Manufacturing Recruitment
Manufacturing Hiring, Built Around Your Operation
The right manufacturing hire can lift output, protect quality and keep every shift running to plan. The wrong hire can cost you downtime, scrap and team trust.
Hartley People partners with manufacturers across Ireland to recruit production, operations and technical professionals who fit the role, the site and the way your operation runs.
- Production Managers
- Operations Managers
- Shift Managers
- Maintenance Technicians
- Plant Managers
Recruitment Built Around How Your Plant Runs
A job title only tells us part of the story. Before we start searching, we want to understand your production environment.
The Role
- Will they lead a line, a shift or the whole site, and how large is the team?
- Which KPIs will they own?
- What does success look like after 6 or 12 months?
The Operation
- What do you make, and at what volume?
- What shift pattern will they work?
- What machinery or lines will they run?
The Standards
- What quality or regulatory standards apply?
- What operational challenges need solving?
We use that information to build the search around the person your operation actually needs. Not simply someone who has held a similar job title.
Manufacturing Recruitment Expertise
Manufacturing roles can look similar on paper while requiring very different people.
Batch vs. high-volume
A supervisor running high-speed, high-volume lines needs a different skill set from one managing batch production in a regulated cleanroom.
Technical vs. people-led
Keeping equipment running requires a different profile from leading forty operators across a shift.
Leadership & strategy
Recruiting a Plant Manager requires us to understand safety, cost, capacity, people and site performance as much as production know-how.
We recruit across:
- Production Management Talk to us about Production Management recruitment
- Quality Assurance & Control Talk to us about Quality Assurance & Control recruitment
- Shift Managers & Supervisors Talk to us about Shift Managers & Supervisors recruitment
- Maintenance Technicians Talk to us about Maintenance Technicians recruitment
- Reliability Engineering Talk to us about Reliability Engineering recruitment
- Production Planning Talk to us about Production Planning recruitment
- Materials & Supply Planning Talk to us about Materials & Supply Planning recruitment
- Lean & Continuous Improvement Talk to us about Lean & Continuous Improvement recruitment
- Team Leaders & Line Leads Talk to us about Team Leaders & Line Leads recruitment
- Operations Management Talk to us about Operations Management recruitment
- Plant Managers Talk to us about Plant Managers recruitment
- Manufacturing Leadership Talk to us about Manufacturing Leadership recruitment
Across every major manufacturing sector and at every level of seniority.
Talk to a Manufacturing SpecialistOur Manufacturing Team
You're hiring a service delivered by people. Meet the recruiters who could be working your search.
Fergal Hartley
Joint Owner Read Fergal’s bio →Fergal Hartley
Joint OwnerWith a distinguished career spanning over 25 years, Fergal Hartley is a highly regarded joint owner of prominent recruitment and staffing ventures, including Hartley People Recruitment & Training, Flexiforce, Clannad Care and Burton Sinclair. His entrepreneurial spirit has driven these companies to success, making them leaders in their respective fields. Fergal's comprehensive background in talent acquisition, combined with strategic insight and a commitment to best practices as a Fellow of the National Recruitment Federation, positions him as an invaluable partner for securing top executive talent.
LinkedInPierre Fetat
Head of Operations Read Pierre’s bio →Pierre Fetat
Head of OperationsPierre is an accomplished B2B International Director who works across functions, with over 15 years of experience across digital marketing, business development, and complex sales. With a strong background in Customer Data Platforms (CDP), Customer Success, and digital transformation initiatives, Pierre brings a wealth of expertise to executive search. His strategic insights, coupled with his commitment to driving innovation and operational excellence, make him a valuable partner for clients seeking visionary executive talent.
LinkedInDamien McCleane
Head of Strategic Recruitment Read Damien’s bio →Damien McCleane
Head of Strategic RecruitmentWith nearly 30 years of experience across recruitment, training, business development, and customer relationship management, Damien McCleane is an accomplished professional with a versatile background in executive and managerial roles across diverse sectors. Also serving as Regional Manager at Hartley People, Damien combines his expertise in strategic recruitment, client partnership, and team leadership to drive excellence and innovation within the executive search landscape.
LinkedInJessica Maher
Recruitment Team Lead Read Jessica’s bio →Jessica Maher
Recruitment Team LeadJess is responsible for recruitment across supply chain, production, engineering and warehousing. Having previously worked in the hospitality industry, she spent four years in Australia furthering her career before returning home to Wexford. A positive and energetic member of the team, Jess is a keen supporter of Wexford hurling and enjoys baking, going to the gym and spending time with friends.
LinkedInDarren O'Connor
Recruitment Team Lead Read Darren’s bio →Darren O'Connor
Recruitment Team LeadDarren specialises in recruiting for IT, HR, agricultural and commercial sales roles. With previous experience as an Operations Manager and Partner and Client Relations Manager within the waste technology sector, he brings strong operational and people-focused expertise to his role. Based in Waterford with his wife and dog, Loki, Darren enjoys sport, travel and keeping active.
LinkedInDanielle Bohill-Walsh
Senior Partner — Finance Specialist Read Danielle’s bio →Danielle Bohill-Walsh
Senior Partner — Finance SpecialistAs an experienced Senior Talent Partner, Danielle brings extensive expertise and a genuine passion for connecting people with the right opportunities. She combines a professional and personable approach with a strong understanding of clients and candidates, building lasting relationships and identifying the right talent. Outside of work, Danielle enjoys home and interior design and spending time with her husband and young daughter.
LinkedInPadraig Murphy
Senior Partner — Sales Specialist Read Padraig’s bio →Padraig Murphy
Senior Partner — Sales SpecialistPadraig is a Senior Recruitment Partner at Hartley People Recruitment, where he leads the Sales desk and focuses on connecting talented individuals with the right businesses. Before moving into recruitment, he spent 10 years working in Business Operations and holds a BA in Business and Human Resource Management. Outside of work, Padraig is an avid Liverpool supporter and keen golfer.
LinkedInBrendan White
Marketing Manager Read Brendan’s bio →Nigel Kelly
Talent Specialist Read Nigel’s bio →Nigel Kelly
Talent SpecialistHailing from Carrick-on-Suir, Nigel is responsible for recruitment across IT, research and development, hospitality, trades and service technician roles. With a strong interest in technology, he is often the first point of contact for technical support within the office. Nigel previously worked in radio, presenting sports news and his own weekly show on WLR. He is also an accomplished photographer, keen runner, rugby fan and enthusiastic gardener.
LinkedInEimear Cox
Recruitment Specialist Read Eimear’s bio →Eimear Cox
Recruitment SpecialistEimear graduated from WIT with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology in 2018. Following several years in the insurance industry, including a period in Vancouver working with clients such as Michael Bublé and Nelly Furtado, she moved into recruitment to apply her understanding of people and relationships to helping clients and candidates find the right opportunities. A Waterford native, Eimear enjoys reading, board games, Dungeons & Dragons, pub quizzes and jiu jitsu.
LinkedInHannah Sullivan
Recruitment Specialist Read Hannah’s bio →Hannah Sullivan
Recruitment SpecialistHannah holds a Diploma in International Human Resource Management, a Bachelor of Commerce and a Diploma in International Hotel Management from Shannon College of Hotel Management. Beginning her career in hotel management, she developed strong communication and problem-solving skills, along with a genuine interest in working with people. Her move into recruitment brings together her experience in business, hospitality and human resources, with a focus on understanding candidates and making the right connections.
LinkedInTamara Fisher
Recruitment Specialist Read Tamara’s bio →Tamara Fisher
Recruitment SpecialistTamara brings extensive experience in operations management, customer service and team leadership, having worked in fast-paced, people-focused environments. She also holds a QQI Level 6 qualification in Human Resources and has a genuine passion for building relationships and helping people find the right opportunities. Outside of work, Tamara enjoys travelling, keeping active and spending time with friends, family and her pug, Harry.
LinkedInTricia Quinn
Commercial and Operations Manager Read Tricia’s bio →Tricia Quinn
Commercial and Operations ManagerTricia brings energy and warmth to Flexiforce as Commercial and Operations Manager, Hartley People’s temporary recruitment division. A natural people-person, she ensures every interaction is positive and productive, and helps organise team events that keep morale high. With over 15 years as a trainer on FÁS-funded courses, she placed students into permanent roles before moving into operations with charities including Cycle Against Suicide and Make-A-Wish Ireland. Tricia joined Hartley People in 2021. Outside work, she is an avid sea swimmer along the Copper Coast and a proud Ironman finisher (Barcelona, 2019).
LinkedInAshling Durand
Senior Team Lead & Talent Specialist Read Ashling’s bio →Ashling Durand
Senior Team Lead & Talent SpecialistAshling started in reception at Flexiforce, quickly becoming the office’s go-to person for all things operational—a role she still holds alongside her work as Senior Team Lead and Talent Specialist. She has grown steadily through the business, gaining experience across multiple functions. Ashling enjoys supporting colleagues and clients, solving problems and providing guidance wherever needed. She takes pride in being a reliable point of contact for both the team and the wider business. Beyond work, she loves spending time outdoors with her young family, with a particular fondness for discovering new beaches.
LinkedInKelley Rothwell
Senior Talent Specialist & Compliance Coordinator Read Kelley’s bio →Kelley Rothwell
Senior Talent Specialist & Compliance CoordinatorKelley works as Senior Talent Specialist and Compliance Coordinator at Flexiforce. With a diverse background spanning talent management, education, hospitality and the creative sector, she brings strong communication, leadership and relationship-building skills to her role. After eight years in hospitality—including managerial positions in Cork and Waterford—Kelley moved into education, holding a Professional Master of Education in Art from UCC following earlier studies in Fine Art at Crawford College of Art & Design. In her current role, she focuses on candidate engagement, recruitment coordination and compliance, taking a proactive, people-centred approach to connecting talent with opportunity.
LinkedInSean Whelan
Talent Specialist & HR Administrator Read Sean’s bio →Sean Whelan
Talent Specialist & HR AdministratorSean supports the Flexiforce Agency Staffing Solutions team as Talent Specialist and HR Administrator. He holds a Master’s degree in HR and is an Associate Member of the CIPD. Sean combines his academic background with a genuine interest in recruitment and HR, bringing both knowledge and enthusiasm to his role. Outside the office, he is a keen soccer fan and reigning champion of the company Fantasy Football League.
LinkedInMaureen Flynn
Talent Specialist Read Maureen’s bio →Maureen Flynn
Talent SpecialistMaureen is a Waterford native and Talent Specialist with Flexiforce. Before joining the team, she managed the Pandora store in Waterford city and later completed a Diploma in Interior Design. Maureen combines her retail and design experience with a natural ability to connect with people, making her a valued member of the recruitment team. Outside work, she enjoys beach walks, sea swimming and spending time outdoors with her two children. She is also known locally as the lead singer of the band No Hot Ashes.
LinkedInJessica Murphy
Talent SpecialistRecruiting for Lean, Automated Production
As Irish manufacturers invest in automation, data and lean ways of working, the people running the floor need more than production experience. We understand the language of modern manufacturing — OEE and downtime, 5S and standard work, Kaizen and root-cause problem solving, MES and ERP systems.
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Supervisors & Team Leaders
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Production Managers
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Shift Managers
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Maintenance Technicians
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Lean & CI Specialists
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Quality Engineers & Managers
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Plant Managers / Site Leaders
Our 3E Approach
Our manufacturing recruitment model is built around three principles that guide every search we run.
Experience
For over 25 years, Hartley People has recruited for businesses across Ireland — giving us an understanding of different industries, production environments and the people behind high-performing operations.
Expertise
Our team of 50+ professionals is supported by 2 dedicated Strategic Sourcing Specialists, combining recruitment expertise, manufacturing market knowledge and an advanced suite of sourcing technology.
Ethics
A successful manufacturing hire needs to work for both sides. We represent your site, shift pattern and expectations accurately and assess candidate motivation carefully, so candidates know exactly what they're joining.
The Right Manufacturing Hire May Not Be Applying
Experienced manufacturing professionals are usually already employed, trusted with a line, a shift or a site, and rarely browsing job boards. Waiting for them to apply is not enough. Our search can combine:
- Direct candidate sourcing
- Passive candidate engagement
- LinkedIn Recruiter
- Advanced sourcing technology
- Market mapping
- Referral networks
- Targeted advertising & leading job boards
Our two Strategic Sourcing Specialists work alongside our recruiters to identify relevant professionals and create routes into candidate markets beyond traditional job advertising.
We Look Beyond the CV
Manufacturing performance needs context. When assessing a candidate, we want to understand:
What environments have they worked in?
How have they led people on the floor?
Which KPIs have they owned?
What technical capability do they bring?
What lean or CI tools have they applied?
How do they approach safety and quality?
How reliable is their track record?
Which systems have they used?
How do they solve problems?
Why are they considering their next move?
This helps your hiring team spend time interviewing candidates with genuine relevance to your operational requirement.
Talk to a Manufacturing SpecialistEvery Manufacturing Search Is Different
You might need someone to:
We don’t start with a standard search. We start with what you need the person to achieve — and build the recruitment approach from there.
Your Manufacturing Team, Supported by Ours
With offices in Dublin and Waterford, Hartley People supports businesses recruiting manufacturing talent across Ireland.
- Dublin
- Waterford
You understand your products, processes and production targets. We understand how to search, engage and qualify the people who can help you achieve them.
Manufacturing Recruitment Questions, Answered
A few of the questions employers ask us most often about hiring manufacturing talent in Ireland.
What manufacturing roles do you recruit for?
We recruit across production, operations, maintenance, quality, continuous improvement and planning — from Team Leaders, Supervisors and Maintenance Technicians through to Production Managers, Operations Managers, Plant Managers and Site Leaders. We cover pharma, medtech, food and drink, and general manufacturing.
Do you recruit for manufacturing roles outside Dublin?
Yes. With offices in Waterford and Dublin, we recruit manufacturing talent across Ireland, not just in the capital — including regional plants, shift-based roles and multi-site positions.
How do you find manufacturing candidates who aren't job hunting?
Most experienced production and operations people are already employed and keeping a line or site running, so we don't rely on job ads alone. Our two Strategic Sourcing Specialists use direct sourcing, LinkedIn Recruiter, market mapping and our 150,000+ candidate network to reach passive candidates who fit your specific requirement.
How do you assess a manufacturing candidate beyond their CV?
We look at the production environments they've worked in, the KPIs they've owned, their safety and quality record, their lean or CI exposure and how they lead people on the floor — not just job titles. This helps your hiring team spend time only with candidates who have genuine relevance to your operational requirement.
Can you recruit for shift-based and regulated sites?
Yes. We recruit Shift Managers, Supervisors, Team Leaders and Maintenance Technicians for days, two-shift, 24/7 and continental rosters — and for sites working to GMP, ISO 9001, ISO 13485, BRCGS or HACCP standards.
How long does a manufacturing recruitment search take?
It depends on the seniority of the role and how niche the requirement is — a Production Supervisor search moves faster than a Plant Manager search requiring specific regulated-site experience. We'll give you a realistic timeline once we understand what you need the hire to achieve.
What does it cost to use Hartley People for manufacturing recruitment?
Fees depend on the seniority and complexity of the role. Get in touch and we'll talk you through pricing for your specific requirement — no obligation.
Who Does Your Manufacturing Operation Need Next?
Tell us about the role and what you need that person to deliver. We'll talk you through the market, the search and how we can support your hiring team.
- 25+ years recruiting manufacturing talent in Ireland
- Access to a 150,000+ candidate network, active and passive
- A search built around what your hire needs to achieve
Request More Information
Fill in a few details and a member of our manufacturing recruitment team will be in touch.