Maintenance Manager

Position Overview

As the Maintenance Manager you will manage and lead the maintenance team and support reliability, and project delivery function for an Upper Tier COMAH chemical manufacturing site. Ensure asset integrity, legal compliance, and safe, reliable plant performance while delivering OPEX projects and supporting CAPEX projects aligned to business strategy. Act as a key custodian of the sites Maintenance, MI program and contractor management, embedding robust engineering standards and disciplined execution across maintenance and projects.

• Own the site maintenance strategy (preventive, predictive, and corrective), aligned with COMAH safety requirements and plant criticality.
• Maintain mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, and control assets to achieve high availability and integrity—especially for high‑hazard equipment (e.g., reactors, storage tanks, formaldehyde handling systems).
• Implement reliability‑centred maintenance (RCM), failure mode & effects analysis (FMEA), and defect elimination to reduce unplanned downtime.
• Establish and manage spares strategy and obsolescence plans for critical equipment.
• Drive improvement and compliance with Bakelite EU Maintenance & Reliability KPI’s for the site.
• Management of mechanical integrity programs (thickness surveys, NDT, inspections, calibration/testing of relief devices).

• Ensure maintenance and project work protects the Safety Report assumptions and Safety Instrumented Functions (SIFs) integrity.
• Involvement with PHA (HAZOP/LOPA).
• Support Permit‑to‑Work systems (isolation, line‑breaking, hot work, confined space, excavation) and control of ignition sources.
• COMAH Duty Manager on call rotation.

• Assist with delivering the site’s CAPEX portfolio from concept to handover: scope, feasibility, on‑site management and commissioning.
• Involvement with Management of Change (MoC) for equipment, process, controls, and documentation changes and pre‑startup safety reviews (PSSR).
• Manage contractors/vendors: pre‑qualification, competence assessment, RAMS review, site induction, supervision, and performance.
• Manage contractors to construct and commission based on "issued for construction" designs in collaboration with the Project Manager.
• Where necessary and in accordance with agreed processes, ensure design alignment with corporate engineering standards, best available techniques, and lifecycle cost/maintainability.

• Lead and develop multi‑disciplinary maintenance team.
• Build strong interfaces with Operations, EHS, Quality, Supply Chain, and Corporate Engineering.
• Promote a positive culture and speak‑up environment for safety; lead incident investigations.
• Communicate plans, and risks clearly to leadership and regulators where appropriate.
• Implement continuous improvement in maintenance and shutdown execution.
• Utilise condition monitoring, vibration analysis, thermography, online diagnostics, and data analytics to improve reliability.
• Optimise energy usage and emissions performance (aligned to ISO 50001 where applicable).

• Degree (BEng/BSc) in Mechanical, Electrical, or Control/Instrumentation Engineering (Preferred).
• Demonstrable experience (5+ years) in maintenance/reliability and project delivery within chemical or process industries.
• Upper Tier COMAH site experience with proven maintenance management leadership.
• Strong knowledge of UK regulatory frameworks:

COMAH, DSEAR/ATEX, PUWER, LOLER, PSSR, Confined Space, Functional Safety (IEC 61511), EAWR.

• Proven competence in Permit‑to‑Work systems, mechanical/electrical isolation, and contractor control.
• Proficiency with CMMS (e.g., SAP PM) and project management software (e.g., MS Project).

• NEBOSH General Certificate
• Functional Safety (IEC 61511) awareness.
• Project Management (e.g., Prince2)
• ISO Systems familiarity: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and ideally ISO 50001 (energy).

• Experience of leading/supporting on CAPEX projects from design through to construction within operating plants.
• M…