Automotive Workshop General Manager

About NVD

A family-owned business, established in 1980, NVD was set up to assist vehicle manufacturers in the timely and incident-free distribution of their products. We've established ourselves as a one-stop shop providing the three main pillars of outbound logistics, including transporting, storing, and enhancing our customers' vehicles, prior to delivery to their end location. Since 1980 NVD has been at the forefront of pioneering the digitisation of the FVL industry.

Role Purpose

The Automotive Workshop Operations Manager will maintain ultimate responsibility, operational control, and execution oversight over the daily operations of the Baldonnell Automotive Workshop. Leading a large, multifaceted team of workshop colleagues, supervisors, and technicians in an extremely fast-paced environment, this role focuses on driving operational excellence through lean principles, process standardisation, and technical innovation.

The ideal candidate brings a blend of deep engineering expertise and strong business acumen to optimise complex local workshop operations, streamline the Baldonnell facility infrastructure, and maintain high standards of quality and efficiency on the shop floor.

Compensation & Benefits

• Pension Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Annual Leave Purchase Programme
• Long Service Awards
• Staff Purchase Schemes:
• o Tyres
• o Tools
• Bike to Work
• Discounted Gym Membership
• Death In Service Benefit
• Digital GP Service

Requirements & Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) or other related discipline.
• Experience: Intensive experience in technical manufacturing, engineering management, or heavy workshop operations, with a proven track record of managing large teams of 50+ staff.
• Technical Acumen: Deep technical insight into automotive compliance, engineering workflows, workshop safety regulations, and specialised vehicle conversion lines.
• Lean Expertise: Mastery of workshop lean principles (GEMBA, waste elimination, standardised work, root-cause analysis).
• Communication & Negotiation: Exceptional communication skills, with experience presenting technical reports to regulatory bodies and managing commercial relationships with global OEM suppliers.

Key Responsibilities Automotive Workshop Operations, Lean Management & Technical Integration

• Maintain full responsibility, ownership, and direct control of all Baldonnell Automotive Workshop floor operations and technical modification lines.
• Lead the physical and operational integration of technical workshop facilities, equipment, and workflows directly on the Baldonnell premises.
• Introduce, champion, and standardise New Product Development (NPD) and New Product Introduction (NPI) engineering processes to optimise custom local modification lines.
• Utilise regular GEMBA opportunities and engineering assessments on the workshop floor to eliminate process variances, identify technical bottlenecks, and eliminate waste.
• Oversee strict compliance with national technical standards, including managing the direct reporting, documentation, and approval processes with the Road Safety Authority (RSA) for vehicles prepared on-site.

People, Leadership & Change Management

• Provide strong leadership, coaching, and direction to a team of over 50 workshop colleagues, supervisors, and floor staff.
• Drive operational and cultural shifts on the workshop floor to align daily practices with standardised company-wide efficiency and quality metrics.
• Partner closely with the HR department to support technical training initiatives, maximising the impact of the on-site City & Guilds training centre to upskill staff in mechanical and lean practices.
• Mentor and develop technical supervisors and floor staff to build a resilient, high-performing team capable of thriving under daily operational pressures.

Financial & Commercial Performance

• Assume direct accountability for the operational P&L, resource allocation, and budget management of the Baldonnell Automotive Workshop facility.
• Formulate yearly capacity plans and floor-level forecasts to optimise space, equipment, and staffing levels.
• Oversee precise pricing, costing models, and job-completion metrics for all standard services and specialised services executed within the workshop.
• Monitor low-margin jobs at a technical level, running floor-level focus groups to identify internal process improvements or necessary commercial adjustments.

Stock, Supply Chain & Workshop Procurement

• Review and manage the workshop's stores function to ensure total compliance with the official Purchase Order (PO) and accruals processes.
• Enforce strict stores management protocols, including material releasing schedules, tight acronym control, and the mitigation of ageing stock.
• Lead local and international supplier reviews to secure optimal component pricing and lead times, leveraging corporate purchasing advantages to benefit the Baldonnell facility.

Equal Opportunities Statement

National Vehicle Distribution is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We value openness, innovation, customer focus, and operational excellence. Our organisation actively promotes equality and prohibits discrimination based on gender, marital/civil status, family status, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion, or membership of the Traveller community, in accordance with Irish and UK equality legislation. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals and are dedicated to creating an environment where everyone can thrive and contribute to our shared success.