Maintenance Manager

Simply Driven Executive Search; Indianapolis (IN); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Maintenance Manager role oversees the maintenance function at a commercial bakery production facility, directing repairs, PM programs, and facilities operations to maximize uptime while complying with food safety regulations.

You will lead a team, manage budgets, CAPEX projects, and coordinate with Production, QA, and Safety to ensure safe, compliant, high-quality production.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on management in a food manufacturing environment.
• Associates or Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering or Industrial Technology.
• Strong knowledge of electrical systems, HVAC, boilers, and industrial machinery.
• PLC programming experience and familiarity with SPC/IPM software.
• AIB certification is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee maintenance of high-volume bakery equipment and facilities to maximize uptime.
• Lead PM programs and CMMS to track work orders and parts.
• Manage budgets, CAPEX projects, and maintenance staffing.
• Collaborate with QA, Safety, and Production to uphold regulatory compliance.
• Enforce safety protocols including LOTO and sanitary maintenance.

Skills

Maintenance management

Engineering leadership

Regulatory compliance

Budgeting & CAPEX

Team leadership

Preventive maintenance

CMMS

PLC programming

Safety protocols

Education

Associate or Bachelor in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering or Industrial Technology

Tools

CMMS

Job description

The Maintenance Manager is responsible for the overall maintenance function of the commercial production facility. This position directs all equipment repairs, preventive maintenance programs, and facility operations to maximize production uptime while ensuring strict compliance with regulatory food safety frameworks. The manager executes technical systems and processes to ensure high-quality products are produced safely and efficiently.

Core Departmental Goals

• Production Reliability: Minimize equipment downtime, resolve technical bottlenecks, and optimize plant asset life cycles.
• Financial Stewardship: Develop and control short- and long-term departmental budgets, maintenance operating costs, and capital expenditures.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate actively with Production, Quality Assurance, and Safety departments to uphold operational excellence.
• Team Development: Build technical and leadership skills across maintenance supervisors, technicians, and multi-craft mechanics.
• Equipment Maintenance: Oversee mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic servicing for high-volume commercial bakery systems, including industrial mixers, dividers, rounders, proofers, deck/reel ovens, conveyors, slicers, and wrappers. Analyze and solve complex technical challenges.
• Asset & Reliability Management: Maintain and audit an effective Preventive Maintenance (PM) program and Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to track work orders, asset histories, and spare parts inventories to assure minimal plant downtime.
• Capital Improvement Projects: Identify, plan, implement, and manage capital improvement projects (CAPEX) from conception through execution, aligning infrastructure upgrades with plant capacity goals.
• Safety & Environmental Compliance: Administer, monitor, and audit all corporate safety control and environmental protection programs. Ensure full compliance with State, Federal, and Local regulations (OSHA, EPA, FDA, HACCP, SQF), enforcing strict Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) protocols and sanitary maintenance methods.
• Team Leadership & Personnel Development: Supervise the maintenance team. Lead hiring, scheduling, and mentoring efforts. Conduct rigorous performance appraisals and establish targeted technical/leadership training programs for maintenance supervisors and mechanics to bridge performance or skill gaps.

Qualifications, Knowledge, & Skills

• Professional Experience: 5+ years of hands-on management and engineering leadership experience within a food manufacturing facility, commercial baking plant, or highly regulated production environment.
• Education & Background: Associates or Bachelor;s degree in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering,
• Industrial Technology, or equivalent technical trade school/military background.
• Technical Systems Knowledge: Deep operational background in electrical circuitry, commercial refrigeration/HVAC, fuel-burning equipment, boiler/steam utilities, and advanced machine mechanics.
• PLC Programming: Strong working knowledge of Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) architectures, relay logic, and troubleshooting. Active PLC programming capabilities are highly preferred.
• Process Control Systems: Familiarity with Integrated Process Management (IPM) or similar statistical process control (SPC) software environments.
• Industry Certifications: American Institute of Baking (AIB) certification is highly preferred.