Sr. Maintenance Manager

Title: Sr. Maintenance Manager
Location: Chicago, IL | Portland, OR
Job Type: FTE/Permanent
Schedule: Monday - Friday, business hours (with flexibility on weekends as required)

Role Overview:
The Maintenance & Reliability Leader will oversee the entire organization, ensuring optimal uptime and equipment lifespan across all plant systems, including manufacturing equipment, utilities, and facilities. This role requires a strong focus on the development and execution of a strategic roadmap, an annual operating plan, and leadership in plant reliability programs. The leader will also be accountable for team capabilities, budget management, and continuous improvement in plant operations to deliver optimal performance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the organization to ensure uptime and equipment longevity across the plant, including manufacturing equipment, utilities, and facilities.
• Develop and implement a strategic roadmap and annual operating plan to support plant competitiveness and reliability.
• Establish and lead programs, including facilities, utilities, and team capability development to execute these programs effectively.
• Implement strong governance to measure the effectiveness of programs, ensuring alignment with overall plant goals and progression toward best-in-class performance.
• Ensure adherence to manufacturing standards, safety regulations, and all relevant compliance requirements, while ensuring that all staff and service providers understand and follow these protocols.
• Drive the progression of the Lean Six Sigma (L6S) program, creating a culture focused on zero breakdowns, employee engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Lead the eradication of downtime and waste through a structured strategic plan, with a focus on improving key metrics like OEE, MTBF, and MTTR.
• Manage the M&R budget to meet annual targets, while driving significant savings through optimized maintenance spend, reduced downtime, and better labor management.
• Manage capital budget effectively, including spare parts stock optimization.
• Develop strategies to enhance the skill set of the M&R team, at both technical and managerial levels.
• Support plant teams in reviewing and developing operational standards, and identify and capitalize on areas for improvement.
• Partner with engineering to design and execute capital improvement projects for the plant.
• Establish and maintain a succession plan for the M&R organization, fostering talent attraction, retention, and development.
• Serve as a senior member of the plant leadership team, contributing to strategic planning across all performance areas (safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people).
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders outside the plant to align business priorities and achieve company goals.

Skills and Experience:

• Extensive experience in operational leadership, manufacturing, and maintenance within the Client (Consumer Packaged Goods) industry, with specific expertise in TPM, Lean, 5S, 6 Sigma, and GMP.
• Strong business acumen, including project management skills, financial management, and experience with industrial maintenance and manufacturing equipment.
• Expertise in preventive and predictive maintenance (PM), spare parts management, and maintenance systems, particularly in SAP PM modules.
• Excellent communication, coaching, and leadership skills with a proven track record of building and leading effective teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a hands-on leadership approach.
• Proven ability to drive significant operational improvements, OEE enhancements, and cost savings.
• Solid understanding of GMP, food safety, and other relevant industrial maintenance standards and regulations.

Educational Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related field.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proven track record in TPM implementation and managing technology and automation projects.
• Proficiency in SAP Maintenance modules and experience with capital project execution.
• Experience in unionized work environments.

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to work in a leadership capacity, empowering and motivating teams.
• Strong understanding of plant operations, safety standards, and maintenance strategies.
• Transformational leadership mindset with the ability to engage with various stakeholders, including external regulatory bodies and professional organizations.

Travel Requirements:

• Minimal travel (10 - 15%)

Key Skills and Certifications:

• TPM Implementation
• Maintenance Team Leadership