SR Manager, Maintenance and Automation

Position Overview The Senior Manager, Maintenance & Automation is a senior technical leader responsible for hands-on maintenance, installation, and reliability of food and manufacturing automation equipment across a multi-site network. This role supports both existing operations and new site implementations by providing strong technical leadership, direct troubleshooting support, and hands-on involvement with production and packaging equipment. This position is not a facilities or grounds maintenance role. Success in this role requires deep experience working hands on with repair of food-grade manufacturing, production, and co-packaging equipment in regulated environments. Work Location: Remote role with frequent travel to various sites. Candidates located in the Chicago or Atlanta areas are preferred. Work Schedule: First shift, Monday through Friday with the ability to work outside of scheduled hours based on business needs. Travel: Up to 70% domestic travel, including travel between our US sites as needed. This is non-negotiable. Compensation: Attractive annual salary range of $98,000 - $140,000, plus a performance-based bonus. Comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) with company match, and additional benefits. Key Responsibilities Support Existing Operations Hire, train, and support site Maintenance Managers and maintenance technicians with an emphasis on hands-on technical capability Provide interim coverage for site Maintenance Manager roles, including direct participation in troubleshooting, repairs, and corrective maintenance Audit maintenance programs with on-site involvement in equipment condition, PM effectiveness, and root-cause analysis Troubleshoot and resolve complex equipment issues related to production, packaging, and automation systems New Site & Equipment Implementations Lead and personally participate in equipment installations, removals, demolition, commissioning, and startup Support and execute Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) and Site Acceptance Tests (SATs) Implement and standardize CMMS programs Establish spare parts programs and maintenance tool standards Create and maintain technical maintenance documentation and SOPs Train maintenance technicians and operators on production and packaging equipment Manage automation vendors while remaining hands-on during installs, modifications, and repairs Maintenance, Reliability & Compliance Lead network-wide maintenance and reliability initiatives focused on production uptime and equipment performance Develop, improve, and enforce preventive and predictive maintenance strategies Coordinate outages, capital projects, and equipment upgrades Maintain accurate service records, spare parts inventories, and technical documentation Ensure compliance with OSHA, GMP, and food-grade manufacturing standards Identify trends in downtime, failure modes, and maintenance data to improve reliability Minimum Requirements High School Diploma or equivalent experience 5+ years leading multi-site maintenance programs in food manufacturing, production, or co-packaging environments Demonstrated hands-on experience installing, troubleshooting, wrench turning repairing, and rebuilding production and packaging equipment, including robotic systems (e.g., Fanuc, Kawasaki, MiR). Packaging equipment experience includes horizontal and vertical baggers, automated packaging systems, fillers, shrink and steam tunnels, vertical cartoners, and miscellaneous conveyor systems such as case erectors, case sealers/closers, and tape machines Strong experience with implementing maintenance programs at the site level from scratch Strong experience with automation systems including pneumatics, hydraulics, conveyors, vertical baggers, fillers, scales, and process equipment Experience working directly with automation vendors such as Fanuc, Kawasaki, MIR, or similar Proven ability to lead teams while remaining technically involved Strong communication, organization, and cross-functional collaboration skills Experience supporting automation in food-grade or GMP-regulated facilities Preferred Qualifications Bachelor's Degree 3PL experience supporting manufacturing or packaging operations