2nd Shift Maintenance Supervisor

Upstate Niagara Cooperative; Buffalo (NY); On-site; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Upstate Niagara Cooperative is seeking a Maintenance Supervisor to lead Maintenance Technicians, schedule and prioritize daily activities, and ensure safe, efficient maintenance aligned with production objectives.

Responsibilities include preventive maintenance, root-cause analysis, and collaboration with Production, Quality, and Engineering to minimize downtime and improve equipment reliability. Strong leadership and union-aware experience preferred.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED is required.
• Technical degree or equivalent industrial maintenance experience preferred.
• Minimum five years of industrial maintenance experience.
• Experience in a union manufacturing environment is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct supervision and leadership to Maintenance Technicians during assigned shifts.
• Coordinate preventive maintenance work orders and ensure on-time completion.
• Coach employees and manage labor utilization and performance.
• Ensure safety, food safety, and GMP compliance across the plant.
• Coordinate with other departments to minimize downtime and support production goals.

Skills

Leadership

Supervisory

Maintenance planning

Troubleshooting

CMMS

Electrical systems

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Technical degree or equivalent industrial maintenance experience

Tools

CMMS systems

VFDs and motor controls

Pumps and valves

Job description

Dale Road Plant (UNC)
Buffalo, NY 14225, USA

Description

Join a team that nourishes life from farm to table! Upstate Niagara Cooperative, proudly owned by 200+ local family farms, is one of America’s largest and most stable dairy cooperatives. Guided by farmer- and employee-led values, we process and market high-quality milk, yogurt, dips, sour cream, cottage cheese, and more under our trusted brands: Upstate Farms®, Bison®, Milk for Life®, and Intense Milk®. Here, you’ll support sustainable farming, strong communities, and the mission to deliver fresh, local dairy to families every day.

Position Summary

The Maintenance Supervisor is responsible for providing daily leadership, direction, and support to Maintenance Technicians on their assigned shift. This position ensures maintenance activities are completed safely, efficiently, and in accordance with company standards while minimizing equipment downtime and supporting production objectives.

The Maintenance Supervisor is responsible for executing preventive maintenance programs, coordinating corrective maintenance activities, assigning work, coaching employees, and ensuring compliance with all safety, food safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements. This position reports to the Maintenance Manager.

Leadership & Supervision

• Provide direct supervision and leadership to Maintenance Technicians during assigned shifts.
• Assign, prioritize, and coordinate daily maintenance activities.
• Ensure adequate staffing and labor utilization throughout the shift.
• Monitor employee performance and provide coaching, mentoring, and technical guidance.
• Conduct shift meetings to communicate priorities, safety concerns, and operational updates.
• Maintain accountability for attendance, punctuality, productivity, and workplace conduct.
• Support employee development through cross-training and technical skill advancement.
• Assist with interviewing, onboarding, and training new maintenance employees.

Maintenance Operations

• Coordinate emergency repairs to restore equipment safely and efficiently.
• Ensure preventive maintenance work orders are completed according to schedule.
• Prioritize work based on production impact, safety, equipment reliability, and business needs.
• Verify repairs are completed correctly before equipment is returned to production.
• Ensure root cause analysis is completed for recurring equipment failures.
• Work closely with Production, Quality, Engineering, Refrigeration, and Sanitation departments to minimize downtime.
• Support plant shutdowns, capital projects, equipment installations, and commissioning activities.

CMMS & Work Order Management

• Manage daily maintenance work assignments through the CMMS.
• Ensure work orders are properly documented with accurate labor hours, parts usage, and repair descriptions.
• Review completed work orders for accuracy and completeness.
• Monitor preventive maintenance compliance and backlog.
• Assist in planning future maintenance activities.

Labor Performance & Accountability

• Monitor technician labor activity and productivity.
• Review weekly labor reports and discuss performance with employees as necessary.
• Coach employees regarding performance expectations and continuous improvement.
• Address performance deficiencies through progressive discipline in accordance with company policy and the collective bargaining agreement.

Safety & Regulatory Compliance

• Promote a strong safety culture through daily leadership.
• Ensure compliance with:
  • Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)
  • Machine guarding
  • Arc Flash requirements
  • Confined Space procedures
  • Hot Work permits
  • PPE requirements
  • GMPs
  • Food Safety standards
  • OSHA regulations
  • PSM/RMP requirements where applicable
• Immediately address unsafe conditions and behaviors.
• Participate in accident investigations and corrective actions.

Inventory & Parts Coordination

• Coordinate parts requirements with the Planner/Scheduler and Parts Room Coordinator.
• Ensure technicians obtain and return parts in accordance with inventory procedures.
• Identify critical spare parts requirements.
• Assist in maintaining inventory accuracy.

Communication

• Communicate equipment status and priorities with Production leadership.
• Escalate significant maintenance issues to management.
• Maintain professional communication with vendors and contractors.
• Identify opportunities to improve equipment reliability.
• Recommend improvements to preventive maintenance programs.
• Participate in reliability initiatives and continuous improvement projects.
• Support standardization of maintenance procedures and documentation.

Qualifications

Education

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Technical degree or equivalent industrial maintenance experience preferred.

Experience

• Minimum five years of industrial maintenance experience.
• Previous supervisory or leadership experience preferred.
• Experience within food or dairy manufacturing preferred.
• Strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills.
• Experience working in a union manufacturing environment preferred.

Knowledge & Skills

• Industrial mechanical systems
• Industrial electrical systems
• Pneumatic and hydraulic systems
• Pumps and valves
• VFDs and motor controls
• Preventive and predictive maintenance
• CMMS systems
• Microsoft Office
• Strong communication and leadership skills
• Excellent organizational and prioritization abilities
• Ability to make sound decisions under pressure

Physical Requirements

• Frequently walk throughout the manufacturing facility.
• Climb ladders and stairs.
• Lift up to 50 pounds.
• Work in hot, cold, wet, noisy, and confined environments.
• Ability to work weekends, holidays, overtime, and respond to emergency call-ins as required.

Performance Expectations

Maintenance Supervisors are expected to:

• Foster a culture centered on safety, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Minimize emergency maintenance through proactive planning.
• Reduce equipment downtime and improve overall equipment reliability.
• Maintain accurate CMMS documentation.
• Support employee development through coaching and training.
• Ensure timely communication between maintenance and production.
• Demonstrate professionalism, fairness, and consistency in employee leadership.
• Promote compliance with all company policies and the collective bargaining agreement.

Reporting Structure

Reports To:

• Maintenance Manager

Direct Reports:

• Maintenance Technicians
• Maintenance Leads (where applicable)

Core Competencies

• Leadership
• Accountability
• Safety Leadership
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Problem Solving
• Decision Making
• Planning & Organization
• Customer Service
• Technical Competence
• Integrity & Professionalism

Pay: $85-$95K a year*

*The salary range indicated in this posting represents the minimum and maximum of the salary range for this position. Actual salary will vary depending on factors including, but not limited to, budget available, prior experience, knowledge, skill and education as they relate to the position’s qualifications, in addition to internal equity. The posted salary range reflects just one component of our total rewards package. Other components of the total rewards package may include participation in group health and/or dental insurance, retirement plan, wellness program, paid time away from work, and paid holidays.

*Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc. is committed to equal employment opportunity for all, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.