Maintenance Team Leader

5S Recruitment Limited; Sittingbourne; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

5S Recruitment Ltd are working with a well-established manufacturing business to recruit an Injection Moulding Maintenance Team Leader in Sittingbourne. The role supports and leads the engineering maintenance function on site, combining hands-on leadership with strategic planning to maximise machine availability.

You will manage a team of maintenance engineers and apprentices, drive preventive maintenance, coordinate maintenance activities, and ensure adherence to safety, quality, and

Qualifications

• Apprentice trained or qualified Mechanical or Electrical Engineer.
• Strong background within manufacturing maintenance environments.
• Previous experience working within Injection Moulding manufacturing highly desirable.
• Strong fault-finding and problem-solving ability across mechanical and electrical systems.
• Supervisory or team leadership experience within engineering or maintenance.
• Experience driving PPM activity and machine reliability improvements.
• Organised with strong communication and reporting skills.
• Ability to motivate, develop, and manage engineering teams effectively.
• Understanding of Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement advantageous.
• IT literate with experience using maintenance management systems preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise a team of Injection Moulding Maintenance Engineers and Apprentices.
• Drive machine uptime, preventative maintenance schedules, and engineering performance.
• Support daily production output through effective maintenance planning and resource allocation.
• Provide technical support across mechanical and electrical maintenance activities.
• Coordinate and record maintenance activity using internal maintenance management systems.
• Develop and improve preventative maintenance procedures to minimise downtime.
• Ensure engineering standards comply with Health & Safety, Environmental, and Quality procedures.
• Manage engineering spares, stock levels, audits, and replacement ordering.
• Support engineering improvement projects and capital investment activity.
• Carry out staff appraisals, absence management, disciplinary procedures, and performance reviews.
• Train, mentor, and develop engineers and apprentices within the department.
• Maintain excellent communication with Production and Planning teams to ensure efficient scheduling of maintenance activity.
• Promote high housekeeping standards and safe working practices across the department.
• Provide clear engineering reports and updates to senior management.
• Adopt a hands‑on approach and support the wider engineering team when required.

Skills

Team leadership

Maintenance planning

Injection moulding

Fault finding

Electrical systems

Mechanical systems

Preventive maintenance

Lean manufacturing

Education

Apprentice trained engineer

Tools

Maintenance management systems

Job description

Injection Moulding Maintenance Team Leader

Monday – Friday Days

Permanent

5S Recruitment are working with a well-established and growing manufacturing business specialising within high-volume injection moulding production, currently recruiting for an Injection Moulding Maintenance Team Leader to support and lead the engineering maintenance function onsite. This is a hands‑on leadership role suited to an experienced maintenance engineer, supervisor, or team leader with a strong background in injection moulding machinery, preventative maintenance and engineering team coordination. The successful candidate will play a key role in driving machine availability, reducing downtime, supporting continuous improvement activities, and leading a team of maintenance engineers within a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise a team of Injection Moulding Maintenance Engineers and Apprentices


• Drive machine uptime, preventative maintenance schedules, and engineering performance


• Support daily production output through effective maintenance planning and resource allocation


• Provide technical support across mechanical and electrical maintenance activities


• Coordinate and record maintenance activity using internal maintenance management systems


• Develop and improve preventative maintenance procedures to minimise downtime


• Ensure engineering standards comply with Health & Safety, Environmental, and Quality procedures


• Manage engineering spares, stock levels, audits, and replacement ordering


• Support engineering improvement projects and capital investment activity


• Carry out staff appraisals, absence management, disciplinary procedures, and performance reviews


• Train, mentor, and develop engineers and apprentices within the department


• Maintain excellent communication with Production and Planning teams to ensure efficient scheduling of maintenance activity


• Promote high housekeeping standards and safe working practices across the department


• Provide clear engineering reports and updates to senior management


• Adopt a hands‑on approach and support the wider engineering team when required

Requirements

• Apprentice trained or qualified Mechanical or Electrical Engineer


• Strong background within manufacturing maintenance environments


• Previous experience working within Injection Moulding manufacturing highly desirable


• Strong fault-finding and problem-solving ability across mechanical and electrical systems


• Supervisory or team leadership experience within engineering or maintenance


• Experience driving PPM activity and machine reliability improvements


• Organised with strong communication and reporting skills


• Ability to motivate, develop, and manage engineering teams effectively


• Understanding of Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement advantageous


• IT literate with experience using maintenance management systems preferred

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Injection Moulding Maintenance Engineer or Engineering Team Leader looking to join a stable and forward-thinking manufacturing business with long-term opportunity and technical investment.