Head of Engineering

Why this role matters

Join Douglas in 2026 in a pivotal role focused on leading the Engineering function across our New Zealand manufacturing operation. You will provide strategic leadership and operational direction to the Engineering team, ensuring our equipment operates reliably and efficiently at all times. As a key member of the Douglas Manufacturing Leadership Team, you will drive production and facilities assets performance, and devise and deliver to capital expenditure plans and champion quality-focused, continuous improvement mindset.

Collaboration is at the heart of this role. As the leader of this critical service function, you will work closely with internal and external stakeholders including Manufacturing Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, R&D, Sales, and other internal and external customers. Your ability to deploy and motivate the team to meet and exceed customer expectations is critical to ensuring overall business success.

What you'll do

• People Leadership
  : Provide clear leadership and vision, inspiring and motivating your team to achieve excellence. Coach and develop team members to be their best and for those with potential, be great future leaders.
• Strategic Leadership
  : Implement engineering strategy and operational goals to exceed customer expectations for equipment and service provision, quality, cost, and delivery. Create and implement best-practice engineering vision, strategy, policies, processes, and procedures to support overall business goals.
• Operational Leadership
  : Ensure all engineering activities are delivered on time and executed in adherence to Quality and Compliance processes. Lead and live Lean thinking and Continuous Improvement culture across all manufacturing operations. Establish and maintain a robust and holistic asset performance management plan grounded in best practice and utilising latest developments in technology.
• Digital & Automation Enablement
  : Lead the Manufacturing thinking in digital vision and drive digital transformation throughout the manufacturing value chain to achieve continuously improving efficiencies, enhance quality outcomes and availability of important Business Intelligence data for agile tactical and strategic decision-making.
• Financial Management
  : Prepare the annual Engineering department budget and forecast all Capital Expenditure proposals. Manage Engineering budgets and negotiate with suppliers to ensure mutually beneficial and high performance partnerships.

What you'll bring

• AN INSPIRATIONAL LEADER
  : Your leadership isn't just about managing; it's about inspiring. You'll motivate your team to reach new heights, fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration.
• A MASTER OF RELATIONSHIPS
  : Building and nurturing relationships is your forte. You'll collaborate seamlessly with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring projects are delivered with excellence and compliance.
• A TECHNICAL GURU
  : Your extensive knowledge in mechanical, electrical, and automation engineering makes you the go-to expert. You'll develop cutting-edge engineering solutions that ensure our equipment is always at its best.
• A COMPLIANCE CHAMPION
  : With a solid grounding in GMP standards, you'll play a key role in ensuring we meet the highest quality and regulatory requirements. You're passionate about building a culture of compliance and are always looking for ways to keep us ahead of the curve.
• A STRATEGIC THINKER
  : You're not just thinking about today, you're planning for the future. With a proven track record in strategic Engineering management, you'll drive innovative engineering strategies that propel our business forward.
• A CHAMPION OF LEAN AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
  : You see opportunities where others see challenges. Your keen eye for detail and relentless pursuit of quality will lead to enhanced systems, processes, and business performance.
• FINANCIAL SAVVY
  : With sharp financial acumen and commercial savvy, you'll manage budgets like a pro and negotiate deals that benefit the business. Your financial insights will drive cost-effective and impactful outcomes.

Why join us?

• Award-winning culture
• Join a team that's genuinely a great place to work (and we've got the awards to prove it).
• Career growth
• We're big on developing our people and promoting from within.
• Extra leave
• After six years with us, you'll get five weeks of annual leave.
• Parental perks
• Get 16 weeks of top-up payments during your parental leave.
• Security matters
• We've got you covered with life and income protection insurance.
• Feel good with THRIVE
• Our wellbeing program helps you be your best, inside and out.
• Exclusive discounts
• Enjoy special deals on big-name brands like Clinicians, BraveFace, Avene, Ego, and more.

About Us

At Douglas, we're more than just a company—we're a community of people driven to make a difference. We're proud to be one of New Zealand's biggest pharmaceutical success stories, and we're growing globally. Privately owned and future-focused, our team of 500 includes scientists, engineers, and all kinds of experts, working together to create high-quality healthcare products that help people around the world.

Come join us on this mission to improve lives

Next Steps

If you're invited to complete a video interview as the next stage of your application, we'd love you to embrace it. Video interviews allow more people the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities to the hiring manager in a new and innovative way, giving you a better chance of securing your ideal role. Relax, be yourself and don't worry, we all feel a bit awkward in front of the camera.

Feel free to reach out to Paula van Zijl, Senior Recruitment Consultant at Douglas Pharmaceuticals, for a confidential chat:

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