Maintenance Manager

Direct Hire Consultants; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Direct Hire Consultants is seeking a Maintenance Manager to lead our facilities and equipment maintenance in a fast-paced food production environment. You will drive a proactive maintenance culture, oversee safety compliance, and guide project execution to support uninterrupted manufacturing.

Responsibilities include developing the maintenance team, improving systems, and partnering with Operations, Quality, and external contractors to ensure reliable production and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Experience leading maintenance teams in a manufacturing environment.
• Food manufacturing experience preferred.
• Strong problem-solving abilities and proactive mindset.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the maintenance team with strong accountability and continuous improvement.
• Ensure equipment reliability and minimize downtime through proactive planning and RCA.
• Oversee preventive and predictive maintenance programs and track KPIs.
• Manage maintenance projects from planning to implementation with Operations and Quality.
• Maintain spare parts inventory to support rapid recovery and long-term growth.
• Ensure compliance with food safety, quality, OSHA, GMP standards and company policies.
• Prioritize maintenance activities and coordinate shutdowns with Operations.

Skills

Maintenance leadership

Root cause analysis

Team development

Planning & organization

Strong communication

Job description

We are urgently seeking a dynamic and experienced Maintenance Manager to lead our facilities and equipment maintenance operations within a fast-paced food production manufacturing environment. This pivotal role offers the opportunity to oversee the maintenance team, ensure optimal mechanical system performance, and uphold the highest safety standards. As a key leader, you will drive continuous improvement initiatives, manage complex projects, and maintain compliance with safety regulations. If you thrive in a high-energy setting and possess strong management skills coupled with technical expertise, this is your chance to make a significant impact! Great work environment work/life balance, and amazing culture with long term and dedicated professionals.

Purpose

The Maintenance Manager is responsible for leading our maintenance function to ensure

our equipment, facilities, and technical resources consistently support safe, efficient, and

uninterrupted manufacturing. This role provides strategic leadership for maintenance operations, equipment reliability, capital improvement projects, preventive maintenance programs, and technical problem solving while developing a proactive maintenance culture focused on continuous improvement, root cause analysis, and long-term operational success.

Primary Goal:

Develop, strengthen, and lead the maintenance team while creating the structure, accountability, communication, and processes necessary to support long-term operational success.

What Success as the Maintenance Manager Looks Like:

• Builds credibility and trust with the maintenance team.
• Identifies skill gaps and develops employees through coaching and training.
• Creates clear expectations and accountability.
• Improves communication within the department and across operations.
• Strengthens preventive maintenance execution and follow-through.
• Reduces recurring equipment issues through better planning and team development.
• Establishes systems and structure that allow the department to operate proactively.

Preferred Experience:

• Prior experience leading maintenance teams in a manufacturing environment.
• Proven success developing and mentoring maintenance technicians.
• Experience improving maintenance systems, processes, and preventive maintenance programs.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with Operations, Engineering, Quality, and Production.
• Food manufacturing experience preferred.
• Coach and mentor rather than simply direct.
• Lead through accountability and consistency.
• Direct communicator who is transparent and approachable.
• Humble, collaborative, and team oriented.
• Strong problem-solving abilities.
• Comfortable working in a growing company environment.

Additional Preferences:

• Bilingual English/Spanish is helpful.
• Able to connect with a diverse workforce and build strong relationships across the team.

Less Critical Points:

• Leading large capital projects.
• Equipment purchasing and major system implementation.
• Serving as the primary engineering resource.

Role Philosophy

Success in this role is measured not only by how effectively equipment is repaired, but by how successfully recurring issues are prevented, systems are improved, and manufacturing can operate with confidence.

Primary Areas of Responsibility

Leadership

• Lead, coach, develop, and support the maintenance team while promoting accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Establish clear priorities, delegate responsibilities effectively, and ensure projects are followed through to completion.

Equipment Reliability

• Ensure manufacturing equipment consistently supports production requirements.
• Lead efforts to minimize downtime through proactive planning, root cause analysis, and sustainable corrective actions.

Preventive & Predictive Maintenance

• Oversee preventive and predictive maintenance programs and continuously improvemaintenance effectiveness.
• Monitor maintenance performance and identify opportunities to improve equipment reliability.

Projects & Continuous Improvement

• Lead maintenance-related projects from planning through implementation, including new production lines, equipment installations, facility improvements, utilities, and automation initiatives.
• Partner with Operations, Quality, Purchasing, and external contractors to ensure projects are completed safely, efficiently, and with minimal disruption to production.
• Develop strong relationships with equipment manufacturers and service providers.
• Coordinate technical support, inspections, training, upgrades, and specialized maintenance services.

Inventory & Planning

• Maintain an effective spare parts inventory that supports rapid equipment recovery.
• Plan maintenance resources to support both daily operations and long-term growth.

Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure compliance with food safety, quality, OSHA, GMP, and company standards.
• Monitor maintenance KPIs, prepare reports, and recommend improvements.

Decision Authority

• Prioritize maintenance activities and department resources.
• Assign work and delegate responsibilities within the maintenance team.
• Approve routine maintenance purchases within established budgets.
• Coordinate equipment shutdowns with Operations.
• Recommend equipment replacements, capital improvements, staffing needs, and maintenance strategies.

Join us as we strive for excellence in food production manufacturing by maintaining state-of-the-art facilities that prioritize safety, efficiency, and quality!