Maintenance Manager

The Maintenance Manager is a critical leadership role responsible for the reliability and integrity of all plant assets. This manager will lead the maintenance team to maximize equipment uptime, ensure regulatory compliance (especially food safety and PSM), and drive continuous improvement in safety, quality, and efficiency. This position serves as the key technical interface between Operations, Engineering, and Quality Assurance.

Responsibilities

A. Leadership and Team Management (30%) 

• Staff Development: Provide strong leadership, coaching, and direction for the maintenance staff, encompassing electricians, mechanics, and technicians.

• Performance Management: Conduct regular performance evaluations, set clear, measurable employee objectives, and support skill development in alignment with organizational needs.

• Scheduling & Utilization: Manage effective manpower utilization, scheduling, and labor efficiency to ensure 24/7 operational support while minimizing overtime costs.

• Communication: Serve as the primary communication liaison between the maintenance team and Operations leadership, providing timely status updates on critical repairs, downtime, and upcoming PM activities.

• Conflict Resolution: Effectively manage and resolve team conflicts and personnel issues.

B. Maintenance Planning and Reliability (35%) 

• CMMS Administration: Act as the super-user and administrator for the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), such as Accruent Maintenance Connection or MP2.

• Preventive Maintenance (PM) Program: Develop, implement, and continuously optimize a comprehensive PM and Predictive Maintenance (PdM) program to minimize unscheduled downtime. This includes establishing optimal time intervals, manpower allocation, and procedural requirements for major inspections and overhauls.

• Data Analysis: Utilize CMMS reporting capabilities (e.g., Mean Time Between Failures - MTBF, Mean Time To Repair - MTTR) to analyze labor efficiency, track asset history, identify equipment deficiencies, and recommend capital replacement strategies.

• Parts Inventory: Manage spare and repair parts inventory levels to balance cost efficiency with availability for critical components.

C. Technical Expertise and Automation (25%) 

• Control Systems Management: Maintain comprehensive and up-to-date records, backups, and documentation for all plant electrical, PLC programs, and control systems to ensure minimal downtime and operational efficiency.

• Automation Design: Possess the ability to design and troubleshoot industrial automation network systems (e.g., DH-4/5, DH+, Ethernet) to successfully integrate PLC systems and field devices.

• HMI/SCADA Development: Develop, modify, and maintain Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Human-Machine Interface (HMI), historical trending, and database transfer applications controlling plant processes.

• Training: Provide advanced technical training and support to all plant employees covering electrical standards, control logic, and automation troubleshooting.

D. Compliance, Projects, and Safety (10%) 

• Project Management: Manage all equipment changes, installations, and internal projects, applying formal Project Management techniques (e.g., Critical Path Analysis) to ensure timely, in-budget completion.

• Process Safety Management (PSM): Develop, maintain, and enforce local engineering standards and management systems in strict adherence to PSM elements, including Process Safety Information (PSI), Management of Change (MOC), and Mechanical Integrity (MI) programs.

• Capital Planning: Collaborate with facility leadership to define long-term technical needs, recommend annual capital improvement projects, and assist in the execution, startup, and operational performance verification of new installations.

• Food Safety/GMP: Ensure all maintenance practices comply with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and facility-specific food safety standards.

 

III. Qualifications 

 

Category Requirement Preferred Education High School Diploma/GED, or Technical Certification with extensive experience. Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Industrial Engineering, or Industrial Technology. Experience 5+ years of progressive maintenance experience in a highly regulated manufacturing environment. 2+ years in a formal supervisory or management role. Experience in a food/beverage or specialty chemical plant required. Technical Knowledge Strong expertise in mechanical power transmission, fluid dynamics, rotating equipment, pneumatics, and hydraulics. Fluency in industrial electrical systems (480V, VFDs, Motors) and PLC logic/troubleshooting (e.g., Rockwell RS Logix). Certifications in reliability or maintenance management (CMRP, CRL). Deep familiarity with NFPA 70E standards. Software Fluent working knowledge of CMMS, MS Office Suite (Excel, Word, Project Manager), and AutoCAD. Experience with NT 4.0, Access, and current Rockwell Automation software platforms.

IV. Key Competencies

• Strategic Planning: Ability to transition from reactive to proactive maintenance culture.

• Decision Making: Sound judgment in critical, high-pressure downtime situations.

• Accountability: Takes ownership of safety, reliability, and budgetary results.

• Communication: Excellent written and verbal skills for technical reports, training, and executive summaries.