Position Summary

The Maintenance Manager oversees all maintenance operations for a high-volume baked snack and ambient food manufacturing facility. This role ensures that all processing, baking, and packaging equipment — along with facility utilities — operate safely, efficiently, and reliably to support continuous production. The Maintenance Manager leads the maintenance team in executing preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs that minimize downtime, uphold food safety and quality standards, and drive continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

Lead, coach, and develop a team of maintenance technicians to build technical expertise and ownership.
Plan and assign daily maintenance activities to support production schedules and preventive maintenance goals.
Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
Conduct regular performance reviews and identify technical training opportunities to strengthen the team’s capabilities.

Maintenance Operations

Oversee maintenance of baking, mixing, conveying, and high-speed packaging equipment.
Ensure preventive maintenance (PM) schedules are executed on time and documented accurately in the Maintenance Management System (MMS).
Manage work orders and prioritize repairs to minimize unplanned downtime.
Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and automation issues and lead root cause analysis efforts.
Coordinate maintenance work with Production, Quality, and Sanitation to align with production runs and changeovers.
Maintain utilities such as compressed air, HVAC, electrical distribution, and plant water systems.

Reliability & Continuous Improvement

Implement predictive and reliability-centered maintenance strategies to reduce equipment failures.
Drive Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) improvements through equipment optimization and process reliability.
Partner with Engineering and Operations on new equipment installations, commissioning, and capital projects.
Identify and execute cost-effective upgrades to improve line speed, reduce waste, and enhance safety.

Food Safety, Quality & Compliance

Ensure all maintenance activities meet GMP, HACCP, SQF, and FDA/USDA food safety standards.
Maintain production and facility areas to ensure food-safe operation — including proper lubrication, guarding, and sanitation.
Participate in internal and external audits and ensure corrective actions are completed promptly.
Properly manage and store maintenance-related chemicals, lubricants, and spare parts to prevent contamination.

Safety & Environmental

Enforce compliance with all safety programs, including lockout/tagout, confined space, and hot work permits.
Conduct safety audits and training to reinforce a zero-incident culture.
Collaborate with Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) to investigate incidents and implement preventive measures.
Support plant sustainability initiatives related to energy, water, and waste reduction.

Administrative & Budget Responsibilities

Develop and manage the annual maintenance budget, including labor, parts, tools, and contracted services.
Manage spare parts inventory and supplier relationships to ensure critical components are available without excess.
Maintain accurate maintenance records through the MMS and report key metrics, including downtime, PM completion, and repair costs.
Manage vendor and contractor relationships for equipment service, calibration, and technical support.

Qualifications

Education & Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering preferred; equivalent technical training and experience accepted.
5+ years of progressive maintenance experience in food, snack, or CPG manufacturing.
3+ years in a supervisory or managerial maintenance role.
Strong understanding of food-grade processing and packaging systems, including conveyors, form-fill-seal, and baking equipment.
Familiarity with automation systems, PLCs
Experience with SQF/BRC and GMP compliance.
Proven success managing maintenance budgets and capital projects.

Skills & Competencies:

Strong leadership and team-building skills.
Expertise in troubleshooting mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic systems.
Proficiency with MMS systems and maintenance planning tools.
Excellent problem-solving and root cause analysis skills.
Clear communication and collaboration across departments.
Strong sense of urgency and ownership of plant performance.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

Must be able to stand, walk, and climb ladders or stairs for extended periods.
Work in a manufacturing environment with varying temperatures, including ovens and packaging areas.
Occasionally lift up to 50 lbs.
Availability for on-call or off-shift support as needed for emergency repairs or projects.

Key Performance Indicators

Equipment uptime and OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)
PM completion rate and schedule compliance
Maintenance cost control and budget adherence
Safety and food safety compliance audit results

Appleton Finn

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