Director of Maintenance Engineering

Leadman & Associates is recruiting for a senior site leadership role for a hands‑on maintenance and engineering leader who knows how to drive reliability, uptime, and long‑term asset performance in a complex manufacturing environment. While the title includes engineering, the core focus of this role is maintenance strategy, execution, and continuous improvement
.

This opportunity is located in the Fort Smith, AR area (relocation assistance for the right candidate available*).

You will own the maintenance vision for the site, lead a multi-disciplinary team, and partner closely with operations to ensure equipment reliability, safety, and capital planning support the broader business strategy.

• Opportunity to own and elevate maintenance strategy at a large manufacturing site

• Strong visibility and partnership with Operations leadership

• Ability to influence capital planning, reliability programs, and long-term asset health

• Role with real accountability, not just oversight

• High salary with a 25% bonus structure tied to performance and results

• Lead all maintenance, engineering, reliability, and capital project activities for the site

• Establish and execute a comprehensive maintenance strategy
  , including preventive and predictive maintenance programs

• Drive improvements in equipment reliability, uptime, and maintenance KPIs

• Own the maintenance and capital budgets
  , ensuring effective spend and ROI

• Lead capital projects from concept through execution, delivering on time and on budget

• Build, coach, and develop a high-performing maintenance and engineering team

• Ensure compliance with OSHA, safety, and regulatory standards

• Partner cross-functionally with Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and external vendors

• Drive a continuous improvement culture
  , leveraging Lean manufacturing tools

• Negotiate and manage key vendor and contractor relationships

• Support ISO and safety management systems, including corrective actions and audits

• 8+ years of leadership experience in maintenance and/or engineering within a manufacturing environment

• Proven success leading maintenance transformation initiatives

• Strong background in preventive and predictive maintenance programs

• Experience managing capital projects and reliability strategies

• Demonstrated ability to lead teams in unionized environments

• Solid understanding of Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement

• Working knowledge of CMMS, production systems, and project management tools

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical degree, ex:
  Engineering required

  • Mechanical, Electrical, or Chemical Engineering preferred

This is not a “keep the lights on” maintenance role. It’s a chance to set the direction
, raise standards, and leave a lasting impact on how maintenance supports operational excellence. The right leader will bring structure, discipline, and forward‑thinking strategy while staying close enough to the floor to understand what truly drives performance.

* Must be a U.S. Citizen