Reliability Lead

Hershey Company; Bluffton (IN); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Hershey Company is seeking a Reliability Lead for the Bluffton, Indiana plant. This role focuses on optimizing maintenance strategies and assets reliability across the Indiana factories. Key responsibilities include management of maintenance planning, driving improvement in processes, and collaborating with factory leadership. Candidates should possess an Associate’s degree in a technical field and at least three years of relevant experience. Join us and be part of the growth in our Salty Snacks business.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of maintenance, planning, or technical experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong ability to drive change in a fast-paced environment.
• Knowledge of reliability methods to maintain asset performance.

Responsibilities

• Manage maintenance planning and scheduling processes using SAP.
• Drive improvement of maintenance processes for sustainable asset reliability.
• Collaborate with technical assurance to ensure asset management accuracy.

Skills

Leadership and coaching

Critical thinking

Data analysis

Problem solving

Education

Associate’s degree in a related technical field

Tools

SAP

Lean Manufacturing

Job description

Job Location: Bluffton, Indiana - Onsite 5 days a week (no remote)

Travel: Up to 20%

Position Summary: The Reliability Lead – Indiana Hub & Bethlehem is responsible for the overall maintenance and asset reliability of process equipment and will lead the maintenance strategies & drive process efficiency in support of the Hershey Lean program. This role will work closely with the cross‑functional Factory Leadership Teams, corporate partners, and valued vendors to prioritize day‑to‑day focus based on risk, business need, and opportunity.

The role will be based at the Bluffton, Indiana plant, but will be a shared resource with responsibility for all four factories in the Indiana Hub. These four factories are all part of The Hershey Company’s Salty Snacks business, manufacturing pretzels for brands like Dot’s Pretzels, puffed corn snacks for Pirate’s Booty, and popcorn for SkinnyPop. This is an exciting time of growth for the Salty Snacks business as we invest in new capacity and integrate new factory teams into the Hershey culture, leveraging our 130+ years of food manufacturing expertise.

The Reliability Lead – Indiana Hub will report to the Sr. Technical Assurance Manager for the Indiana Hub, which includes Bluffton, Plymouth, and Whitestown, IN, as well as Bethlehem, PA. Based in Bluffton, IN, periodic travel will be required to the other Indiana factories, Bethlehem, and occasional travel to other Hershey sites, vendors, or training/tradeshows. This position will collaborate with Factory Managers, Factory Engineering Managers, and Maintenance Managers across the Indiana and Kansas Hubs, as well as the broader Hershey manufacturing network, playing a key role in developing our maintenance practices.

Responsibilities:

• Management of the maintenance planning and scheduling processes, through work‑order (SAP) prioritization and development of the schedule for maintenance activities.
• The Reliability Lead will drive the improvement of maintenance processes to ensure sustainable asset reliability, including preventative and predictive measures through the analysis of plant maintenance data. Emphasis at any given time will be determined by business priorities, plant performance needs, and asset risk.
• Collaborates with the Technical Assurance group to ensure asset management and inventory accuracy and is responsible for driving related maintenance financial efficiency.
• Assist in development of the 5‑year capital plan.
• Manage capital projects.
• Accountable for the daily management systems supporting continuous improvement efforts, including defect handling and breakdown elimination (root cause analysis), while supporting equipment centerline and autonomous maintenance activities.
• Participates in the daily shift huddles and direction setting meetings, reporting out on performance metrics and counter measures.
• Engages with Mechanics & Operators, providing training and coaching to promote ownership of equipment and processes.
• Time is intentionally directed where it will deliver the greatest value, including:
  • Assessing and prioritizing reliability opportunities across plants
  • Deploying targeted improvements where gaps are greatest
  • Partnering with site leadership to build capability and ownership
  • Advancing scalable, sustainable maintenance systems
  • Adjusting focus as conditions and priorities evolve

Lead Short Term Maintenance Strategies

• Provides daily direction and leadership to the maintenance planner and hourly resources assigned to areas of responsibility to support high‑impact issues enabling systems and capability development across multiple plants.
• Ensures that equipment is performing effectively and efficiently.
• Owner of breakdown elimination efforts as the technical resource for the assigned area.
• Provides technical guidance for the preventive and predictive maintenance program.

Lead Long Term Maintenance Strategies

• Establishes and monitors programs for critical equipment analysis and condition monitoring techniques.
• Reviews equipment breakdown history.
• Responsible for analyzing equipment operating data.
• Responsible for auditing PM program.
• Working directly with the planner, develops PM schedules and standards for planned maintenance overhaul work, equipment rebuilds and planned downtime events.
• Reports and monitors key performance indicators (Lean Maintenance planning and scheduling).
• Promotes and advises on the use and disposition of stock items, stock quantities and MRO productivity opportunities.
• Makes cost‑benefit reviews of the maintenance programs.
• Optimizes maintenance and Hershey Lean strategies.

Relationships and Contacts

• Collaborate with Hershey Maintenance teams.
• Collaborate with third‑party commercial maintenance services.
• Collaborate with the factory Maintenance, Operations, Safety, and Quality functions.
• Act as the primary liaison between Factory Maintenance and the corporate Maintenance & Reliability function.
• Advise leadership on suitable service providers for various contracted services.
• Build relationships with Maintenance and Reliability Subject Matter Experts across the Salty Snacks network and the broader Hershey manufacturing network.

Minimum Experience and Educational Requirements

• Associate’s degree in a related technical field.
• Minimum of 3 years of maintenance, planning, or technical experience in a manufacturing environment required.
• Ability to coach and manage others to achieve results, following all safety, quality, and productivity policies and procedures.
• Strong critical thinking, problem solving, prioritization, and data analysis skills.
• Ability to effectively drive change in a fast‑paced environment.
• Ability to manage and develop both short‑term and long‑term maintenance strategies.
• Ability to function independently and take ownership of improvement processes.
• Knowledge of reliability methods and practices to maintain asset performance.

Preferred Qualifications

• BS degree in Engineering from an ABET‑accredited institution or international equivalent.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing and TPM preferred.
• Experience with SAP‑PM or similar CMMS preferred.
• Experience in a food and beverage manufacturing environment.
• Experience working with third‑party maintenance services.
• Understanding of industrial control systems.
• Experience managing capital projects.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• Typical manufacturing environment conditions. Required to stand, walk, climb ladders, use hands and arms, speak, hear, and lift up to 50 pounds.
• Primary work location is office‑based, but extended time on the manufacturing floor, outdoors, or on the roof may be required, weather permitting.
• Extended working hours, including nights, weekends and holidays, are occasionally required to support key factory shutdown activities or off‑shift training.
• Must observe food GMPs, including wearing hair nets, beard nets, smocks, etc.
• Must wear PPE required for manufacturing or construction sites, including hearing and eye protection, hard hat, steel‑toe boots, gloves, etc.

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Minority/Female/Disabled/Protected Veterans.

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