Maintenance Manager - Protein

The Maintenance Manager is responsible for leading all maintenance and reliability activities within a protein manufacturing facility to ensure safe, efficient, and uninterrupted operations. This role oversees preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs for production equipment, utilities, and facility infrastructure. The Maintenance Manager plays a critical role in maximizing equipment uptime, supporting food safety and regulatory compliance, controlling maintenance costs, and developing a skilled, safety-focused maintenance workforce.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the maintenance department, including supervisors, technicians, and support staff, to ensure reliable plant operations.

• Develop and implement preventive and predictive maintenance programs to reduce downtime and extend asset life.

• Ensure proper maintenance of processing, packaging, refrigeration, utilities, and facility systems critical to protein manufacturing operations.

• Partner with production, engineering, quality assurance, and safety teams to support operational goals and minimize equipment-related disruptions.

• Ensure compliance with OSHA, USDA, FSIS, HACCP, SSOP, environmental, and food-safety regulations.

• Manage maintenance budgets, control costs, and oversee spare parts inventory and vendor contracts.

• Lead troubleshooting efforts, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions for equipment failures and reliability issues.

• Oversee capital projects, equipment installations, and plant upgrades in coordination with engineering and operations leadership.

• Promote a strong safety culture through training, audits, and consistent enforcement of safety procedures.

• Develop maintenance personnel through training, coaching, performance evaluations, and succession planning.

• Maintain accurate maintenance records, KPIs, and CMMS data to track performance and drive continuous improvement.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent experience).

• 5-8+ years of maintenance leadership experience in protein, food, or industrial manufacturing environments.

• Strong mechanical background with knowledge of electrical systems, automation, and controls preferred.

• Experience with refrigeration systems (ammonia), boilers, utilities, wastewater systems, and hazardous materials management.

• Proven ability to lead teams, manage budgets, and oversee complex maintenance operations.

• Strong problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.

• Proficiency with CMMS platforms, Microsoft Office, and maintenance planning tools.

• Demonstrated commitment to safety, compliance, and continuous improvement.