Assistant Maintenance Manager, Shred & Mozzarella

Lactalis USA; Nampa (ID); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Education reimbursement

Paid time off

Retirement plan contributions

Training & development opportunities

Job summary

Lactalis USA in Idaho is seeking an Assistant Maintenance Manager to lead a maintenance team in a dairy processing plant, driving safety, reliability, and cost control to meet production goals.

You’ll bring 5–6 years in maintenance, 5–6 years in leadership, and a strong background in food manufacturing; CMMS and Kronos experience are preferred. This is an on‑site role with opportunity for growth.

Qualifications

• Associate’s Degree from a two‑year college or technical school preferred.
• 5–6 years of experience in a maintenance environment.
• 5–6 years of leadership or management experience preferred.
• Experience in food manufacturing strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee maintenance safety, reliability, and efficiency.
• Lead preventive and corrective maintenance to minimize downtime.
• Analyze equipment failures and implement fixes.
• Supervise and develop maintenance team members.
• Plan maintenance manpower per production needs.
• Ensure safety, environmental, and regulatory compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Technical reading

Listening

Decision making

Multitasking

Education

Associate degree

Tools

Syswin

Kronos

Ultraware

Job description

Description

Ready for more than just a job? Build a career with purpose.

At Lactalis in the USA, we’re committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive—whether you’re just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we offer the tools and support to help you succeed.

As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family‑owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Each day, we’re proud to produce award‑winning dairy products that bring people together.

In the US, we proudly offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani® Italian cheeses and ricotta, Président® specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft® natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone’s® cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel®, Black Diamond® cheddar, and Parmalat® milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi’s®, Stonyfield Organic®, Brown Cow™, Oui®, Yoplait®, Go‑Gurt®, :ratio®, Green Mountain Creamery®, and Mountain High®, along with a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun®, Gopi®, and Arz®.

At Lactalis, we live by our core values—Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone’s unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don’t meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us shape the future of dairy.

Requirements

The Assistant Maintenance Manager is responsible for ensuring the plant operates safely, efficiently, and reliably. This role leads the maintenance team, supports production quality, and drives continuous improvement across equipment reliability, safety, and cost control. The Maintenance Manager identifies and resolves equipment and process issues, minimizes downtime, and partners with plant leadership to achieve operational goals. This position supervises maintenance employees, supports hands‑on work as needed, and ensures compliance with safety, environmental, and operational standards.

Key Responsibilities For This Position Include

Maintenance & Equipment Reliability

• Ensure all manufacturing equipment operates safely, reliably, and efficiently.
• Oversee preventive and corrective maintenance activities to minimize downtime.
• Analyze equipment failures, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions.
• Support hands‑on maintenance activities when required.
• Participate in trials involving equipment, processes, or new technologies.

Leadership & Team Management

• Supervise, train, and develop maintenance team members.
• Organize team output, including efficiency, workload, and headcount planning.
• Plan and schedule maintenance manpower consistent with production requirements.
• Lead effective decision‑making related to safety, production priorities, and plant goals.
• Ensure safety rules are applied, followed, and enforced across the maintenance team.
• Identify unsafe acts or conditions and take immediate corrective action.
• Participate in identifying occupational hazards and preventing potential risks.

Inventory, Budget, & Cost Control

• Maintain responsibility for maintenance inventory, including organization and control systems.
• Order parts as needed and maintain accurate inventory data (vendors, reorder points, usage).
• Identify obsolete inventory and coordinate proper disposal with finance and leadership.
• Coordinate shipping and receiving of maintenance materials and supplies.
• Maintain maintenance budget records and work closely with the Maintenance Manager/Controller to develop and manage budgets.
• Support cost‑saving initiatives and continuous improvement efforts.
• Work with suppliers to negotiate pricing, delivery, and explore alternative sourcing options.

Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Develop, maintain, and improve maintenance reporting and tracking tools.
• Conduct research, comparisons, and simulations to support operational decisions.
• Propose technical and organizational improvements to plant leadership.
• Ensure environmental regulations are understood, applied, and followed.

Qualified Applicants Will Contribute The Following

Education

• Associate’s Degree from a two‑year college or technical school preferred.

Experience

• 5–6 years of experience in a maintenance environment or equivalent technical background.
• 5–6 years of leadership or management experience preferred.
• Experience in food manufacturing strongly preferred.

Specialized Knowledge

• Strong working knowledge of industrial maintenance and manufacturing equipment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Experience with CMMS, inventory systems, and time‑tracking software preferred
• (e.g., Syswin, Kronos, Ultraware, or similar systems).
• Understanding of safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements in manufacturing environments.

Skills / Abilities

• Strong leadership and people‑management skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to interpret technical manuals, procedures, and instructions.
• Strong listening skills with the ability to respond to maintenance concerns.
• Sound decision‑making, problem‑solving, and analytical skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment.

Strong organizational, planning, and time‑management abilities

At Lactalis, we offer a comprehensive Total Rewards Program with a variety of affordable benefits and coverage options. We support insurance costs significantly, contribute generously to retirement plans, and offer Paid Time Off from day one. We are committed to your professional growth, providing training and development opportunities, including Education Reimbursement. Join us and grow your career.

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally‑recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities. Further, any division of the Company that is an Aff…