Maintenance Manager - Dairy

As the Maintenance Manager at a dairy manufacturing facility, you take ownership of keeping the plant running safely, efficiently, and reliably. You lead a team of maintenance technicians and engineers who depend on your guidance, technical expertise, and commitment to excellence.

You oversee all maintenance activities - from preventive and predictive work to troubleshooting critical equipment - ensuring that production never misses a beat. You play a key role in upholding food safety standards, supporting continuous improvement, and fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and teamwork.

What You'll Do

• Lead, coach, and motivate your maintenance team to deliver consistent, high-quality work.

• Plan and oversee preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance for all dairy processing and packaging equipment - including pasteurizers, homogenizers, separators, fillers, CIP systems, refrigeration, and boilers.

• Troubleshoot equipment breakdowns quickly and effectively to minimize downtime.

• Partner with production, quality, and engineering teams to drive process improvements and equipment reliability.

• Maintain and update all maintenance records, work orders, and spare parts in the CMMS.

• Ensure all maintenance activities comply with GMPs, FDA, USDA, PMO, and OSHA requirements.

• Manage your maintenance budget and make smart decisions on labor, spare parts, and capital investments.

• Implement reliability-centered maintenance and data-driven strategies to improve uptime and reduce costs.

• Promote a safety-first culture, making sure your team follows all safety standards and procedures.

• Participate in audits and inspections, ensuring equipment and facilities meet regulatory and company standards.

What You'll Bring

• A degree in Engineering, Maintenance Management, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

• At least 5 years of maintenance leadership experience in dairy, beverage, or food manufacturing.

• Strong technical knowledge of dairy processing and packaging equipment, utilities, and support systems.

• Hands-on experience with mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, and refrigeration systems.

• Proficiency with CMMS systems and maintenance planning.

• Familiarity with GMPs, HACCP, and food safety regulations.

• Excellent communication, leadership, and team-building skills.

• A proactive mindset - you don't wait for problems to happen; you prevent them.