Senior Regional Maintenance & Reliability Manager

Smithfield Packaged Meats Corp; North Carolina; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 163,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package

Job summary

Smithfield Foods is seeking a Senior Regional Maintenance & Reliability Manager in the United States to drive reliability and maintenance strategies across multiple plants. You will lead engineering and maintenance teams, aiming to maximize uptime, cost efficiency, and plant performance.

You will partner with Operations, Food Safety, Quality and Safety teams, shaping capital planning and evaluating new technologies while ensuring regulatory and safety standards are met.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or related field; 8+ years of relevant experience.
• 2+ years of demonstrated experience in team management/development or project leadership.
• Ability to apply sound engineering principles to operational and design issues.
• Must possess Project Management skills; Contract Administration skills; National codes and standards interpretation skills.
• Proficient in engineering economics.
• Proficient in AutoCAD.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite.
• Energized by collaboration through travel to other locations (50% of the time).

Responsibilities

• Drive Reliability Excellence - lead design and execution of reliability and maintenance strategies; improve uptime and OEE.
• Lead High-Performing Teams - develop engineering, reliability, and maintenance teams.
• Solve Complex Operational Challenges - act as technical lead for outages and durable solutions.
• Drive Continuous Improvement at Scale - standardize best practices across facilities.
• Shape Capital Strategy & Innovation - lead capital planning and evaluation of new tech.
• Partner Across the Business - collaborate with Operations, Food Safety, Quality, and Safety teams.
• Champion Safety & Compliance - ensure systems meet standards and reinforce safety.

Skills

Engineering principles

Team management

Project leadership

Data analysis

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Microsoft Office

Job description

Have a seat at our table. When you join Smithfield, you become part of something special – a company that's sustainably feeding people around the world, producing good food the right way with respect for our people, animals, communities and planet.

With opportunities across locations and functions, a culture grounded in our Core Four values - gratitude, communication, respect and accountability - and a strong commitment to learning, collaboration, and innovation, Smithfield offers challenging and rewarding careers where you can grow, contribute and make a real impact.

The Value You’ll Bring:

The position summary states the general nature and purpose of the job. Overall accountabilities are defined in this section. At Smithfield Foods, we don’t just produce food—we power one of the largest protein supply chains in the world. As a Senior Regional Maintenance & Reliability Manager, you’ll play a critical leadership role in transforming how our plants operate—driving reliability, maximizing uptime, and building high-performing engineering and maintenance teams across our facilities. This is a high-impact role where your ideas, technical expertise, and leadership will directly influence plant performance, cost efficiency, and the long-term success of our operations. If you’re passionate about solving complex problems, building capability, and making a measurable difference at scale—this is your opportunity.

What You’ll Do:

• Drive Reliability Excellence - Lead the design and execution of best-in-class reliability and maintenance strategies across operations, including predictive and preventive maintenance, root cause analysis, and asset health optimization. You’ll turn data into action and drive measurable improvements in uptime, efficiency, and overall OEE improvements.
• Lead High-Performing Teams - Inspire and develop engineering, reliability, and maintenance teams to deliver exceptional results. You’ll build capability, close skill gaps, and create a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Solve Complex Operational Challenges - Act as the go‑to technical leader for critical issues—ensuring plants are equipped to troubleshoot major outages, eliminate recurring failures, and implement durable solutions that stick.
• Drive Continuous Improvement at Scale - Identify system-wide opportunities to improve processes, reduce waste, and optimize cost. You’ll standardize best practices across facilities and ensure consistency in how maintenance and engineering work gets done.
• Shape Capital Strategy & Innovation - Lead capital planning and execution—from business case development to implementation—ensuring investments deliver value and align to operational priorities. You’ll evaluate new technologies and help define “best‑in‑class” equipment for Smithfield operations.
• Partner Across the Business - Work closely with Operations, Food Safety, Quality, and Safety teams to drive alignment, improve outcomes, and deliver results. Your influence will extend well beyond engineering.
• Champion Safety & Compliance - Ensure engineering and maintenance systems meet regulatory and company standards while reinforcing a strong culture of safety and accountability across plants.

What We’re Seeking:

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Engineering or related field and 8+ years of relevant experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience, required.
• 2+ years of demonstrated experience in team management/development or project leadership is required.
• Ability to apply sound engineering principles to operational and design issues.
• Must possess Project Management skills; Contract Administration skills; National codes and standards interpretation skills.
• Proficient in engineering economics.
• Proficient in AutoCAD.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite.
• Energized by collaboration through travel to other locations. (50% of the time).

OTHER SKILLS THAT MAKE YOU STAND OUT:

• Knowledge of engineering principles and techniques related to food processing and the meat industry.
• Previous experience in the management of multi-million dollar projects with large scopes.
• Ability to work well with others in fast paced, dynamic environment.
• Ability to be respectful, approachable and team oriented while building strong working relationships and a positive work environment.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, organizational planning, teamwork, analytical reasoning, and adaptability.

The expected pay range for this position is $120,000 - $162,500 annually. Smithfield Foods provides pay ranges that reflect its good faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage the company reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of hire. Individual compensation will be determined based on several factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the role, location of the position, the candidate’s qualifications and experience, internal equity, external market pay for comparable positions and budget considerations.

Relocation Package Available Yes

EEO Information

Smithfield is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender identity, protected veterans status, status as a disabled individual or any other protected group status or non-job characteristic as directed by law. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment selection process, please call us at 757-357-1595.

At Smithfield, good food starts with good people. "Good food. Responsibly." is more than just our tagline; it's what we do. We provide good jobs. We take good care of our animals. We are good stewards of the environment. We do good in our local communities. Smithfield is proud to offer robust, flexible and affordable benefit plans and programs to support our team members and their loved ones, and with out-of-pocket costs, on average, 20 percent less than plans offered by other employers.

Beyond our medical plans, our Be Well programs offer tools and resources to enhance your quality of life, at no additional cost. These programs are uniquely tailored to our Smithfield team and provide support for elective surgeries, weight loss, mental health, cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, smoking cessation, asthma, maternity management and more. Our company invests in your future. We offer comprehensive training and professional development programs designed to help you reach your full potential. Through LinkedIn Learning, employees can access on‑demand courses, professional certificates, and skill‑based training to build capabilities aligned with career and business needs. Our partnership with Guild supports your continuing education with tuition assistance covering English language learning, high school completion, and degree programs, while our leadership development initiatives nurture high‑potential talent. We also offer unique benefits like our Smithfield Scholarship Program for employees’ children.

Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products. With a diverse brand portfolio and strong relationships with U.S. farmers and customers, we responsibly meet demand for quality protein around the world. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our communities. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield®, Eckrich® and Nathan's Famous®, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and connect with us on Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.