business impact
Why This Role Stands Out
Real Leadership Impact
You’re not just managing a team—you’re shaping the performance of an entire site.
SLT Exposure
Gain visibility and influence at the highest level of site leadership.
Hands-On Engineering Challenge
Work in a mechanically focused, people-driven environment where your expertise truly matters.
Transformation Opportunity
Lead meaningful change in a complex, high-impact manufacturing operation.
Career Progression
Position yourself for future senior leadership roles within a global organisation.
What Success Looks Like
A high-performing, accountable engineering team delivering consistently
Tangible improvements in yield, efficiency, and quality
Strong execution of structured problem-solving across the site
Successful delivery of new products and engineering initiatives
A culture where engineering drives performance on the floor
Ready to Step Up?
If you’re an ambitious engineering leader ready to combine technical depth, people leadership, and strategic influence, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact.
- 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
Connect with us at www.abbott.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
