Maintenance Supervisor

Job Purpose

The Maintenance Supervisor is responsible for leading the maintenance team to ensure the reliable, safe, and efficient operation of all equipment and infrastructure within a pork processing facility. The role focuses on minimizing downtime, improving asset performance, and ensuring full compliance with food safety, health & safety, and regulatory standards.

Key Responsibilities

Maintenance Operations

• Supervise daily maintenance activities across slaughter, processing, packaging, and cold storage areas
• Ensure timely response to equipment breakdowns to minimize production disruption
• Plan and execute preventive and predictive maintenance schedules
• Maintain accurate maintenance records, work orders, and asset histories

Equipment & Reliability

• Monitor equipment performance and implement improvements to increase uptime and efficiency
• Support installation, commissioning, and upgrading of plant machinery
• Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and automation issues
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives (e.g., root cause analysis, lean maintenance practices)

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Ensure all maintenance activities comply with health & safety regulations and company policies
• Enforce safe systems of work, including lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures
• Support compliance with food safety standards (e.g., HACCP, BRC) by maintaining hygienic equipment conditions
• Assist with audits, inspections, and corrective actions

Team Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of maintenance technicians
• Allocate work, manage shift coverage, and ensure skill development
• Promote a strong safety culture and accountability within the team

Planning & Coordination

• Coordinate closely with production teams to schedule maintenance with minimal disruption
• Manage spare parts inventory and liaise with suppliers and contractors
• Support capital projects and plant improvements

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong technical knowledge of mechanical and electrical systems
• Experience with industrial food processing equipment (e.g., conveyors, slicers, chillers, refrigeration systems)
• Leadership and team management skills
• Problem-solving and root cause analysis capability
• Knowledge of CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management Systems)
• Good communication and organizational skills

Qualifications & Experience

• HNC/HND, NVQ Level 3 (or equivalent) in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, or Multi-skilled)
• 3-5+ years of maintenance experience in food processing or manufacturing
• Previous supervisory or team leadership experience preferred
• Knowledge of hygiene and food safety requirements in meat processing environments

Working Conditions

• Industrial food production environment (cold, wet, and fast-paced)
• Regular exposure to processing areas and machinery
• Shift work, including evenings, weekends, and on-call responsibilities as required

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Equipment uptime and downtime reduction
• Preventive maintenance completion rate
• Mean time to repair (MTTR) / Mean time between failures (MTBF)
• Health & safety compliance and incident rates
• Maintenance cost control and budget adherence