Plant Manager - Burnfoot

Vertiv Co

Ireland

On-site

EUR 100,000 - 130,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

Vertiv Co is seeking a strategic Plant Manager for their Burnfoot plant in Donegal, Ireland. This pivotal role demands leadership across over 1000 employees, focusing on operational excellence and a high-performance culture.

The ideal candidate has a Bachelor's degree, extensive production management experience, and a strong background in Lean Manufacturing and process optimization. This position also entails maintaining positive stakeholder engagement and driving significant initiatives for productivity improvements.

Qualifications

10–15 years of production management experience.
Minimum 5 years leading a large manufacturing facility.
Experience in Lean Manufacturing and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

Oversee operations of a 1000+ employee plant.
Drive Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement.
Develop and manage plant budgets; P&L performance.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

Production Management

Process Optimization

Team Leadership

Cost Management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, or Manufacturing

MBA or Master’s degree in relevant field

Job description

At Vertiv, we keep the world connected. From life-saving medical technologies to generative AI, from the smallest swipe to the largest data ecosystems; our products, systems, and services ensure the digital world never stops. With $5B in annual sales, customers in nearly 70 countries and a global team committed to innovation, we are uniquely positioned to deliver exceptional value and create new opportunities for our people.

We are now seeking a high-calibre Plant Manager to lead our Burnfoot plant in Donegal, Ireland. This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for driving manufacturing excellence, fostering a high-performance culture, and enabling the plant to operate at world‑class standards. You will work closely with our Letterkenny and Campsie, Ireland facilities, as well as with leadership teams across EMEA and the US.

About the Role

As Plant Manager, you will have full site leadership responsibility, overseeing the operations of a 1000+ employee plant. You will lead engineering, manufacturing, finance, EHS, quality, and have dotted‑line oversight of customer operations (order pursuit and execution).

Deliver operational excellence across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Inventory, Cost, and People; ultimately elevating customer satisfaction and business performance.

Key Responsibilities – Leadership & Operations

Lead plant operations with accountability for 1000+ employees.

Develop annual plant budgets; manage P&L performance.

Provide direct leadership to production, engineering, quality, materials, finance, facilities, and EHS teams.

Ensure a positive, engaged, and union‑free working environment.

Manufacturing Excellence

Drive Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies.

Achieve and exceed targets in quality, on‑time delivery, cost, inventory, and throughput.

Develop and oversee flexible, resilient, and scalable production systems.

Ensure capacity planning supports customer commitments and growth.

People & Culture

Recruit, train, develop, and motivate plant leadership and frontline teams.

Build a culture of safety, ownership, teamwork, and operational excellence.

Conduct performance reviews and implement clear development plans.

Lead regular plant communications to ensure transparency and engagement.

Customer & Community Engagement

Interact professionally with customers to ensure outstanding satisfaction.

Drive execution of new product introductions.

Represent Vertiv in the local community, enhancing our brand and reputation.

Additional Responsibilities

Lead special projects and deliver results against defined timelines.

Maintain accurate financial reporting and cost control.

Attend regional community and business events (Chambers, leadership groups, etc.).

Reporting Relationships & Key Interactions

Direct Reports:

Production Manager
Manufacturing Engineering Manager
Facilities Manager
Quality Control Manager
Materials Manager
Controller
Safety Engineer

Regular Interactions:

Division executives
Sales, order entry
Finance, accounting
HR
Engineering
Global operations teams

The role involves managing high output and navigating complex challenges, requiring resilience and strong decision‑making under pressure.

Minimum Qualifications (Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities)

Strong knowledge of manufacturing management: production, inventory control, variable cost productivity, quality systems, and fulfillment metrics.

Proven leadership and coaching capability; able to motivate and inspire diverse teams.

Demonstrated success in Lean, Six Sigma, and structured continuous improvement.

Ability to communicate effectively at all levels, including senior executive level.

Strong strategic, analytical, and problem‑solving abilities.

Ability to thrive in complex, global, and occasionally ambiguous environments.

Experience working with suppliers, assembly processes, and formal manufacturing systems (e.g., MRP).

Clear ability to build strong cross‑functional relationships.

Preferred Qualifications

MBA or Master’s degree in manufacturing, engineering, or business.

Formal Lean/Six Sigma certification.

Extensive product and process knowledge in complex manufacturing environments.

Basic Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or Manufacturing.

10–15 years of production management experience.

Minimum 5 years leading a large manufacturing facility or major production operation.

Demonstrated success in optimizing operations, driving cost reductions, and improving productivity.

Hands‑on experience in supply chain, Lean Manufacturing, and operational excellence.

Accountabilities & Key Measures

Shipping revenue, cost of sales, inventory, and manufacturing performance.
Continuous improvement of performance, quality, and efficiency metrics.
Strong project management with clear ROI delivery.

Travel Requirements

Regular regional travel (approx. 25%).

First 30/90/180 Days

30 Days

Meet leadership teams, understand current escalations, stabilize priorities, deliver first weekly escalation dashboard.

90 Days

Complete several deep‑dive assessments, present regional initiative portfolio, implement standardized escalation playbook.

180 Days

Deliver measurable KPI improvements, early cost savings, and rollout plans for successful pilots.

Why Join Vertiv?

This role is a great opportunity for a results‑driven, strategic manufacturing leader ready to make a significant impact. You will shape the future of a major Vertiv site and play a key role in elevating operations to world‑class excellence.

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