Maintenance Manager

Rust Belt Recruiting; Parma (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Rust Belt Recruiting is seeking a Maintenance Manager for a Cleveland-area specialty food manufacturer. The role leads plant maintenance, drives equipment reliability, and supports a skilled maintenance team in a high-volume operation.

You will supervise technicians, manage preventive maintenance, coordinate shutdowns, and partner with Quality and Food Safety to uphold GMPs and SQF readiness. Onsite, with a safety-focused environment.

Qualifications

• Five+ years of industrial maintenance experience with two or more years in a supervisory or leadership role.
• Preferred prior working experience within the CPG industry.
• Demonstrate strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting capabilities including experience with motors, drives, pneumatics, and hydraulics.
• Hold a high school diploma or equivalent alongside formal technical training, an apprenticeship, or equivalent practical experience.
• Exhibit experience managing preventive maintenance programs, work orders, and inventory within maintenance software.
• Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings, electrical schematics, and equipment manuals accurately.
• Show strong communication, coaching, and organizational skills capable of balancing competing operational priorities.
• Display familiarity with food manufacturing standards, including GMPs, HACCP principles, and SQF audit requirements.
• Possess hands‑on experience with PLC diagnostics, variable frequency drives, or capital equipment installation projects

Responsibilities

• Lead daily maintenance operations, assign work priorities, and coordinate planned shutdowns with production leadership.
• Supervise, mentor, and cross-train maintenance technicians to build internal technical capabilities.
• Manage preventive maintenance schedules, inspection checklists, and work-order backlogs using digital tracking systems.
• Troubleshoot, repair, and optimize mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and automated control systems.
• Analyze recurring equipment failures and implement root‑cause solutions to minimize unplanned downtime.
• Enforce site safety standards including Lockout/Tagout, machine guarding, and proper personal protective equipment usage.
• Partner with Quality and Food Safety teams to maintain GMPs and support SQF audit readiness.
• Oversee facility utility systems including HVAC, refrigeration, compressed air, and electrical distribution.
• Maintain spare parts inventories, manage vendor relationships, and negotiate supplier service contracts.
• Manage the maintenance operating budget and track key performance metrics including repair spend and downtime

Skills

Industrial maintenance

Supervisory experience

Mechanical troubleshooting

Electrical troubleshooting

Preventive maintenance

Reading schematics

PLC diagnostics

Food manufacturing safety

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Technical training / apprenticeship

Tools

Maintenance software

PLC diagnostics

Electrical test equipment

Job description

Who we are

We are a specialty food manufacturer in the Cleveland area.

Maintenance Manager Role

The Maintenance Manager leads all plant maintenance operations and equipment reliability efforts while providing hands‑on technical support. This position exists to maximize equipment uptime, ensure rigorous food safety compliance, and develop a skilled maintenance team in a high-volume manufacturing environment.

Maintenance Manager Responsibilities

• Lead daily maintenance operations, assign work priorities, and coordinate planned shutdowns with production leadership

• Supervise, mentor, and cross-train maintenance technicians to build internal technical capabilities and reduce external contractor reliance

• Manage preventive maintenance schedules, inspection checklists, and work-order backlogs using digital tracking systems

• Troubleshoot, repair, and optimize mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and automated control systems

• Analyze recurring equipment failures and implement root‑cause solutions to minimize unplanned downtime

• Enforce site safety standards including Lockout/Tagout, machine guarding, and proper personal protective equipment usage

• Partner with Quality and Food Safety teams to maintain Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and support SQF audit readiness

• Oversee facility utility systems including HVAC, refrigeration, compressed air, and electrical distribution

• Maintain spare parts inventories, manage vendor relationships, and negotiate supplier service contracts

• Manage the maintenance operating budget and track key performance metrics including repair spend and downtime

Maintenance Manager Reporting Relationships

This position reports directly to the Director of Operations and directly supervises the Lead Maintenance Technician and a team of maintenance technicians.

About You

• Possess at least five years of industrial maintenance experience with two or more years in a supervisory or leadership role

• Preferred prior working experience within the CPG industry

• Demonstrate strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting capabilities including experience with motors, drives, pneumatics, and hydraulics

• Hold a high school diploma or equivalent alongside formal technical training, an apprenticeship, or equivalent practical experience

• Exhibit experience managing preventive maintenance programs, work orders, and inventory within maintenance software

• Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings, electrical schematics, and equipment manuals accurately

• Show strong communication, coaching, and organizational skills capable of balancing competing operational priorities

• Display familiarity with food manufacturing standards, including GMPs, HACCP principles, and SQF audit requirements

• Possess hands‑on experience with PLC diagnostics, variable frequency drives, or capital equipment installation projects

Additional Information

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

Physical Demands & Work Environment: This position requires working onsite in both manufacturing plant and warehouse environments. Must be able to stand, walk, bend, reach, kneel, and access machinery in production areas for extended periods. Candidates must be able to lift and move materials up to 50 pounds using proper safety protocols or assistance. The environment includes exposure to varying noise levels, temperatures, and operating machinery.

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