Reliability Lead

Reliability Lead

Bluffton, Indiana – onsite, 5 days a week, no remote. Travel up to 20%.

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 Hershey Lean program. This role works closely with 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 it is a shared resource with responsibility for all four factories in the Indiana Hub:
Bluffton, Plymouth, Whitestown, IN, and Bethlehem, PA. The four factories manufacture pretzels for Dot’s Pretzels, puffed corn snacks for Pirate’s Booty, and popcorn for Skinny Pop.

• 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

• 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.

• 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.
• Promotes equipment standardization.
• Makes cost‑benefit reviews of the maintenance programs.
• Optimizes maintenance and Hershey Lean strategies.

• 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…