Senior Client Engagement Manager

Digital Manufacturing Ireland; Limerick; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Digital Manufacturing Ireland seeks a senior client Engagement lead to shape and nurture long-term relationships with strategic accounts. You will drive value by aligning clients with AI, digital manufacturing priorities and scale-up programmes, leveraging Lean Six Sigma to improve operations.

The role requires 5+ years in pharma or life sciences client management, strong quality experience, and a solid commercial sense to guide transformative journeys across manufacturing operations.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in client management or strategic accounts within pharma or life sciences.
• Proven quality Systems, compliance, and continuous improvement experience.
• Lean Six Sigma certified (Green Belt minimum; Black Belt preferred).
• Strong understanding of digital transformation and AI/Data in manufacturing.
• Established networks in pharma, medtech, or industrial manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Manage and nurture long-term client relationships and journeys.
• Align client engagement with DMI’s AI and digital manufacturing priorities.
• Co-develop pilots, research initiatives, and innovation programmes.
• Provide strategic reporting on client engagement pipeline and outcomes.
• Collaborate with internal teams to deliver repeatable, scalable services.

Skills

Client management

Quality in pharma

Lean Six Sigma

Digital transformation

Industry 4.0

Education

Degree in Science/Engineering/Life Sciences

Job description

Digital Manufacturing Ireland is supported by the Government of Ireland through IDA Ireland and has been established to help manufacturers accelerate their adoption of digital technologies.

DMI offers a state-of-the-art physical and digital factory, a vendor showcase, industry collaboration spaces, and training facilities. The DMI facility brings together technology, expertise, and business support to help manufacturing companies transform, innovate, and future-proof their operations.

Role Overview

This candidate will play a leading role in shaping DMI’s client engagement strategy. This role is dedicated to managing and nurturing client relationships that accelerate DMI’s mission to position Ireland at the forefront of digital manufacturing and AI-enabled innovation.

Unlike traditional client-facing roles, this position focuses on building long-term strategic value rather than short-term transactions. The candidate will cultivate high-value client collaborations and support client engagement journeys that unlock innovation opportunities for DMI and its stakeholders.

The ideal candidate will bring a proven background in Commercial and Quality backgrounds, ideally within the pharmaceutical or life sciences manufacturing sector, combined with strong operational experience, Lean and Six Sigma expertise, and a solid commercial understanding. Demonstrated success in adoption of new technologies and change management is essential to support and guide clients through their transformation journeys.

Key Responsibilities and Duties:

Client Engagement & Relationship Management

• Manage, develop, and nurture long-term client relationships, acting as a trusted partner throughout the client journey.
• Build and sustain deep engagement with key client accounts, ensuring continuity, value creation, and mutual growth.
• Support the long-term strategic roadmap for clients aligned to DMI’s AI, digital, and manufacturing priorities.
• Operate within frameworks to evaluate, prioritise, and scale client engagement opportunities.
• Promote and contribute directly to DMI’s Centres of Excellence and strategic service areas.
• Facilitate collaboration between client organisations and internal DMI teams (Technical Services, AI Centre of Excellence).
• Co-develop pilot projects, research initiatives, and innovation programmes with clients to address real operational challenges.
• Leverage manufacturing expertise to support clients in navigating new product and process introduction activities within their digital transformation programmes.
• Ensure client engagements enhance DMI’s ability to deliver repeatable, scalable services across the wider industry.

Strategic Alignment & Business Understanding

• Align client engagement activities with DMI’s organisational strategy and industry-facing priorities.
• Work closely with the Director of Technical Operations & Strategic Clients to focus efforts on the highest-value, longest-lasting client relationships.
• Apply Lean and operational excellence methodologies to identify and communicate value improvement opportunities within client operations.
• Provide strategic reporting and insights to leadership on client engagement pipeline development and outcomes.

Key Skills and Competencies:

Skills & Experience Required

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in client management, client engagement, or strategic account development, ideally within the pharmaceutical or life sciences manufacturing sector.
• Proven background in Quality within the pharmaceutical industry, with hands-on experience in quality systems, compliance, and continuous improvement.
• Strong operational experience in a manufacturing environment, with the ability to understand and communicate operational challenges at a practical level.
• Lean and Six Sigma qualification and demonstrated application within an industrial or manufacturing context.
• Proven track record in commercial excellence, supporting clients or internal teams through structured introduction and scale-up processes.
• Strong understanding of digital transformation, Industry 4.0, or AI/data-driven technologies and their application in manufacturing.
• Excellent relationship-building, networking, and influencing skills with a focus on long-term engagement over transactional interaction.
• Strategic mindset with the ability to connect emerging technology trends to real business and client needs.
• Good commercial acumen and understanding of business value drivers in a manufacturing context.

Required & Desired Qualifications

Required

• Degree in Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related technical field.
• Lean and/or Six Sigma certification (Green Belt minimum; Black Belt preferred).
• Demonstrable experience in pharmaceutical or medical device quality and manufacturing operations.
• A digital technology background would be a distinct advantage.
• Commercial excellence and supporting organisations to transform operations.
• Experience working within innovation hubs, research-led environments, or industry collaboration bodies.
• Established professional networks within the pharmaceutical, medtech, or broader industrial manufacturing ecosystem.
• Familiarity with scaling client engagement frameworks in multi-stakeholder environments.