Lead Maintenance Engineer

Spider Web Recruitment; Colchester; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food manufacturing company based north of Colchester is seeking an experienced Lead Maintenance Engineer. You will oversee the maintenance team, implement preventive maintenance programs, and lead engineering projects focused on automation. The ideal candidate has over 5 years of experience and relevant certifications. Attractive benefits include a competitive salary and a strong focus on quality and safety.

Benefits

Competitive Salary

5 weeks annual leave plus Bank Holidays

Free on‑site parking

Pension and discounted products

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment, ideally in food production.
• Experience with health, safety, and environmental regulations.
• Strong leadership and team management capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Oversee maintenance team and ensure equipment operates at peak efficiency.
• Develop and implement preventive maintenance programs.
• Lead and mentor the maintenance team to ensure operational performance.

Skills

Leadership

Problem-solving

Project management

Electrical projects

Maintenance software

Education

HNC/NVQ Level 4 or equivalent

Job description

Lead Maintenance Engineer - Spider

Spider is advertising on behalf of a leading food manufacturing company for an experienced Lead Maintenance Engineer to join their team on a full‑time, permanent basis. This role is based north of Colchester, Essex, reporting directly to the Head of Operations & Technical.

Why them:

This well‑established food production business specialises in high‑quality manufacturing with a strong focus on safety, quality, efficiency, and innovation. They offer a supportive, team‑oriented environment where technical experts can grow, lead projects, and work with modern engineering systems, including end‑of‑line automation.

Fantastic company benefits include:

• Competitive Salary: £45,000 - £55,000 per annum, depending on experience.
• Holiday: 5 weeks annual leave plus Bank Holidays.
• Free on‑site parking
• Employee extras: Pension, discounted products + more

About the role

As Lead Maintenance Engineer, you will oversee the maintenance team and ensure all manufacturing equipment and facilities operate at peak efficiency. You will lead engineering projects focused on end‑of‑line automation, develop and implement preventive maintenance programs, and optimise processes to reduce downtime, maintain high‑quality standards, and achieve cost‑effective operations. You will work closely with production, engineering, and other departments to coordinate activities, mentor the maintenance team, and foster a culture of safety and continuous improvement. Flexible over 45 hours from 6am - 6pm.

Main responsibilities and Duties:

• Ensure all maintenance activities comply with health, safety, and environmental regulations, promoting a strong safety culture and implementing audits, training, and risk management measures.
• Maintain equipment to the highest quality standards, continuously improving processes, documenting activities, and participating in audits.
• Maximise equipment uptime and efficiency, oversee preventive maintenance programs, and monitor performance data.
• Lead, manage, and mentor the maintenance team, ensuring training, motivation, and effective resource allocation.
• Manage maintenance budgets, vendor relationships, spare parts inventory, and implement cost‑saving initiatives.
• Collaborate with production, engineering, and other departments to resolve issues and optimise operational performance.

About you:

As Lead Maintenance Engineer, you will be an experienced maintenance professional with at least 5 years in a manufacturing environment, ideally in food production, holding an HNC/NVQ Level 4 or equivalent. You will have strong leadership, problem‑solving, and project management skills, with experience in electrical projects, maintenance software, and relevant safety certifications desirable. You will be calm under pressure and adaptable, you will lead a team to deliver high‑quality results, achieving zero reportable safety incidents, maintaining 98% equipment reliability, completing 95% of scheduled maintenance tasks on time, reducing unplanned downtime by 20% in the first year, and managing the maintenance budget within a 5% variance while cutting costs by 10%.

If you have the relevant skills and experience for this Lead Maintenance Engineer role and would like to be considered, please apply by forwarding an up‑to‑date CV as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you.

Please check your email inbox and spam/junk folder for any correspondence for this role. If you require any reasonable adjustments or information in an alternative format, please inform us as soon as possible so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Additional keywords:

Lead Engineer, Maintenance Manager, Manufacturing Maintenance, Food Manufacturing, Maintenance Team Leader, Preventive Maintenance, End‑of‑Line Automation, Electrical Projects, Mechanical Projects, Health & Safety, GMP, Equipment Reliability, Production Support, Maintenance Planning, Cost Management