Maintenance Front Line Manager

Lakeland Dairies; Newtownards; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Lakeland Dairies Newtownards site seeks an experienced Maintenance Front Line Manager to lead the engineering maintenance team and drive world‑class manufacturing performance.

You will ensure safe, efficient operation of site assets, coordinate weekly maintenance, and mentor technicians while collaborating with Production, Quality, Planning and Warehouse teams.

Qualifications

• Time‑served engineering apprenticeship with proven experience within a food manufacturing or FMCG environment.
• Hands‑on maintenance engineering experience with asset reliability and equipment performance.
• Experience leading or managing engineering teams within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office and ability to lead, motivate and develop teams.
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence across the organisation.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and ability to build cross‑functional relationships.
• Highly organised with planning, coordination and prioritisation skills.
• A relevant third level engineering or Health & Safety qualification, and/or experience in continuous improvement and/or asset care delivery would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead, motivate and develop a team of Maintenance Technicians and Service Operators, managing performance and engagement.
• Manage engineering resources including shift rotas, holidays, overtime, absence cover and training schedules.
• Deliver planned maintenance activities by coordinating weekly maintenance schedules and downtime plans.
• Drive rapid and effective breakdown response, coordinating manpower, parts and contractors.
• Champion health, safety and food safety standards and permit‑to‑work compliance.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives and the Operational Excellence programme.
• Develop engineering capability by identifying training needs and coaching the team.
• Drive Ultimo CMMS integration to improve maintenance planning, execution and KPI reporting.
• Act as a key engineering leader on site and deputise for the Maintenance Manager when required.

Skills

Maintenance engineering

Team leadership

Planning & scheduling

Stakeholder management

Problem solving

Food manufacturing familiarity

Education

Engineering qualification

Health & Safety qualification

Tools

Ultimo CMMS

Microsoft Office

Job description

Lakeland Dairies Co-operative Society Limited (The Group) is the second largest dairy processor on the island of Ireland. The business is complex and ambitious with a milk supply pool of 2 billion litres of milk, drawn from over 3,200 family farms across 16 counties.

Applications are invited for the above position at our Newtownards site.

The opportunity:

Our team in Newtownards are seeking an experienced and people-focused Maintenance Front Line Manager to lead our engineering maintenance team and play a key role in delivering world-class manufacturing performance.

This is an exciting opportunity to combine strong technical expertise with leadership capability, ensuring the safe, efficient and reliable operation of site assets while driving continuous improvement across the plant. Working closely with Production, Quality, Planning and Warehouse teams, you will lead from the front, develop engineering talent and create a culture focused on safety, accountability and operational excellence.

What success looks like:

• Lead, motivate and develop a team of Maintenance Technicians and Service Operators, managing performance, attendance, engagement and capability through a collaborative and empowering leadership style.
• Manage engineering resources effectively, including shift rotas, holidays, overtime, absence cover and training schedules, ensuring operational requirements are consistently met.
• Deliver planned maintenance activities by coordinating weekly maintenance schedules, downtime plans and contractor support to maximise equipment reliability and plant performance.
• Drive rapid and effective breakdown response, prioritising maintenance activities and coordinating manpower, spare parts and external contractors to minimise downtime and production impact.
• Champion health, safety and food safety standards, ensuring compliance with permit-to-work systems, LOTO procedures, risk assessments and all relevant site and legislative requirements.
• Support continuous improvement and operational excellence initiatives, promoting the site Operational Excellence programme and working cross-functionally to improve equipment performance, efficiency and reliability.
• Develop engineering capability by identifying training needs, providing coaching and mentoring, and supporting ongoing skills development across the maintenance team.
• Drive the successful integration of the Ultimo CMMS across Engineering embedding its correct and consistent use to improve maintenance planning, execution, asset history and KPI reporting
• Act as a key engineering leader on site, collaborating with stakeholders across Production, Quality, Planning, HR and Warehousing, while deputising for the Maintenance Manager when required.

We are seeking a confident and proactive engineering leader with a strong background in food manufacturing or FMCG environments. You will combine hands‑on technical expertise with excellent people management skills, enabling you to lead high‑performing teams, drive operational improvements and deliver results in a fast‑paced, safety‑critical environment.

What you will bring:

• Time‑served engineering apprenticeship with proven experience within a food manufacturing or FMCG environment.
• Demonstrable hands‑on maintenance engineering experience, with a strong understanding of asset reliability and equipment performance.
• Previous experience leading, supervising or managing engineering teams within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong IT skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office and proven ability to lead, motivate and develop teams.
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence, engage and drive change at all levels of the organisation.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, and capable of building effective working relationships across multiple functions.
• Highly organised with excellent planning, coordination and prioritisation skills.

A relevant third level engineering or Health & Safety qualification, and/or experience in continuous improvement and/or asset care delivery would be advantageous.

If you have the necessary skills and attributes to meet this challenging opportunity in a dynamic, high volume and fast‑moving business, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Lakeland Dairies Ltd is committed to having an inclusive workplace where every employee feels they belong. If you require accommodations to be made during the recruitment process or have questions relating to accessibility, please contact us at [e-mail]