Facilities Manager (High Volume Manufacturing)

Thornton Tomasetti; Kilkenny; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Family health insurance

Excellent pension scheme

Life assurance

Career Development

Fantastic new facility

Growing business with many benefits

Job summary

Abbott Kilkenny is seeking an experienced Facilities Manager to lead operations, utilities, infrastructure and site services at our Kilkenny manufacturing facility. You will drive reliability, compliance, and performance of critical site systems and lead a team of 40+ staff and contractors.

The role requires strong leadership, GMP knowledge, and proven delivery of complex expansion or upgrade projects in a regulated environment.

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering or related discipline.

Responsibilities

• Lead facilities operations, utilities, infrastructure, and engineering support services across the Kilkenny site.
• Ensure the reliability and compliance of critical site systems and assets.
• Manage facilities budgets, asset management plans, contractor performance, and outsourced services.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on operational excellence and cost optimisation.
• Lead the facilities organisation of 40+ employees and contractors and collaborate with cross-functional teams.

Education

Degree in Engineering, Facilities Management, Building Services, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION: 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 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. Please note any offer of employment for this position isconditional upon the successful completionof a pre‑employment medical examination, including drug and alcohol screening, conducted by a medical practitioner designated by the Company Abbott Diabetes Care Kilkenny Abbott Diabetes Care has opened a new site, in Kilkenny, that is at the forefront of Diabetes care with the latest technology, to manufacture FreeStyle blood glucose test strips and FreeStyle Sensors for use in diabetes management. Among Abbott Diabetes Care leading brands are the FreeStyle Precision, FreeStyle Lite and FreeStyle Libre systems. This is how you can make a difference at Abbott: Abbott is seeking an experienced Facilities Manager to lead facilities operations, utilities, infrastructure, and site services at our Kilkenny manufacturing facility. This is a key leadership role responsible for ensuring the safe, compliant, and reliable operation of critical site infrastructure while supporting significant site investment and expansion programmes. The successful candidate will combine strong operational leadership with proven experience delivering complex facility expansion, infrastructure, or greenfield projects within a GMP‑regulated environment. We are looking for a leader who can lead the conversation, explore new frontiers, manage multiple priorities, and take the initiative to help shape the future of our growing site.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all facilities operations, utilities, infrastructure, and engineering support services across the site
• Ensure the reliability, compliance, and performance of critical site systems and assets.
• Manage facilities budgets, asset management plans, contractor performance, and outsourced service providers
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on operational excellence, sustainability, reliability, and cost optimisation
• Lead strategic discussions and influence decision‑making across site functions, ensuring facilities priorities support broader business objectives
• Support the planning and delivery of major site expansion, infrastructure, and capital investment projects
• Explore innovative technologies, sustainability initiatives, and infrastructure solutions that enhance site capability and future readiness
• Maintain compliance with GMP, EHS, regulatory, and corporate standards
• Lead and develop a facilities organisation of 40+ employees and contractors, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Successfully manage multiple priorities, balancing day‑to‑day operational performance with long‑term infrastructure planning and project delivery
• Build strong partnerships with Operations, Quality, Engineering, EHS, Supply Chain, and Finance teams
• Take initiative in identifying risks, opportunities, and investment needs to support site growth and operational excellence

Essential Qualifications & Experience

• Degree in Engineering, Facilities Management, Building Services, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline
• Significant facilities leadership experience within a Medical Device, Pharmaceutical, Life Sciences, or other GMP‑regulated manufacturing environment
• Proven experience leading site‑wide facilities, utilities, infrastructure, and engineering support functions
• Demonstrated experience delivering facility expansions, site development projects, infrastructure upgrades, or greenfield projects within a regulated manufacturing environment
• Experience managing critical utilities such as HVAC, water systems, compressed air, boilers, chillers, and energy infrastructure
• Strong contractor and outsourced service provider management experience
• Proven people leadership experience managing large teams and influencing across multiple stakeholder groups
• Experience managing operating budgets, capital planning, and infrastructure investment programmes
• Strong knowledge of GMP, quality, compliance, and EHS requirements
• Demonstrated ability to lead through change, navigate ambiguity, and deliver results in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment.

Preferred Experience

• Experience delivering manufacturing expansion projects within Ireland
• Direct responsibility for capital projects valued at €5M+
• Experience delivering construction and expansion projects while maintaining manufacturing operations
• Exposure to FDA‑regulated environments
• PMP, Prince2, Lean Six Sigma, or equivalent professional qualifications

What we Offer

• Attractive compensation package that includes competitive pay
• Family health insurance
• Excellent pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Career Development
• Fantastic new facility
• Growing business plus access to many more benefits

Connect with us at www.abbott.com or https://www.ie.abbott/, on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/abbott-/, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on Twitter @AbbottNews.

Abbott is an equal opportunities employer

The base pay for this position is N/A. In specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.

Job Family

Facilities & Maintenance

Division

ADC Diabetes Care

Location

Ireland > Kilkenny : Kilkenny Business and Technology Park

Work Shift

Ie - Kkyflx (Ireland)

Travel

Yes, 10 % of the Time

Medical Surveillance

Yes

Significant Work Activities

Not Applicable

Abbott is about the power of health. For more than 135 years, Abbott has been helping people reach their potential — because better health allows people and communities to achieve more. With a diverse, global network serving customers in more than 160 countries, we create new solutions — across the spectrum of health, around the world, for all stages of life. Whether it’s next‑generation diagnostics, life‑changing devices, science‑based nutrition, or novel reformulations, we are advancing some of the most innovative and revolutionary technologies in healthcare, helping people live their best lives through better health. The people of Abbott come to work each day with relentless energy, enthusiasm and a promise to enhance the health and well‑being of millions of people. They push the boundaries to help manage and treat some of life’s greatest health challenges.

We invite you to explore opportunities at Abbott, to see if your talents and career aspirations may fit with our openings.

An equal opportunity employer, Abbott welcomes and encourages diversity in our workforce.

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