Maintenance Manager

Kinisla Group; Cork; On-site; EUR 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Kinisla is seeking a Maintenance Manager at our Charleville cheese processing plant to lead the maintenance team across a 24/7 operation, ensuring reliability and efficiency. You will drive continuous improvement initiatives and embed Lean principles throughout maintenance processes, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to optimize asset performance.

We value strong leadership, problem-solving, and hands-on engineering mindset, with a focus on safety and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• Degree in Engineering or a relevant trade qualification.
• Proven experience in a process-driven industry with practical application of continuous improvement and Lean methodologies.
• Strong leadership, communication and people management skills with a hands-on approach.
• Good problem-solving ability and engineering mindset.
• Practical application of engineering principles in operational settings.
• Solid business acumen and ability to collaborate effectively with manufacturing teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the maintenance team, fostering a strong people management culture and technical capability.
• Foster a strong health & safety culture across the team.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives and embed Lean principles across maintenance processes.
• Develop and implement strategies for engineering execution and asset life-cycle management.
• Introduce and promote knowledge-sharing systems, ensuring active engagement from all team members.
• Design and deliver training and development plans for the maintenance team.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, external engineering experts, and third-party service providers.
• Establish and manage Service Level Agreements for plant and utilities maintenance.
• Ensure robust contingency plans for out-of-hours and critical failures.
• Oversee permit-to-work processes, including contractor control.
• Guarantee compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements, particularly regarding hazardous materials.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Lean methodologies

Problem-solving

Engineering mindset

Collaboration with manufacturing teams

Education

Degree in Engineering or relevant trade qualification

Job description

About The Role

Here at Kinisla, we're currently recruiting for a Maintenance Manager to join our Engineering team at the Charleville cheese processing plant, home to the iconic Cheestrings brand. In this role, you will be key to maintaining reliability and efficiency across our 24/7 operation, while driving continuous improvement initiatives. You will lead a skilled team and collaborate closely with colleagues across the business to ensure critical assets perform at their best.

This is a full-time, permanent and onsite position.

What will I be doing?

• Lead and develop the maintenance team, fostering a strong people management culture and technical capability
• Foster a strong health & safety culture across the team
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives and embed Lean principles across maintenance processes
• Develop and implement strategies for engineering execution and asset life-cycle management
• Introduce and promote knowledge-sharing systems, ensuring active engagement from all team members
• Design and deliver training and development plans for the maintenance team
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, external engineering experts, and third-party service providers
• Establish and manage Service Level Agreements for plant and utilities maintenance
• Ensure robust contingency plans for out-of-hours and critical failures
• Oversee permit-to-work processes, including contractor control
• Guarantee compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements, particularly regarding hazardous materials

What do I need to be successful?

• Degree in Engineering or a relevant trade qualification
• Proven experience in a process-driven industry, with practical application of continuous improvement and Lean methodologies (food, pharmaceutical, or medical devices preferred)
• Strong leadership, communication and people management skills with a hands-on approach
• Good problem-solving ability and engineering mindset
• Practical application of engineering principles in operational settings
• Solid business acumen and ability to collaborate effectively with manufacturing teams

About Kinisla

Kinisla is a vertically integrated farm-to-fork business with a very substantial consumer foods presence and a leading nutritional and dairy ingredients division, delivering high-quality dairy solutions with a focus on sustainability and innovation. From partnering with local family farms to producing world-class dairy products, we ensure every step of our value chain reflects our commitment to excellence.

With over 50 years' experience in milk processing, dairy and nutritional technology advancement, and product innovation, we are a key stakeholder in the global food industry and creators of a strong portfolio of market leading dairy brands including Cheestrings, Charleville and Coleraine Cheese, Dairygold, Golden Cow and our new SMUG range. Our from food, for food culture and deep-rooted connection to our 2,800 milk suppliers differentiates our business and offers captivating opportunities for our customers and consumers.

Our dairy comes from some of the world's richest grazing land and is produced by a network of Irish family farms that have one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world. Through a combination of expertise, innovation, and sustainability, Kinisla is proud to shape the future of dairy while meeting the diverse needs of our farmers, customers, and communities.

Headquartered in Tralee, Co. Kerry, we operate multiple manufacturing facilities in the southwest of Ireland, including Listowel, Charleville, Newmarket, and Farranfore. Additionally, we manage 28 Farm & Home stores throughout the region, ensuring comprehensive coverage and service. In Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom, our presence extends to key locations in Portadown, Coleraine, and Ossett.

Globally, Kinisla employs over 1,700 dedicated professionals across Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, USA, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and China. In 2024, we achieved a turnover of approximately €1.3 billion, reflecting our commitment to excellence and growth.

Get in touch today!

At Kinisla, we benefit from the knowledge of our colleagues who bring a diverse range of cultures, backgrounds, lifestyles and experiences. One team fostering an inclusive culture that, above all, inspires food and nourishes life. One culture where everyone brings their unique perspectives and experiences to help make us better, together. We are committed to nurturing an environment of positivity and inclusiveness, where everyone can be at their best, both personally and professionally.

Our recruitment, selection and assessment process are based on the skills and competencies of the specific roles and based entirely on merit. We are committed to and value Diversity and Inclusion in all recruitment processes within Kinisla and do not discriminate based on gender, race, class, economic status, ethnic background, sexual orientation, age, political beliefs, veteran status, marital status or any other protected characteristic.