Director Engineering

This role is a key leadership position at the Wexford site with specific responsibility for leading and developing the Engineering function while also supporting the strategic development of the site.

The role comprises responsibility for manufacturing support including equipment and process, new product introductions, facility and maintenance management, Security and automation/digitalisation. Cost saving initiatives and improvement projects in support of the annual operating plan form a large part of the role.

• Strategy Development & Deployment
  • Contribute to the development and evolution of the site strategy and lead the strategy for the Engineering function to deliver a world class organisation that has a global vision with local execution. Anticipate different future scenarios and embrace the increasing rate of change. Strong focus on industry, emerging technologies and consistently challenging the status quo.
  • Act as member of Wexford site leadership team contributing to overall manufacturing site strategy development and execution.

• Annual Operating Plan (AOP) / Budget Responsibilities - Deliver an improvement on financial performance, exceeding our annual operating plan
  • Management of departmental and project specific spend and capital budgets. Preparation of site capital budget submissions and approvals. Prepare robust business cases for initiatives
  • Identify, manage and drive cost savings (e.g. PPV, MUV, Efficiency) / value initiatives to exceed the AOP.

• Leadership - Invest in employee success by developing leadership, managerial & technical skills for sustained growth
  
  • Consistently apply talent management processes, Build the capabilities of Engineering  team and overall site engineering resources , and support the development of team members  career plans. Optimize engineering organizational structure to maximize effectiveness, ensure effective succession planning  and provide developmental opportunities to employees.
  • Apply effective performance mgmt. within team ensuring productive and efficient contribution and impact  by setting goals and measures, providing feedback and coaching
  • Collaborate with global support functions and other site engineering teams to identify best practices for implementiaton and to develop overall technology solutions for manufacturing
  • Reviewing and enhancing the skill sets and the training requirements of the engineering team to keep up to date with current and future business requirements.

• New Product Introductions - Deliver new products and new manufacturing technologies on time and at the right cost
  
  • Enable new product introductions through the introduction and/or upgrading of existing capabilities, facilities, equipment, processes and procedures. Ensure New products / transfers achieve product release on time, within operational budgets, achieving product cost targets, required capacity, and product quality requirements.
  • Establish long-range capacity (space, resources, capital) planning / modeling for Wexford site . Develop medium and long term planning to address gaps
  • Oversee, lead and execute Wexford Operations’ programs and initiatives, defining and implementing appropriate work processes and governance. Ensure sponsor engagement , effective and timely project status reporting , metric establishment and tracking.
  • Prioritize needs and effectively schedule projects and resources to support multiple projects in parallel. Identify risks and mitigation plans to ensure successful initiative execution.
  • Support and provide leadership where required on product transfers between sites & production scale up . Support development and execution of Global Operations manufacturing network strategy
  • Establish and maintain project management standards, tools, and best practices at the site, while creating project culture and mindset across the functions and project owners to ensure on time execution to project success criteria, timelines and cash flow commitments.
  • Work with IT, Business Partners, R&D , and Global Operations functions to develop and deploy appropriate technology advancements (automation/alternative processing technologies etc) and digital solutions to drive our efficient use of resources (capital , human and working capital)

• Process Engineering  & Production support

  • Provide process engineering support to manufacturing operations achieving continuous improvement in operational safety , product quality, product availability, yields and  productivity
  • Provide technical expertise and leadership to resolve process problems based on sound engineering principles and effective problem solving methodologies
  • Analyse existing operating methods and initiate and develop new methods to improve efficiencies, safety, quality, delivery and cost for the organisation.
  • Provide support for the design, installation and debug of tooling and capital equipment.

• Environmental, Health & Safety - Deliver a safe & healthy workplace that contributes to the wellbeing of our staff and our environment

  • Demonstrate safety leadership and promotion of safe behaviours of all employees
  • Ensure all initiatives carried out with Zero injury, through effective risk assessment , management of change and risk mitigation
  • Develop, promote and support Environmentally sustainable operating practices, establish and lead execution of initiatives to reduce environmental footprint
  • Support monitoring, assessment, reporting and implementation of Environmental Health & Safety Regulations appropriate to Waters operations.

   

  Quality & Quality Management System - Consistently deliver high quality products and services through a robust quality culture

  • Responsible and accountable for the Quality Management System.
  • Provide leadership and commitment to continually improve and maintain the effectiveness of the QMS to consistently produce safe and effective products.
  • Ensure compliance with ISO9001, ISO13485, GMP and regulatory standards e.g. 21CFR Part 820 in all activities.
  • Promote a risk based / process approach within the company.

  Continuous Improvement - Deliver benefit to internal & external customers by embedding lean principles and systems

  • To support the CI/Lean program, initiating and driving projects to deliver benefit to internal and external stakeholders.
  • Enable and support deployment of Lean Operating System and support a C.I. mindset to improve processes and behaviors

• Equipment Support and Maintenance

  • Provide a service and renewal plan for all equipment and building maintenance.
  • Provide technical expertise with root cause failure analysis for any impact to plant or production equipment.
  • Manage the calibration program for the site
  • Maintain the validation status of all processes and equipment, ensuring that they are complete and compliant with the requirements of the QMS and GMP.

  Facilities Management

  • Work with Global Facilities team to support : the purchase of equipment, utilities and services, the creation of contracts where required and the management of those contracts.
  • Ensure that all projects, maintenance and services work carried out by and for the company, conforms to the agreed costs, specification, drawings and to any local or national regulations governing these activities.
  • Ensure that a robust contractor management process is in place to control contractor activities on site.
  • Provide leadership in relation to Site Expansion activities, and infrastructural changes.
  • Lead, develop and enhance Emergency Response Program and the site Business Interruption Plan, ensuring that Emergency plans are in place and that business continuity plans have been established.
  • Liaise with Property, Engineering and Liability Insurance companies to protect the business.

• Security Management

  • Act as the site Security Manager for the site to IAA, AEO-F and C-TPAT requirements.
  • Manage the site security program ensuring that the company meets the requirements of the air cargo programs and supports the security of Waters personnel and property.

  IT Support

  • Support the IT function within the Wexford organisation, using internal and external support as required.

  General

  • Represent Waters in regional and national industry associations as required.

Education: B.Eng (Mechanical, Production, Industrial, Electronic) or equivalent qualifications.

Experience: Minimum 7 - 10 years Industrial work experience in a high volume ISO9001, ISO13485 or GMP, Operational Excellence/Lean environment, with at least 3 years at a senior management level.

Strong Engineering and technical skills with a good working knowledge of electrical, electronic, mechanical and pneumatic systems.

Experience in technically diverse electro mechanical & mechanical, discrete manufacturing strongly desired, with experience of successfully introducing & scaling up new process technologies and automation.

A proven track record of people management/leadership and project management is essential.

Specialised training required:

Leadership / Management skills training

Project Management skills

Product/Process Technologies skills

QMS training to ISO9001, ISO13485 and 21CFR Part 820 regulatory standards.

Competencies:

• Excellent interpersonal, organisational, presentation and communication skills, both written and oral.
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Strong technical ability.
• Be self-motivated and have excellent problem solving and analytical capabilities coupled with effective planning and execution rigor.
• Strong project management skills.
• Change Agent focused on continuous improvement of the business.
• Open minded, positive and enjoys working in a high energy and fast paced environment

Travel (If Applicable): Limited travel associated with this role

Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT) is a global leader in life sciences and diagnostics, dedicated to accelerating the benefits of pioneering science through analytical technologies, informatics, and service. With a focus on regulated, high-volume testing environments, our innovative portfolio harnesses deep scientific expertise across chemistry, physics, and biology. We collaborate with customers around the world to advance the release of effective, high-quality medicines, ensure the safety of food and water, and drive better patient outcomes by detecting diseases earlier, managing routine infections, and combating antibiotic resistance. Through a shared culture of relentless innovation, our passionate team of ~16,000 colleagues turn scientific challenges into breakthroughs that improve lives worldwide. 

Diversity and inclusion are fundamental to our core values at Waters Corporation. It benefits our employees, our products, our customers and our community. Waters complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to sex, race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, marital status (including civil unions), military service, veteran status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, legally recognized disability, domestic violence victim status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Waters is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. All hiring decisions are based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.