Maintenance Manager

Description:

Summary/Objective

The Maintenance Manager is responsible for the safe, efficient, and compliant operation of all equipment, utilities, and facilities within our long-established bakery plant. Operating in a legacy facility this role demands a hands-on, resourceful leader who thrives on solving complex mechanical problems, sourcing hard-to-find parts, and keeping production running without the luxury of modern, plug-and-play systems. The Maintenance Manager leads a team of technicians and works closely with production, quality, and safety departments to maximize uptime, control costs, and maintain full food safety compliance.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Equipment & Facility Maintenance

Oversee preventive, corrective, and condition-based maintenance programs for bakery equipment, including older-generation mixers, dividers, rounders, proofers, deck and reel ovens, chain conveyors, slicers, wrappers, and refrigeration systems - much of which may no longer have OEM support

Manage legacy building infrastructure including HVAC, low-pressure steam systems, older electrical distribution panels, compressed air networks, and water and wastewater systems

Develop creative repair and fabrication solutions when OEM parts are discontinued or unavailable; coordinate custom machining or fabrication as needed

Ensure all facilities, equipment, and utilities meet food-grade standards and GMP requirements.

Lead root cause analysis and corrective action for equipment failures, with particular focus on chronic or recurring issues common in high-hour machinery

Team Leadership

Recruit, hire, schedule, and develop a team of maintenance technicians (electrical, mechanical, and multi-craft) with practical, hands-on trade skills

Provide mentorship and technical training, emphasizing hands-on troubleshooting and mechanical aptitude over reliance on automated diagnostics

Conduct performance reviews, coaching sessions, and disciplinary actions as needed

Foster a culture of accountability, ingenuity, and safety

Planning & Reliability

Maintain a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) for work orders, asset history, and spare parts inventory - including cataloging legacy assets

Develop and manage a robust spare parts program for obsolete or hard-to-source components

Create and execute annual maintenance and capital improvement plans that prioritize life-extension strategies for aging assets

Identify equipment nearing end-of-life and build the business case for capital replacement or major rebuilds

Coordinate planned shutdowns and major overhauls with minimal production disruption

Regulatory & Food Safety Compliance

Ensure all maintenance activities comply with FDA, OSHA, EPA, and local regulatory requirements, including those specific to older building construction and electrical codes

Support SQF or other food safety certification audits; develop corrective action plans that address facility and equipment findings

Enforce Lock Out / Tag Out (LOTO), confined space entry, and all applicable safety programs

Budget & Vendor Management

Develop and manage the annual maintenance department budget, balancing reactive repair costs with strategic investment in aging asset reliability

Identify, evaluate, and manage outside contractors and specialty repair vendors for equipment types that require niche expertise

Source spare parts through alternative suppliers, rebuilders, and aftermarket channels when OEM sources are exhausted

Identify and implement practical cost-saving and energy efficiency improvements

Supervisory Responsibility

Direct supervision of the Maintenance team. Requirements:

Required Education and Experience

Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Technology, or a related field - or substantial equivalent experience in a trades or industrial maintenance role

Minimum 5 years of maintenance experience in food manufacturing or another regulated industrial environment, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or management role

Proven ability to troubleshoot and repair older, non-PLC-controlled electromechanical systems; comfort working with relay logic, analog controls, and mechanical governors

Strong hands-on mechanical skills including welding, fabrication, and machining fundamentals; ability to reverse-engineer worn or obsolete components

Experience sourcing obsolete or discontinued parts through aftermarket, rebuild, or custom fabrication channels

Working knowledge of GMP, HACCP, LOTO, and OSHA 29 CFR 1910 standards

Proficiency with CMMS platforms (e.g., SAP PM, Fiix, Maintenance Connection)

Strong problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

Experience maintaining equipment in facilities built prior to 1980, including familiarity with older electrical codes and building systems

Experience in high-volume snack or baked goods production

Trade certifications in electrical, welding, pipefitting, or related disciplines

Demonstrated experience with steam systems, older refrigeration equipment, and legacy conveyor or drive systems

Familiarity with Lean or TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) principles adapted for legacy environments

Bilingual English/Spanish a plus

Physical & Environmental Requirements

Ability to work in a production environment with varying temperatures (hot ovens, walk-in coolers/freezers), noise, flour dust.

Capable of lifting up to 50 lbs, climbing ladders, working in confined or elevated spaces, and standing or walking for extended periods

Must be available for on-call response to equipment emergencies, including nights and weekends

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