Retail Maintenance Manager

Dale Farm Cooperative is a UK dairy farmer co-operative owned by over 1200 dairy farmers who supply us with fresh milk. Dale Farm has operations throughout the UK and Ireland producing and distributing a wide range of dairy products which it sells across the UK and Ireland as well as exporting to over 45 countries worldwide.

At Dale Farm virtually every career discipline is represented in our workforce, from production, engineering and distribution, to sales & marketing and food technology/quality assurance, to Finance, HR and IT through to general management. Our standards are high and when we recruit we are looking for those with energy and drive, who are keen for responsibility and motivated to succeed with a record of achievement and with the potential to develop as the company grows.

Culture

Our culture is based on setting best in class standards, working to-wards and delivering on committed objectives, striving for constant improvement and involving everyone in the company. We strive to develop our people and harness everyone's contribution to deliver a winning team.

The company is an Equal Opportunities employer and is committed to a safe, inclusive and relationship based workspace.

In return, we offer a high degree of responsibility, plenty of challenge, good opportunities for learning and personal development and rewarding benefit packages, all within a fast moving and results oriented environment.

The Maintenance Manager (Retail) will lead a multi‑skilled team of engineers, creating a positive, safe, and high‑performing environment across our busy Retail Department.You will ensure every team member feels supported, valued, and equipped to deliver high‑quality work each day.

You will ensure engineering resources are used effectively, people are deployed with clarity and purpose, and standards are consistently upheld through coaching, communication, and regular feedback.

You will oversee and coordinate daily engineering activity, encouraging teamwork and problem‑solving across shifts. While driving continuous improvement and embedding preventative maintenance practices, you will ensure all engineering activities meet the highest health, safety, food safety, and environmental requirements.

Crucially, you will lead your team through change — supporting them in adopting new systems, technologies, and ways of working, and ensuring everyone has the right skills, confidence, and support to thrive.

The Role:

• Lead, coach, and motivate the retail engineering team to drive engagement, ownership, and strong performance.
• Maintain high standards for engineering workmanship, processes, and behaviours.
• Build team capability through targeted training, coaching, and development.
• Ensure full compliance with health, safety, food safety, and environmental regulations.
• Champion a proactive safety culture and embed safe systems of work.
• Oversee the delivery of the preventative maintenance plan, ensuring tasks are completed on time and to the required standard.
• Embed robust RCA practices, supporting investigations and ensuring corrective actions are implemented.
• Coordinate daily engineering priorities across planned, reactive, and production needs.
• Manage the engineering budget, ensuring all spend is controlled, justified, and aligned with site priorities.
• Foster collaboration and problem solving between the production, technical and maintenance teams, so that maintenance activity supports operational performance and protects product integrity
• Lead the execution of planned shutdowns, ensuring scope and timelines are clearly defined and delivered, with all work completed to standard and equipment returned to service safely and on schedule.
• Drive accurate and consistent CMMS use to support data‑driven decision making.
• Act as a change leader, embedding new systems, processes, and ways of working.
• Manage engineering contractor activity and compliance, ensuring safe working practices, effective supervision, and high‑quality delivery that supports operational needs
• Support the Engineering Capital Projects team to ensure maintenance in design is adopted from early in the project lifecycle.
• Third‑level engineering degree with 3+ years’…