Maintenance Manager

Ferrero; Halstead; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global food company in Halstead is seeking a proactive Maintenance Manager to lead maintenance strategies ensuring reliability and performance of plant equipment. Key responsibilities include managing the maintenance budget, driving operational excellence through cross-functional collaboration, and overseeing supplier relationships. Ideal candidates will have a strong electrical or mechanical engineering background in a fast-paced manufacturing environment, preferably in food production.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in an automated, fast-moving manufacturing environment, preferably in food production.
• Strong background in developing and overseeing maintenance strategies.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage supplier relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead the maintenance strategy to ensure equipment reliability, safety, and performance.
• Manage the maintenance budget, forecasting, and expenditure tracking.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on new machinery specifications and installation.

Skills

Electrical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Cross-functional collaboration

Leadership

Problem-solving

Education

Degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering

Job description

About the Role

We are looking for a proactive and technically experienced Maintenance Manager to lead the maintenance strategy at our Halstead site. This is a pivotal role, responsible for ensuring the reliability, safety, and performance of plant equipment and infrastructure through effective planning, execution, and continuous improvement of maintenance operations.

Responsibilities

You will drive operational excellence by aligning investment planning with plant needs, supporting preventive and condition‑based maintenance, and enabling technical upgrades and projects. Through effective cross‑functional collaboration and strong supplier and team leadership, you'll support the long‑term resilience of the site.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a core function in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment where care, quality, and innovation matter. As Maintenance Manager, you will lead the development and oversight of the plant's maintenance budget, working closely with the business to ensure accurate forecasting, diligent expenditure tracking, and clear justification for any variances. You will be accountable for both planned and reactive maintenance activities, ensuring compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), safety regulations, and Ferrero's internal standards. A key part of your role will be supporting the evolution of maintenance policies and ensuring all documentation, handbooks, and technical instructions remain current and effective.

You will collaborate with cross‑functional teams during the design and installation phases of new machinery, ensuring that assembly, commissioning, and technical specifications are delivered to standard and within timeline. You'll also oversee the procurement of materials, equipment, and services, ensuring the right balance of internal resources and subcontracted support to maintain optimal plant performance.

In planning maintenance interventions, you'll work with Plant Operations to assess resource availability and prioritise activities based on operational needs. You will ensure execution aligns with best practices, and lead root cause analyses where required, using technical KPIs and data insights to identify and implement corrective actions. Continuous improvement will be central to your role – you will identify technical and process enhancements at both equipment and system levels, monitor their success, and contribute to the development of long‑term asset strategies.

You'll play a critical role in managing supplier relationships, from defining technical specifications to evaluating performance and ensuring quality and safety compliance. In addition, you will support the professional development of the maintenance team through structured training plans and coaching, while also contributing to recruitment, absence management, and performance evaluations. You'll collaborate with internal stakeholders on new project requests and investment planning, ensuring technical feasibility, efficiency, and consistency throughout the machinery lifecycle.

Qualifications

We're seeking an experienced engineer with a strong background in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, ideally gained within an automated, fast‑moving manufacturing environment – preferably in food production.

You will thrive in a hands‑on leadership role that requires cross‑functional collaboration, adaptability, and a passion for enabling high standards and reliable plant operations.

About Ferrero

Ferrero began its journey in the small town of Alba in Piedmont, Italy, in 1946. Today, it is one of the world's largest sweet‑packaged food companies, with many iconic brands sold in countries all over the world. Find out more about Ferrero at ferrero.com.