Maintenance Manager

The Sterling Choice; North Carolina; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Sterling Choice is partnering with a North Carolina food manufacturer to recruit a Maintenance Manager who will own the site maintenance function and drive reliability across the plant.

You will lead a team of technicians, implement PM/PdM programs, manage budgets, and collaborate with Production, Engineering, and Quality to minimize downtime and ensure safe, compliant operations.

Qualifications

• Experience leading maintenance within high-volume manufacturing.
• Strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills.
• Proven experience developing maintenance technicians.
• Knowledge of PM/PdM and reliability.
• Experience with CMMS and maintenance metrics.
• Experience managing contractors, vendors, and budgets.
• Leadership to build accountability and develop a team.

Responsibilities

• Lead the site's maintenance operation, collaborating with Production, Engineering, Quality, and leadership to keep the facility running safely, reliably, and efficiently.
• Develop and mentor maintenance technicians and build a proactive team culture.
• Drive down unplanned downtime and improve equipment reliability.
• Oversee mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and automated equipment.
• Manage maintenance schedules, priorities, and work orders.
• Develop and track maintenance KPIs and reporting.
• Support equipment upgrades, installations, and capital projects.
• Manage contractors, vendors, parts, and maintenance spend.
• Lead root-cause analysis and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure the facility meets safety, quality, and food manufacturing requirements.
• Partner with Production to minimize disruption and keep plant moving.

Skills

Team leadership

Preventive maintenance

Predictive maintenance

Troubleshooting

CMMS usage

Budget management

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

CMMS Software

Job description

Ready to take ownership of a maintenance operation and make a real impact?

I’m working with a well-established food manufacturer in North Carolina that is looking to bring in a Maintenance Manager to lead their site maintenance function.

This is a great opportunity for a strong maintenance leader who wants more than just another job title. You’ll have the ownership, influence, and autonomy to improve the way maintenance operates, develop a team, reduce downtime, and make a measurable difference across the plant.

What You’ll Be Doing

You’ll take the lead on the site’s maintenance operation, working closely with Production, Engineering, Quality, and leadership to keep the facility running safely, reliably, and efficiently.

Your focus will include:

• Leading and developing a team of maintenance technicians
• Building a proactive preventative and predictive maintenance culture
• Driving down unplanned downtime and improving equipment reliability
• Overseeing mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and automated equipment
• Managing maintenance schedules, priorities, and work orders
• Developing and tracking maintenance KPIs
• Supporting equipment upgrades, installations, and capital projects
• Managing contractors, vendors, parts, and maintenance spend
• Leading root-cause analysis and continuous improvement initiatives
• Ensuring the facility meets all safety, quality, and food manufacturing requirements
• Partnering with Production to keep the plant moving and minimize disruption

Who We’re Looking For

We’re looking for a hands‑on maintenance leader who understands the demands of a high‑volume manufacturing environment.

Ideally, you’ll have:

• Experience leading maintenance within food, beverage, packaging, or similar manufacturing
• Strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting experience
• Previous experience managing and developing maintenance technicians
• A solid understanding of PM/PdM programs and reliability
• Experience with CMMS and maintenance performance metrics
• Experience managing contractors, vendors, and budgets
• The leadership skills to build accountability and develop your team

Why This Role?

This isn’t a role where you’ll simply be reacting to breakdowns all day.

You’ll have the opportunity to build something.

You’ll be given the platform to improve maintenance processes, develop your people, increase equipment reliability, and help shape the future performance of the facility.

If you’re currently a Maintenance Manager, Maintenance Superintendent, Maintenance Supervisor, or Senior Maintenance Leader and you’re looking for an opportunity where your experience will genuinely be valued, this could be worth a conversation.