Engineering & Reliability Manager

Private Advertiser; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Private Advertiser is seeking an experienced Engineering & Reliability Manager to lead the maintenance function within its Melbourne operation. The role focuses on safe, efficient plant operation and developing maintenance capabilities to improve asset performance.

You will drive reliability initiatives, partner with production, and oversee budgets and capital projects while fostering a strong safety culture and cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership in manufacturing engineering and maintenance.
• Strong reliability-centred maintenance knowledge.
• Experience leading maintenance improvement and CI initiatives.
• Ability to influence stakeholders and build cross-functional relationships.
• Excellent problem-solving, planning and project management skills.
• Experience in FMCG or highly automated manufacturing environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the maintenance function for safe, efficient plant operation.
• Promote safety culture and ensure compliance with standards.
• Develop maintenance team capability through coaching and development.
• Partner with production to improve equipment performance and efficiency.
• Drive preventive and predictive maintenance strategies to maximise reliability.
• Plan and deliver capital projects safely, on time and within budget.
• Monitor KPIs and drive reliability, efficiency and cost improvements.
• Manage maintenance budgets, procurement and spare parts.

Skills

Leadership

Maintenance management

Reliability-centred maintenance

Stakeholder management

Problem solving

Project planning

Continuous improvement

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

CMMS

Job description

< p>An established Australian food manufacturing organisation is seeking an experienced Engineering & Reliability Manager to join its Operations Leadership Team. This is a hands-on leadership role suited to an experienced engineering professional who enjoys working closely with operations, driving equipment reliability, and building capability within maintenance teams. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring the safe, efficient and reliable performance of the manufacturing operation while contributing to long-term operational improvement initiatives.

Key responsibilities

Lead and develop the maintenance function to ensure safe, efficient and reliable plant operation.

Promote a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with all relevant standards, systems and procedures.

Develop maintenance team capability through coaching, mentoring and structured development initiatives.

Partner closely with production and operational stakeholders to identify opportunities for improved equipment performance and operational efficiency.

Drive preventive and predictive maintenance strategies to maximise asset reliability and minimise downtime.

Utilise maintenance management systems and performance data to support effective planning and continuous improvement.

Lead root cause analysis activities and implement sustainable corrective actions.

Manage maintenance budgets, procurement activities and spare parts inventory.

Plan and deliver capital projects safely, on time and within budget.

Monitor key performance indicators and implement initiatives that improve reliability, efficiency and cost performance.

About you

Proven leadership experience within manufacturing engineering and maintenance environments.

Strong understanding of reliability-centred maintenance principles and asset management practices.

Experience leading maintenance improvement and continuous improvement initiatives.

Demonstrated ability to influence stakeholders and build effective cross-functional relationships.

Strong problem-solving, planning and project management skills.

Seasoned engineering and maintenance leader with significant experience in a manufacturing environment, ideally within FMCG or other highly automated production settings.

Strong technical expertise with practical leadership.

Collaborative and engaging leadership style known for developing people, building trust and creating accountability.

All enquiries and applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.