Shift Operations Manager

Abbott Laboratories; Kilkenny; On-site; EUR 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Family health insurance

Excellent pension scheme

Life assurance

Career Development

Fantastic new facility

Job summary

Abbott Diabetes Care Kilkenny is seeking an Operations Shift Manager to lead safe, compliant, and efficient manufacturing on the shift, outside standard hours, ensuring production plans are met with high safety, quality, service and cost performance.

You will build high-performing teams, drive continuous improvement, manage resources, and partner with cross-functional functions to sustain production continuity and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• NFQ Level 7 qualification (or equivalent) in Engineering, Science, Business, Manufacturing, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in a manufacturing leadership role.
• Proven experience leading manufacturing shifts, production departments, or operational teams in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Experience within regulated manufacturing industries (Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals, etc.).
• Demonstrated success in leading people, driving performance, and delivering operational results.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing activities to ensure production targets and schedules are delivered safely and efficiently.
• Act as the designated site leader during shift hours, making timely operational decisions to support business continuity.
• Monitor and drive performance against key metrics (safety, quality, delivery, productivity, cost).
• Coordinate cross-functional support to maintain operational effectiveness during shift operations.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Team development

Cross-functional collaboration

Operational excellence

Safety & compliance

Education

NFQ Level 7 qualification

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 114,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Abbott in Ireland

Abbott has been operating in Ireland since 1946 and serves the Irish market with a diverse range of healthcare products including diagnostics, diabetes care, medical devices and nutritional products. In Ireland, Abbott currently employs about 6,000 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:

Purpose of the Role:

As the Operations Shift Manager you will be responsible for the safe, compliant, and efficient execution of manufacturing operations during their shift. Acting as the primary site leader outside of normal Monday to Friday business hours, this role ensures production plans are achieved while maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, service, and cost performance.

You will lead and develop high-performing teams, optimise manufacturing performance, manage resources effectively, and drive a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement across the operation.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & People Management

• Lead, coach, and develop manufacturing teams to achieve operational and business objectives.

• Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, teamwork, engagement, and continuous improvement.

• Support employee development through coaching, training, succession planning, and performance management.

• Manage shift staffing requirements and resource allocation to meet production demands.

• Address employee concerns and resolve operational challenges in a timely and effective manner.

Manufacturing Operations

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing activities to ensure production targets and schedules are delivered safely and efficiently.

• Act as the designated site leader during shift hours, making timely operational decisions to support business continuity.

• Monitor and drive performance against key operational metrics including safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost.

• Ensure manufacturing operations remain aligned with production plans and customer requirements.

• Coordinate cross-functional support to maintain operational effectiveness during shift operations.

Quality & Compliance

• Ensure products are manufactured to the highest quality standards while meeting all regulatory and compliance requirements.

• Maintain adherence to site procedures, GMP requirements, and quality management systems.

• Lead investigations into production issues and support effective corrective and preventive actions.

• Promote a culture where quality and compliance are embedded in every aspect of manufacturing operations.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to enhance productivity, efficiency, quality, and operational performance.

• Champion Lean Manufacturing principles and continuous improvement initiatives across the production areas.

• Lead the execution of the Manufacturing Operations System (MOS) through structured tier meetings and standard work practices.

• Support the implementation of best practices that improve performance and reduce waste.

Safety & Sustainability

• Create and maintain a strong safety culture where employee wellbeing is the highest priority.

• Ensure all activities are conducted in accordance with site, divisional, and corporate safety policies.

• Lead risk management activities and proactively address safety concerns.

• Promote environmental sustainability through responsible resource management, waste reduction, and energy-efficient practices.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Build strong partnerships with Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Procurement, and other support functions.

• Ensure clear communication and effective coordination across departments to deliver operational objectives.

• Provide regular updates on performance, priorities, risks, and improvement initiatives to site leadership teams.

Education & Experience

• NFQ Level 7 qualification (or equivalent) in Engineering, Science, Business, Manufacturing, or a related discipline.

• Minimum 5 years' experience in a manufacturing leadership role.

• Proven experience leading manufacturing shifts, production departments, or operational teams in a high-volume manufacturing environment.

• Experience within Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals, Automotive, FMCG, Electronics, or similarly regulated manufacturing industries.

• Demonstrated success in leading people, driving performance, and delivering operational results.

• Strong understanding of safety, quality, compliance, and manufacturing best practices.

• Experience managing resources, workforce planning, and operational priorities within a shift environment.

Preferred Experience

• Lean Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma, Operational Excellence, or Continuous Improvement training and experience.

• Experience leading Manufacturing Operations Systems (MOS) or similar structured performance management systems.

• Previous budget management, cost control, and resource planning experience.

• Experience working within highly regulated manufacturing environments.

What we Offer

Attractive compensation package that includes competitive pay, as well as benefits such as

• Family health insurance,
• Excellent pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Career Development
• Fantastic new facility
• Growing business plus access to many more benefits.

Connect with us atwww.abbott.comorhttps://www.ie.abbott/, on LinkedIn atwww.linkedin.com/company/abbott-/, on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/Abbottand on Twitter @AbbottNews.

Abbott is an equal opportunities employer.