Maintenance Manager

The Head Maintenance Engineer is responsible for leading all maintenance activities in a food processing facility, ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient operation of all equipment and utilities. This role oversees the maintenance team, plans and executes preventive and corrective maintenance, supports continuous improvement, and ensures compliance with food safety, quality, and regulatory standards specific to food processing.Key Responsibilities Leadership & Management Lead, supervise, and develop the maintenance team (technicians, electricians, mechanics, contractors). Plan daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance activities and assign work orders. Establish clear performance goals, provide coaching, and conduct performance reviews. Promote a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement. Equipment & Facilities Maintenance Oversee maintenance and reliability of food processing equipment (pasteurizers, homogenizers, separators, fillers, CIP systems, refrigeration systems, boilers, compressors, pumps, packaging lines, etc.). Ensure timely troubleshooting and repair of mechanical, electrical, and automation issues to minimize downtime. Develop and maintain a preventive and predictive maintenance program for all critical assets. Manage spare parts inventory, critical spares lists, and vendor relationships. Food Safety, Quality & Compliance Ensure all maintenance activities comply with food safety standards (e.g., HACCP, GMP, 5S) and plant sanitation requirements. Collaborate closely with Quality Assurance and Production to maintain product quality and prevent contamination. Ensure equipment design and maintenance support hygienic design principles (cleanability, CIP/SIP, avoidance of dead legs and niches). Support internal and external audits (regulatory, customer, third-party certifications such as SQF/FDA/DOA). Maintain documentation of maintenance activities, calibrations, and inspections as required by regulatory bodies. Utilities & Infrastructure Oversee reliability and efficiency of plant utilities: refrigeration (ammonia/freon), steam/boilers, compressed air, water treatment, wastewater systems, and electrical distribution. Monitor energy and utility consumption; identify and implement cost-saving and efficiency projects. Ensure compliance with environmental, health, and safety regulations related to utilities and hazardous systems (e.g., ammonia, pressure vessels, electrical safety). Projects & Continuous Improvement Lead or support capital projects such as new equipment installation, line upgrades, plant expansions, and automation initiatives. Analyze downtime and maintenance data to identify root causes and drive corrective actions. Implement reliability and maintenance best practices (RCM, TPM, 5S, Kaizen). Prepare and manage the maintenance budget, including labor, parts, and contracted services. Documentation & Systems Develop and Maintain accurate CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) records for work orders, PMs, asset history, and spare parts. Develop and maintain SOPs and maintenance instructions for critical equipment. Ensure all maintenance work adheres to lockout/tagout and other safety procedures.Qualifications Education & Experience Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, or Mechatronics Engineering (or related field); or equivalent technical education and experience. 5+ years of maintenance experience in food or beverage manufacturing 5+ years in a supervisory or leadership role within an industrial maintenance or engineering function. Technical Skills *Strong knowledge of food processing equipment and hygienic design principles. *Experience with refrigeration systems (ammonia preferred), boilers, CIP systems, and high-speed packaging/filling lines. *Solid understanding of electrical systems, PLCs, automation, and instrumentation. *Proficiency with CMMS software and basic data analysis for maintenance KPIs. *Knowledge of relevant codes and regulations (food safety, OSHA, environmental, pressure vessels, ammonia, etc.).