Most commonly reported Work Activities

•   Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
•   Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
•   Interacting With Computers Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
•   Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
•   Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
•   Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
•   Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
•   Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
•   Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
•   Coaching and Developing Others Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Working Life

A sawmill manager (or sawmill plant manager in larger companies) is the person in charge of running a sawmill. A sawmill is a facility where raw logs are processed into timber and wood products for construction, packaging, and other markets. 

Sawmill managers oversee production, manage staff, ensure safety rules are followed, maintain equipment, and coordinate deliveries and supplies.

They handle timber supplied by Coillte and private forest owners, manage inventory, plan production, and organise deliveries. The manager is responsible for health, wellbeing, and risk management, ensuring compliance with Irish workplace and machinery safety regulations. They also monitor timber markets and regulations to balance productivity, profitability, and sustainable practices.

Key Responsibilities 

• Oversee daily sawmill operations to ensure work runs efficiently
• Manage and support staff, including scheduling and training
• Ensure all health, safety, and environmental regulations are followed
• Monitor and maintain machinery to reduce breakdowns and delays
• Plan and coordinate timber supply, production, and deliveries
• Check product quality and meet customer and industry standards

There are approximately 100 sawmills in Ireland. The sawmill industry provides more than 2,000 jobs. 

The Irish government department responsible for forestry policy and regulation is managed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). 

Its Forest Service is responsible for forestry policy. It also manages grants, licences tree felling, promotes sustainable forest management, and oversees forest health and forestry research.

Coillte is Ireland's State-owned forestry company established in 1988. It manages around 440,000 hectares of land, mainly forested, on behalf of the Irish State. Coillte operates on a commercial basis and is a major producer and supplier of timber to the Irish wood-processing sector. Its activities also include forest management, outdoor recreation, and facilitating renewable energy projects on its land, while supporting national climate and forestry objectives.

For sawmill managers, Coillte is a key source of timber and strongly influences log supply, quality, and market availability. Its harvesting plans and sales policies affect sawmill production planning, pricing, and long-term investment decisions.

Teagasc is Ireland's Agriculture and Food Development Authority and provides research, advisory, and training services to farmers and private forest owners, including guidance on forest establishment, management, and silviculture.

COFORD (the Council for Forest Research and Development)     advises the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine on forestry research priorities and funds forestry research through the Competitive Forestry Research for Development programme to support the sustainable development of the forest sector.

The Irish Timber Growers Association (ITGA)     is the national representative body for private woodland owners and promotes sustainable forestry while representing growers' interests in policy and market matters. 

View Forestry.ie for an online directory of services for all sectors of the forest, timber and wood-energy industries. It also acts as a portal for the irish forestry and timber sector. 

Search Career Sectors using the Career Sector tool to learn more about this sector. 

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Set and monitor product standards, examining samples of raw products or directing testing during processing, to ensure finished products are of prescribed quality.
• Direct or coordinate production, processing, distribution, or marketing activities of industrial organisations.
• Review processing schedules or production orders to make decisions concerning inventory requirements, staffing requirements, work procedures, or duty assignments, considering budgetary limitations and time constraints.
• Review operations and confer with technical or administrative staff to resolve production or processing problems.
• Hire, train, evaluate, or discharge staff or resolve personnel grievances.
• Develop or implement production tracking or quality control systems, analysing production, quality control, maintenance, or other operational reports to detect production problems.
• Prepare and maintain production reports or personnel records.
• Review plans and confer with research or support staff to develop new products or processes.
• Develop budgets or approve expenditures for supplies, materials, or human resources, ensuring that materials, labor, or equipment are used efficiently to meet production targets.
• Maintain current knowledge of the quality control field, relying on current literature pertaining to materials use, technological advances, or statistical studies.

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

 Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

 Administrative

Administrative people are interested in work that offers security and a sense of being part of a larger process. They may be at their most productive under supervisors who give clear guidelines and while performing routine tasks in a methodical and reliable way.

They tend to enjoy clerical and most forms of office work, where they perform essential administrative duties. They often form the backbone of large and small organisations alike. They may enjoy being in charge of office filing systems, and using computers and other office equipment to keep things running smoothly. They usually like routine work hours and prefer comfortable indoor workplaces.

 Realist

Realists are usually interested in 'things' - such as buildings, mechanics, equipment, tools, electronics etc. Their primary focus is dealing with these - as in building, fixing, operating or designing them. Involvement in these areas leads to high manual skills, or a fine aptitude for practical design - as found in the various forms of engineering.

Realists like to find practical solutions to problems using tools, technology and skilled work. Realists usually prefer to be active in their work environment, often do most of their work alone, and enjoy taking decisive action with a minimum amount of discussion and paperwork.

Many sawmill managers begin their careers in entry‑level or supervisory positions within forestry or wood processing, gaining hands‑on experience before moving into management. Long‑term progression can lead to senior plant or operations leadership roles within larger timber and manufacturing groups.

To become a sawmill manager, the ideal educational pathways combine forestry knowledge, wood processing skills, business management, and health & safety training. The following are courses and modules that would benefit a sawmill manager:

Forestry & Timber Management

• Provider: Teagasc
• Focus/Skills: Forest management, silviculture, timber quality, sustainable forestry
• Duration/Format: Short courses, part-time, workshops

Wood Processing & Sawmilling

• Provider: TU Dublin, WIT, GMIT
• Focus/Skills: Sawmilling, wood drying, timber grading, wood products manufacturing
• Duration/Format: Module-based; 1 semester - 1 year

Timber Grading & Quality Control

• Provider: ITGA / Coillte Workshops
• Focus/Skills: Log assessment, sawn timber standards, market-ready timber quality
• Duration/Format: Short workshops, 1-3 days

Business & Operations Management

• Provider: Technological Universities / Professional Bodies
• Focus/Skills: Production planning, supply chain, budgeting, staff management
• Duration/Format: Part-time diplomas or short courses (weeks to months)

Health & Safety in Forestry / Sawmills

• Provider: SafeSawmill Ireland, SOLAS, FETAC
• Focus/Skills: Machinery safety, chainsaw operation, fire safety, workplace safety compliance
• Duration/Format: Short courses, 1-5 days

Industry Updates & Networking

• Provider: Coillte, ITGA, Teagasc
• Focus/Skills: Harvesting plans, timber markets, policy updates
• Duration/Format: One-day workshops, field visits

View Teagasc for more information on Level 6 courses in Forestry. 

View Coillte     for opportunities in specialist forestry roles. 

Visit ITGA for upcoming webinars and events. 

Search Fetchcourses to find further education and training course opportunities. 

Sample Education and Training Pathways
A number of courses are available throughout the country that focus on learning and skills that may be useful for this career. The examples and links below may guide you in your research. 

Further Education (FET)
Further Education & Training (FET) Courses are delivered by local ETBs, ranging in duration from several weeks up to 20 months. Courses are designed to meet the labour market needs and often include a large element of work experience.

Example search terms include: garden and parks supervision, greenkeeping, sports turf management, horticulture, landscaping, forestry.

Search for FET Courses

PLC Courses (FET)
PLC courses are full-time courses, one or two years duration, with awards at Level 5 and 6 on the NFQ. They are offered nationally in Schools and Colleges of Further Education.

Example search terms include:

Search for PLC Courses

Apprenticeships: 
Apprenticeships are structured work-based training programs that combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction. They run from 2 – 4 years and are open to individuals of all ages, including school leavers, those seeking a career change, and existing employees who wish to upskill.

Examples: Arboriculture

Search for Apprenticeships

Higher Education CAO (Undergraduate) 
Higher Education courses at Levels 6 to 8 on the NFQ, delivered in Universities and Technological Universities & Institutes. Courses run from 2 – 5 years and places are allocated on a points-based system, processed by the Central Application Office.

Example search terms include:

Search for CAO Courses

Professional Development 

Professional development (CPD) courses are specialised training, formal education, or advanced professional learning that improves skills, professional knowledge, competency, and overall effectiveness in the professional world.

Membership in professional bodies, such as the Arboricultural Association (Ireland branch), is a way of keeping up-to-date on events and continuous professional development courses.

Check the Useful Contacts tab on this page to see if there are any professional bodies listed who may provide training related to this career.

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €50k - €85k

Salaries vary based on employer, location, duties, shift pattern, and experience.

Data Source(s):
Irish Jobs/Glassdoor/Morgan McKinley

Last Updated: December, 2025

Note: The following information relates to occupations that include: Managers and proprietors in agriculture and horticulture, Managers and proprietors in forestry, fishing and related services, Managers and proprietors in horse-racing and related industries.

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2025).

Numbers employed in this occupation are too small to allow for detailed analysis, with marginal annual declines in employment since 2021.

New employment permits issued related mainly to farm managers (including dairy and pig farming) with a small number related to foresters.

• Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

  • Custom House, Dublin, D01 W6X0
  • (01) 888 2000
  • Click Here

• Teagasc - Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority

  • Head Office, Oak Park, Carlow
  • (059) 917 0200
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Coillte

  • The Irish Forestry Board, Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow
  • Click Here

• Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

  • Agriculture House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2
  • (01) 607 2000 Lo Call 1890 200 510
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• COFORD

  • Research Division, Department Agriculture, Food & Marine, Kildare St., Dublin, 2
  • (01) 607 2487
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Forest Industries Ireland

  • Click Here