Senior Director of Maintenance & Engineering

Premier Supply Chain Recruiting; Plainfield (IN); On-site; USD 151,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

Premier Supply Chain Recruiting is assisting in the search for a Senior Director of Maintenance & Engineering in Plainfield, Indiana. This senior leadership role directs maintenance, engineering, asset reliability, automation, and capital improvement initiatives in a high-volume manufacturing environment.

The ideal candidate has 15+ years of progressive leadership in maintenance and engineering within food & beverage or similar sectors, with a track record of driving reliability, productivity,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology, or related technical discipline.
• 15+ years of progressive experience in maintenance, engineering, reliability, or manufacturing operations with significant leadership responsibility.
• Leadership experience in food & beverage, beverage bottling, CPG, packaging, or other high-volume manufacturing environments.
• Proven track record leading maintenance and engineering organizations while improving equipment reliability, uptime, and operational performance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute maintenance and asset reliability strategies to maximize uptime and efficiency.
• Lead engineering strategy, capital planning, and equipment modernization initiatives.
• Direct maintenance operating budgets and capex planning; manage costs and drive ROI.
• Provide strategic direction and mentorship to maintenance, engineering, reliability, and technical teams.
• Foster cross-functional collaboration with Operations, Quality, Safety, Finance, and leadership.
• Ensure safety, quality, regulatory compliance, and TPM implementation across plants.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Financial management

Executive communication

Problem-solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Operational excellence

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (or related)

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

SAP Plant Maintenance

CMMS platforms

Total Productive Maintenance (TPM)

Predictive maintenance technologies

Lean manufacturing

Job description

Senior Director of Maintenance & Engineering

Industry: Food & Beverage Manufacturing

Location: Plainfield, Indiana

Compensation: Up to $168,000 annually

Experience: 15+ Years

Education: Bachelor's Degree Required

Position Overview

We are seeking an accomplished Senior Director of Maintenance & Engineering to provide strategic leadership and direction for maintenance, engineering, asset reliability, automation, and capital improvement initiatives within a high-volume manufacturing environment.

This senior leadership role is responsible for developing and executing strategies that maximize equipment reliability, enhance operational performance, optimize maintenance expenditures, and ensure the long-term effectiveness of plant assets and infrastructure.

The Senior Director will partner closely with plant and corporate leadership to drive operational excellence, modernize manufacturing capabilities, advance automation technologies, and deliver sustainable improvements in productivity, reliability, safety, and cost performance.

The ideal candidate brings 15+ years of progressive experience in maintenance, engineering, reliability, and manufacturing leadership, preferably within food and beverage, beverage bottling, CPG, packaging, or other high-volume manufacturing environments. This individual combines strong technical expertise with strategic vision, financial acumen, and a proven ability to develop high-performing teams and deliver measurable business results.

Key Responsibilities

1. Maintenance Strategy & Asset Reliability

• Develop and execute comprehensive maintenance and reliability strategies to maximize equipment uptime, asset performance, and overall operational efficiency.
• Establish and continuously improve preventive and predictive maintenance programs, reliability standards, and performance metrics.
• Lead initiatives to reduce unplanned downtime, improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), and extend equipment lifecycle.
• Implement best practices for asset management, maintenance planning, scheduling, and continuous improvement.
• Utilize reliability data, performance analytics, and root cause analysis to identify opportunities and drive sustainable improvements.
• Establish maintenance standards and accountability systems that support long-term equipment reliability and operational performance.

2. Engineering, Automation & Capital Investment

• Lead long-term engineering strategy, capital planning, and equipment modernization initiatives aligned with business objectives.
• Oversee major capital projects from initial concept and financial justification through execution, commissioning, and performance validation.
• Drive investments in automation, controls, and advanced manufacturing technologies to improve productivity, reliability, and operational capabilities.
• Evaluate equipment performance, infrastructure requirements, and emerging technologies to support future manufacturing needs.
• Ensure capital projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and in alignment with established business objectives.
• Partner with plant and corporate leadership to prioritize capital investments and maximize return on investment.

3. Financial & Operational Performance

• Direct maintenance operating budgets and capital expenditure planning, ensuring effective resource allocation and financial accountability.
• Identify opportunities to reduce maintenance costs, improve labor productivity, and optimize equipment and resource utilization.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to maintenance costs, equipment reliability, downtime, and operational performance.
• Partner with Operations, Finance, and senior leadership to align maintenance and engineering priorities with plant performance goals.
• Develop business cases and financial justifications for capital investments, equipment upgrades, and process improvements.
• Balance cost optimization with equipment reliability, production requirements, and long-term asset performance.

4. Leadership & Organizational Development

• Provide strategic direction, leadership, and mentorship to maintenance, engineering, reliability, and technical teams.
• Build a high-performance culture centered on accountability, collaboration, technical development, and continuous improvement.
• Establish organizational structures, performance expectations, and talent development strategies to support long-term operational success.
• Develop technical capabilities, leadership pipelines, and succession plans to strengthen the maintenance and engineering organization.
• Foster cross-functional collaboration with Operations, Quality, Safety, Finance, and corporate leadership.
• Align maintenance and engineering strategies with broader manufacturing objectives and business priorities.

5. Safety, Quality & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure all maintenance and engineering activities comply with applicable safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory requirements.
• Champion a proactive safety culture and reinforce adherence to established operational standards and best practices.
• Partner with Quality, Operations, and Environmental Health & Safety teams to maintain equipment integrity and support consistent product quality.
• Drive initiatives focused on energy efficiency, sustainability, infrastructure improvements, and overall manufacturing performance.
• Ensure equipment and facility maintenance practices support safe, reliable, and compliant manufacturing operations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology, or a related technical discipline. Equivalent education and experience may be considered.
• 15+ years of progressive experience in maintenance, engineering, reliability, or manufacturing operations, including significant leadership responsibility.
• Demonstrated leadership experience within food and beverage, beverage bottling, CPG, packaging, or other high-volume manufacturing environments.
• Proven track record of leading maintenance and engineering organizations while improving equipment reliability, uptime, and operational performance.
• Experience managing substantial maintenance operating budgets, capital investments, and complex engineering projects.
• Strong technical knowledge of industrial equipment, automation, controls, asset reliability, and manufacturing systems.
• Demonstrated ability to build, lead, and develop high-performing technical teams.
• Experience partnering with senior leadership and influencing cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong strategic planning, financial management, communication, and problem-solving capabilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• Experience in high-speed beverage bottling, filling, packaging automation, or complex manufacturing operations.
• Experience managing annual capital expenditure portfolios of $5 million or more.
• Familiarity with SAP Plant Maintenance, CMMS platforms, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Lean Manufacturing, and predictive maintenance technologies.
• Experience leading facility modernization, automation integration, and large-scale capital improvement initiatives.
• Demonstrated success implementing reliability-centered maintenance programs and data-driven maintenance strategies.

Key Performance Indicators & Success Measures

Success in this role will be measured by the ability to deliver sustainable improvements in:

• Equipment reliability, uptime, and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
• Reduction of unplanned downtime and maintenance-related production losses.
• Maintenance cost optimization and effective utilization of labor and resources.
• Capital project execution, budget management, and return on investment.
• Workplace safety, regulatory compliance, and product quality.
• Team development, leadership effectiveness, and organizational capability.
• Asset lifecycle management, manufacturing efficiency, and continuous improvement.

Work Environment

This position operates across manufacturing facilities, maintenance and engineering areas, and office environments. The role may require occasional off-hours, weekend, holiday, or travel commitments to support critical plant operations, capital projects, equipment installations, and business initiatives.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The successful candidate is a strategic, results-driven manufacturing leader who combines deep technical expertise with strong business acumen and executive-level leadership capabilities.

This individual understands how to translate business objectives into effective maintenance and engineering strategies, build accountable technical organizations, manage significant capital investments, and drive operational excellence across complex manufacturing operations.

The ideal candidate is a forward-thinking leader who can balance strategic planning with operational execution, develop strong technical teams, and deliver measurable improvements in equipment reliability, productivity, cost efficiency, and safety.

A proven ability to modernize manufacturing operations, optimize asset performance, and create a culture of accountability and continuous improvement will be essential to success in this position.