Maintenance Superintendent - Protein

We are recruiting on behalf of a leading pork manufacturer for a Maintenance Superintendent to lead maintenance and reliability operations at a large-scale processing facility.

This is a senior leadership position responsible for overseeing maintenance strategy, asset reliability, workforce development, and operational performance across a complex manufacturing environment. The successful candidate will provide direction to maintenance supervisors, technicians, and contractors while partnering closely with operations leadership to drive uptime, efficiency, safety, and cost control.

The Role

As Maintenance Superintendent, you will be responsible for leading all maintenance and reliability activities across the facility. You will develop and execute maintenance strategies that improve equipment performance, reduce downtime, and optimize maintenance spend while ensuring compliance with food safety, environmental, and safety standards.

Working closely with plant leadership, engineering, operations, and FSQA teams, you will drive a proactive maintenance culture focused on reliability, continuous improvement, and employee development.

Key Responsibilities

Maintenance & Reliability Leadership

• Lead all maintenance and reliability activities across the facility.
• Develop and execute preventive, predictive, and reliability-centered maintenance programs.
• Drive improvements in equipment uptime, asset utilization, and operational efficiency.
• Oversee maintenance planning and scheduling processes to maximize workforce productivity.
• Lead root cause failure analysis initiatives and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Establish and monitor maintenance KPIs to drive continuous improvement.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, coach, and develop maintenance supervisors, planners, and maintenance technicians.
• Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, engagement, and safety.
• Manage staffing plans, succession planning, and workforce development initiatives.
• Ensure technical training programs are in place to support operational requirements.
• Foster strong collaboration between maintenance, operations, and support functions.

Ammonia Refrigeration & Utilities

• Oversee maintenance and reliability of industrial ammonia refrigeration systems.
• Ensure refrigeration operations comply with regulatory requirements and company standards.
• Support and maintain Process Safety Management (PSM) programs where applicable.
• Provide leadership for critical utility systems, including boilers, air compressors, wastewater treatment, and facility infrastructure.
• Ensure emergency response plans related to ammonia refrigeration systems are maintained and regularly reviewed.

Financial & Budget Management

• Develop and manage maintenance operating budgets and capital expenditure plans.
• Identify and implement cost-saving initiatives that improve efficiency and reliability.
• Monitor maintenance spending, contractor utilization, and inventory management.
• Support capital projects from planning through execution and startup.
• Ensure maintenance resources are effectively allocated to meet business objectives.

Safety, Compliance & Food Safety

• Champion a world-class safety culture throughout the maintenance organization.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, environmental, food safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Support USDA-regulated operations through effective maintenance practices and audit readiness.
• Maintain compliance with GMPs, sanitation requirements, and facility standards.
• Lead investigations and corrective actions related to maintenance and safety incidents.

Continuous Improvement & Asset Strategy

• Drive Lean Manufacturing, TPM, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Utilize CMMS data and reliability metrics to improve maintenance effectiveness.
• Develop long-term asset management and equipment replacement strategies.
• Support modernization efforts, automation projects, and technology implementation initiatives.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Industrial Technology, Maintenance Management, or equivalent experience preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive maintenance leadership experience within food manufacturing, protein processing, meat processing, or a similar industrial environment.
• Previous experience managing maintenance supervisors, planners, and technical teams.
• Strong knowledge of maintenance planning, reliability engineering, and asset management.
• Experience managing maintenance budgets and capital projects.
• Working knowledge of industrial electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and utility systems.
• Experience supporting industrial ammonia refrigeration systems.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.