Assistant Engineering Manager

About ABP

ABP is among Europe’s major privately owned agribusiness groups and holds the position of largest beef processor in Ireland and the UK. Its wider business also includes renewable energy through Olleco, pet food through C&D, and protein operations. Across nine countries, ABP and its associated businesses employ more than 14,000 people and operate over 50 manufacturing sites.

The company places strong emphasis on hiring capable people who share its values and are enthusiastic about the sector. It invests in employee development through onsite training and graduate pathways, with a focus on helping people grow, build new skills, and take responsibility for their work.

Role Overview

This full-time on-site position is part of the Engineering team at ABP Clones in County Monaghan. The role supports the site in meeting business and customer expectations by maintaining engineering standards, leading day-to-day team activity, and working closely with operations and site leadership to deliver production targets. A key part of the job is ensuring plant and equipment operate efficiently while improving output and production performance across the site.

Core Duties

• Back the engineering function so it stays aligned with the site engineering plan and yearly departmental goals.
• Work with the operations manager to keep production running smoothly and join daily review meetings.
• Help deliver long-term preventative maintenance plans and assigned projects.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships between Engineering and other departments.
• Oversee installation work.
• Adjust processes to improve productivity and operational performance.
• Track equipment breakdowns and OEE trends, then introduce improvement actions and monitor results.
• Support mentoring, coaching, and development activity for the team in coordination with Training and HR.
• Promote strong safety standards throughout the business.
• Assign, train, develop, and supervise engineering staff in retail processing, including encouraging use of the CMMS system.
• Help design and improve KPIs for the team.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and projects.
• Assist in resolving technical issues on site and support completion of improvement actions through sound engineering practices.
• Maintain high standards of workmanship and housekeeping, including the use of 5S principles.
• Identify good practices, share them across the site, and help shift the team toward a more proactive engineering approach.
• Plan workload and manage labour use through CMMS.
• Support the ongoing development of CMMS.
• Carry out reactive maintenance when equipment fails to reduce line downtime.
• Use resources in a cost-conscious and efficient way.
• Provide weekend site management support, including site services, contractor control, and liaison with senior management.

People Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing maintenance team focused on agreed objectives, best practice, and continuous improvement.
• Set departmental goals and KPIs, then review the ongoing performance of direct reports.
• Report on progress against targets and identify follow-up actions where needed.
• Model strong standards of behaviour and ensure those expectations are carried through the team.
• Support delivery of the People Strategy within the area of responsibility.
• Manage the team effectively, including maintaining appropriate staffing levels.
• Motivate the team and guide them toward operational success.
• Track task completion and performance, recording outcomes in the relevant systems.
• Review, update, and implement company records such as training matrices, performance reviews, and risk assessments.
• Communicate annual strategic KPIs so employees understand their goals and priorities.

Personal Attributes and Working Approach

• Follow and promote health and safety rules, the Company Handbook, quality and environmental standards, and all related policies and procedures.
• Encourage team development and take responsibility for team unity.
• Help create a positive team culture.
• Anticipate challenges and work through them effectively.
• Connect information and ideas to develop practical solutions and insights.
• Be comfortable with challenge and responsibility.
• Demonstrate clear, balanced thinking.
• Show good self-awareness.
• Remain resilient, optimistic, and open to change.
• Work collaboratively and constructively with others.
• Be self-driven, motivated, and able to inspire others.
• Stay focused on targets and maintain a positive, can-do mindset.
• Contribute to Group Engineering and help shape SOPs by sharing feedback and information.

Additional Information

The posting does not mention salary, bonus, benefits, application deadline, or vacancy count. The role is based onsite in Cahir, County Tipperary, Ireland, while the description also refers to ABP Clones in County Monaghan as the operational site context.