Assistant Maintenance Manager

• Department:
  Operations

At Link Snacks
, we show up hungry, roll up our sleeves, plaid or otherwise, and dive straight into the hard work. We don’t hide from challenges; we hunt them down. We push harder, move faster, and take the kinds of big swings that built this business in the North Woods of Wisconsin four decades ago.

We’re everyday people who deliver extraordinary results. Innovation, creativity, and urgency aren’t buzzwords, they’re expectations. And just like the real protein snacks we make across our global house of brands—Jack Link’s® ,Lorissa’s Kitchen® ,Golden Island® ,BiFi® ,and Peperami® and KOOEE!® to name a few—there’s nothing artificial about us. What you see is exactly what you get: humble, gritty, passionate people who show up every day ready to not just be a participate in the meat snack industry that the Link Family created, but to move faster, innovate harder and keep raising the bar so high, the rest of the world needs a ladder just to see it.

Dominating this space across the world takes a team. A team that runs together, succeeds together, and celebrates together. A team that’s full of relentless energy and spirit that can only be fueled by one thing: a fist full of our delicious meat snacks.

Real Meat Protein. Real People. Real Results. THAT is Link Snacks.

The Assistant Maintenance Manager plays a key leadership role in supporting safe, reliable, and efficient plant operations. This position oversees day-to-day maintenance activities across facilities, utilities, and production equipment while leading supervisors, planners, and technicians in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. The role focuses on equipment reliability, preventive maintenance, team development, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Maintenance & Reliability

• Oversee preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance for plant facilities and production equipment.
• Support maintenance of HVAC, ammonia refrigeration, boilers, wastewater treatment, ovens, automated processing and packaging equipment, material handling systems, and utilities.
• Implement and sustain maintenance programs with a strong emphasis on planning, scheduling, and reliability.
• Maintain and optimize CMMS usage for work orders, assets, spare parts, and maintenance history.
• Monitor equipment performance to reduce downtime and improve operational efficiency.
• Lead or support projects that improve safety, reliability, and cost effectiveness.

Leadership & Team Development

• Provide direct and indirect supervision for approximately 60 maintenance team members.
• Coach and develop supervisors and technicians through training, performance management, and development plans.
• Assist with hiring, onboarding, and corrective action processes.
• Foster a positive, engaged, and safety-focused team culture.

Safety, Compliance & Administration

• Enforce all safety programs and promote consistent PPE and regulatory compliance.
• Support food safety, quality, and environmental requirements.
• Research parts and contractor services; evaluate quotes, sourcing most reliable low-cost provider.
• Manage critical spare parts considering lead times and inventory best practices.
• Prepare reports, analyze maintenance data, and present recommendations to leadership.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Associate or bachelor’s degree in engineering, Electrical Technology, or a related field—or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of maintenance management experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Lean and/or TPM training with hands‑on application experience.
• Strong leadership, communication, and problem‑solving skills.
• Broad technical knowledge of industrial equipment, automation, utilities, and facilities.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and CMMS platforms.

Preferred Qualifications

• Food or CPG manufacturing experience.
• Process Safety Management (PSM) experience, particularly with ammonia refrigeration.
• Knowledge of wastewater treatment systems.
• Maintenance or reliability certifications (e.g., CMRP, ARP, CFM).

Physical & Work Environment Requirements

• Ability to stand for extended periods and perform physical tasks…