Head Of Engineering

Job Overview
Lead and manage Norbrook’s capital investment programme and maintenance activities across all manufacturing facilities in Northern Ireland and Ireland, and provide expert engineering advice to our global distribution sites and East Africa manufacturing operation.
Oversee the engineering and maintenance teams, including third-party contractors, ensuring strong performance and adherence to safety, quality, and service standards.
Be accountable for the capital and maintenance budgets, driving value for money and budgetary compliance.
Identify and implement process improvements, ensuring best-in-class safety, quality, and operational performance of all facilities and equipment.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement long-term engineering strategy aligning with business and operational goals, to drive continuous improvement, ensure optimal equipment performance, and support overall organisational objectives.
• Serve as key member of the site leadership team, contributing to broader operational strategy and performance, with a focus on maintaining high standards for equipment reliability and operational efficiency.
• Provide leadership and oversight for the maintenance and optimisation and continuous improvement, of all production equipment, utilities, and facilities, ensuring maximum reliability and operational uptime across the organisation.
• Ensure full compliance with applicable regulatory and statutory requirements, including cGMP, health and safety, environmental standards, and relevant authority guidelines (e.g., VMD, MHRA, FDA).
• Promote and enforce safe working practices for all personnel, including engineering and maintenance teams, contractors, suppliers, and site visitors, ensuring a strong safety culture throughout all operations.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive business continuity plans, including contingency strategies for failure of critical systems, clear SLAs, spare parts availability, and structured start-up procedures ensuring minimal disruption to operations.
• Oversee full integration and optimisation of the Building Management System (BMS) to enable efficient monitoring and control of site utilities and environmental conditions.
• Develop and control annual engineering budget, covering capital expenditure, maintenance activities, and spare parts inventory, with rigorous monthly tracking and reporting of financial performance to ensure cost efficiency and sustainability.
• Manage full lifecycle of capital projects - including scope, budget, timeline, and resources— ensuring efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality outcomes that enhance equipment performance and operational reliability.
• Execute an effective planned maintenance system and regular condition-based monitoring of plant and equipment to ensure optimal performance and compliance with all relevant regulations.
• Ensure all equipment and facility changes are validated and documented in accordance with GMP and regulatory standards, maintaining high operational integrity and quality control across all systems.
• Measure and assess capacity of utilities to meet current and future requirements ensuring adequate resources for uninterrupted and efficient operations.
• Maintain Norbrook’s Quality Management System to a high standard for all facilities and equipment including automated processes, ensuring continued compliance with industry standards and fostering operational excellence.

Essential Criteria

• Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or related and a minimum of 5 years of engineering management experience OR 10 years relevant engineering management experience 
• Demonstrated success in managing large-scale capital projects and cross-functional teams.
• In-depth knowledge of regulatory standards (e.g., GMP, FDA, EMA, VMD) and validation processes.
• Strong leadership and people management
• Deep understanding of engineering systems in pharma (HVAC, WFI, SCADA, CMMS)
• Financial acumen (budgeting, cost control)