Automotive Workshop General Manager

HireHive; Dublin; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension Scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Annual Leave Purchase Programme

Long Service Awards

Staff Purchase Schemes: Tyres

Staff Purchase Schemes: Tools

Bike to Work

Discounted Gym Membership

Death In Service Benefit

Digital GP Service

Job summary

National Vehicle Distribution is seeking an Automotive Workshop Operations Manager to lead the Baldonnell workshop, overseeing a large team of 50+ staff in a fast-paced environment. You will drive operational excellence through lean practices, standardised workflows and strong safety culture, coordinating with RSA compliance and OEM supplier teams for smooth day-to-day operations on the shop floor.

The role requires hands-on leadership, continuous improvement, and a focus on quality, efficiency,

Qualifications

• Leadership of 50+ workshop staff and technicians in a fast-paced environment.
• Practical knowledge of automotive safety standards and workshop workflows.
• Lean methodology and floor optimization using GEMBA to fix bottlenecks and reduce waste.
• Strong communication and vendor-relations skills with RSA and OEM teams.

Responsibilities

• Full floor ownership of Baldonnell Automotive Workshop operations and scheduling.
• Lead setup and continuous flow optimization of bays, tooling and equipment.
• Introduce and standardise daily workshop procedures for local modification lines.
• Conduct GEMBA floor walks with technicians to improve workflow and productivity.
• Ensure compliance with safety rules and RSA regulations and documentation.

Skills

Workshop leadership

Team management

Operational excellence

Lean practices

GEMBA floor walks

Vendor relations

Job description

About NVD

A family-owned business, established in 1980, NVD was set up to assist vehicle manufacturers in the timely and incident-free distribution of their products. We’ve established ourselves as a one-stop shop providing the three main pillars of outbound logistics, including transporting, storing, and enhancing our customers’ vehicles, prior to delivery to their end location. Since 1980 NVD has been at the forefront of pioneering the digitisation of the FVL industry.

Role Purpose

The Automotive Workshop Operations Manager will maintain ultimate responsibility, operational control, and execution oversight over the daily operations of the Baldonnell Automotive Workshop. Leading a large, multifaceted team of workshop colleagues, supervisors, and technicians in an extremely fast-paced environment, this role focuses on driving operational excellence through lean principles, process standardisation, and technical innovation.

The ideal candidate brings a blend of deep Workshop expertise and strong business acumen to optimise complex local workshop operations, streamline the Baldonnell facility infrastructure, and maintain high standards of quality and efficiency on the shop floor.

Compensation & Benefits

• Pension Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Annual Leave Purchase Programme
• Long Service Awards
• Staff Purchase Schemes:
  • Tyres
  • Tools
• Bike to Work
• Discounted Gym Membership
• Death In Service Benefit
• Digital GP Service

Key Requirements & Qualifications

• Workshop Leadership & Team Management: Deep, hands-on experience running busy workshop operations or vehicle modification lines, with a proven track record of directly leading, scheduling, and managing large teams of 50+ workshop staff and technicians.
• Operational & Technical Know-How: Practical knowledge of automotive safety standards, workshop workflows, vehicle compliance, and multi-bay assembly/modification lines.
• Practical Lean & Floor Optimization: Strong working knowledge of daily workshop Lean practices using GEMBA floor walksto fix bottlenecks, standardized work procedures, root-cause troubleshooting, and eliminating bench-level waste.
• Communication & Vendor Relations: Excellent communication skills, with experience dealing directly with national regulatory authorities (e.g., Road Safety Authority/RSA compliance) and managing relationships with global OEM supplier teams.
  

Key Responsibilities: Automotive Workshop Operations, Floor Efficiency & Technical Integration

• Full Floor Ownership: Maintain direct, daily control over all Baldonnell Automotive Workshop floor operations, technician scheduling, and vehicle modification lines.
• Facility & Workflow Integration: Lead the physical setup and continuous flow optimization of workshop bays, specialized tooling, and equipment directly on the Baldonnell floor.
• New Line Introduction: Introduce and standardize daily workshop procedures for custom local modification lines, ensuring smooth handovers from rollout plans to active technician bays.
• Floor Walks & Process Improvement: Conduct regular GEMBA floor walksalongside technicians to identify physical bottlenecks, remove idle time, fix workflow variances, and drive workshop productivity.
• Regulatory & Safety Compliance: Ensure strict adherence to workshop safety regulations and national road standards, managing on-site documentation, vehicle sign-offs, and direct reporting with the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

Equal Opportunities Statement

National Vehicle Distribution is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We value openness, innovation, customer focus, and operational excellence. Our organisation actively promotes equality and prohibits discrimination based on gender, marital/civil status, family status, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion, or membership of the Traveller community, in accordance with Irish and UK equality legislation. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals and are dedicated to creating an environment where everyone can thrive and contribute to our shared success.

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