Maintenance Manager

Chocxo Chocolatier; Rockwall (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

ChocXO Chocolatier LLC is seeking a Maintenance Manager based in Rockwall, TX. You will direct maintenance activities to maximize production efficiency, install and maintain equipment, and establish reliability programs to meet SQF, GFCO, Organic and Kosher standards.

You will lead a skilled maintenance team, drive safety culture, manage budgets, and collaborate with production to minimize downtime while advancing facility improvements and capacity expansion.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical or mechanical engineering required.
• Minimum 10 years’ experience managing maintenance in a multi-line food manufacturing plant.
• Proven expertise in implementing maintenance programs and reliability.
• Strong knowledge of PLC and HMI systems.
• Experience with chocolate manufacturing equipment is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Oversee operation of machinery including new installations, troubleshooting and repairs.
• Develop and enforce preventative maintenance programs and safety processes.
• Lead maintenance team training, staffing and performance evaluations.
• Ensure compliance with SQF, GFCO, Organic and Kosher standards.

Skills

Maintenance leadership

PLC & HMI

Electrical engineering

Mechanical engineering

Food manufacturing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in electrical or mechanical engineering

Tools

PLC systems

HMI systems

Job description

ChocXO Chocolatier LLC is a fast-growing, premium North American chocolate manufacturer redefining how modern food manufacturing is built and scaled. Privately owned, well-capitalized, and founder-led, we operate at the intersection of branded CPG, contract manufacturing, innovation, and sustainability — with the freedom to invest long-term and do things the right way.

In the past year alone, we have:

• Scaled from one manufacturing site to three
• Expanded our brand portfolio, including the mission-driven Endangered Species Chocolate
• Invested heavily in new capacity, automation, and enterprise-grade systems
• Begun construction on a next-generation manufacturing campus in Rockwall, Texas

Our manufacturing footprint includes:

• Delta, British Columbia – 60,000 sq. ft. fully automated, SQF Level 3 flagship
• Indianapolis, Indiana – 35,000 sq. ft. facility, home of Endangered Species Chocolate
• Rockwall, Texas – 225,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art manufacturing and distribution complex opening in 2026

We are now entering the most important phase of our growth: institutionalizing excellence. This is the shift from growth powered by heroics to growth powered by systems, discipline, and repeatability.

The Role:

The Maintenance Manager is accountable for directing the maintenance activities to ensure production operates at maximum efficiency and provides engineering services for the installation, maintenance and improvement of production equipment and facilities. The Maintenance Manager is responsible for establishing maintenance reliability processes that ensure compliance with SQF, GFCO, Organic and Kosher standards.

Key Responsibilities

Maintenance Management

• Overseeing the operation of machinery equipment including new installations, troubleshooting, maintenance and repairs and documenting procedures.
• Implementing, maintaining and training on process control requirements.
• Ensure the maintenance team executes work orders and PMs according to schedule targets.
• Providing expertise on smooth machinery operation and production workflow.
• Implementing operational improvements and development of maintenance and safety processes. procedures.
• Responsible for reporting food safety and quality problems to Quality Assurance and Management to initiate corrective actions
• Champion a safety-first culture, ensuring strict adherence to LOTO, Hot Work, and OSHA/safety policies.
• Lead and manage the training, development and goals of the maintenance team by providing the tools and resources necessary. Ensure a fully staffed department that works together to support manufacturing and all plant departments as their customers.
• Collaborates with production and staff personnel in investigating, analyzing and planning action for resolution of production problems or inefficiencies. Directs efforts to upgrade facility for efficiency, safety and reliability.
• Develop, install and maintain effective preventative/predictive maintenance programs and management of remedial maintenance to minimize downtime and costly repairs.
• Deliver budget management of parts, supplies, capital and staffing with a proactive approach to cost management.
• Ensure regulatory compliance is current and maintained in the facility as it applies to the maintenance arena, including the PSM and RMP programs.
• Manage or assist with other major capital projects assigned by the CEO/COO.

Safety

• Responsible for maintaining food safety in work responsibilities and report food safety issues to QA immediately
• Work within the SQF/HACCP requirements.
• Ensure that safety guidelines are met and any potential risks are eliminated.

Leadership and Training

• Displays and works towards leadership qualities that will build an effective and cohesive team: Trust, Conflict, Commitment, Accountability and Results.
• Displays and promotes company values
• Manage a team of Maintenance employees, including hiring, delegation, training, performance evaluation, disciplinary actions, and termination.

What Success Looks Like

• Unplanned Downtime Trends Down: You can show a month-over-month reduction in emergency breakdowns.
• PM Compliance > 95%: Preventative maintenance is treated as mandatory, not optional.
• Production Stability: Shifts run predictably at target rates, with maintenance acting as a strategic enabler rather than a reactive emergency service.
• Audit Confidence: Maintenance records (calibrations, PMs, work orders) are perfect during SQF and customer audits.
• Budget Accuracy: You manage overtime, parts, and contractor spend within the agreed budget.

Required Experience & Profile

Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical or mechanical engineering.
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience managing maintenance in a multi-line food manufacturing plant.
• Proven expertise in implementing and overseeing preventive maintenance programs.
• Strong working knowledge of PLC and HMI systems.
• Experience with chocolate manufacturing equipment (molding lines, melters, boilers, cooling towers) is a plus.
• Proven working experience as a manager, supervising other staff and in a manufacturing industry
• Experience in leading and delivering major manufacturing projects
• Good general knowledge of materials and the supply chain; ability to understand engineering drawings.
• Operational experience of product data management, BoM control and engineering change process.
• Collaborative leadership – high emotional intelligence with the ability to provide honest feedback, resolve conflict, and adapt management styles to diverse teams.
• Decisive communication – able to make fact-based decisions in a timely manner and communicate complex technical issues clearly to non-technical stakeholders.

Leadership Attributes

• Root Cause Obsessed: You are never satisfied with "it just jammed." You want to know why.
• Systems-Minded: You build processes (SOPs, checklists) to minimize the reliance on tribal knowledge.
• Calm Under Pressure: When equipment fails, you lead a methodical, safe response—you don't panic.
• Discipline Over Speed: Spending 30 minutes to fix it right is better than taking 10 minutes to patch it for an hour.
• Teacher/Coach: You enjoy training operators on how to care for their equipment.

Location

• Role is based at Rockwall, TX (DFW area)
• Regular presence in the office is expected

Why This Role Matters

This role is critical to ensuring our manufacturing capacity is driven by planned discipline rather than emergency response.

If you are a maintenance leader who believes reliability is built through systems, not heroics, we want to speak with you

ChocXO Chocolatier LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. All employment decisions at ChocXO are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications.

ChocXO Chocolatier LLC is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. Applicants who require accommodation during the application or hiring process will be considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with applicable laws.