Maintenance Manager

We are seeking an experienced Maintenance Manager to lead the maintenance function within our fast-paced dairy manufacturing operation in Rockford, IL. This role is responsible for driving preventive and predictive maintenance strategies, ensuring equipment reliability, and supporting the achievement of safety, quality, production, and efficiency targets. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who can effectively develop teams, resolve operational challenges, and foster a culture of continuous improvement while ensuring compliance with all regulatory and company standards.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Develop and manage a maintenance department qualified to maintain all equipment and facilities in a safe and efficient working condition.
• Develop objectives and standards of performance for activities and projects within the maintenance department to meet departmental, divisional, and corporate goals and objectives.
• Oversee the development and execution of an effective predictive/preventive maintenance program which has a maintenance strategy for all assets to remove unscheduled down time, increase the lifespan of assets by keeping them in optimal condition, and contain maintenance strategies so assets are timely maintained to minimize costs associated with asset breakdowns.
• Ensure maintenance systems support task planning with time required, parts required, and job descriptions to maximize maintenance activities during normal plant operation, in time made available during washes, planned downtime, and periodic maintenance shuts.
• Maintain awareness of maintenance best practices and establish benchmarks, strategy, and plan to achieve world class maintenance.
• Serve as an escalation point of contact for emergency maintenance requests.
• Consult with engineering and management regarding desirable modifications of existing equipment and the possible replacement of existing equipment which will improve operations and reduce maintenance costs.
• Implement cost-reduction measures to control expenses that impact the operating budget for repair, utility, pretreatment, and maintenance. May be involved in developing the capital budget.
• Remain current with the latest and emerging industry regulations and codes relative to mechanical and electrical systems design and operation.
• Manage assigned employees, including recruitment, supervision, scheduling, development, evaluation, and performance management. Understand and effectively apply work rules, union contract provisions (if applicable), and employment policies. Administer discipline consistently and fairly. Work with Human Resources and plant management to resolve employee grievances.
• Follow all DFA good manufacturing practices (GMP) and work in a manner consistent with all company regulatory, food safety, quality, and sanitation requirements.

• Undergraduate degree (or equivalent combination of experience and education).
• 5 to 8 years maintenance, mechanical engineering, or related experience coupled with demonstrated leadership attributes, team leadership, or supervisory experience; 3+ years of manager experience preferred.
• Manufacturing operations or production experience in a food & beverage manufacturing environment or dairy industry is desired.
• Experience working with food manufacturing equipment, i.e., high-speed rotary fillers. Blow mold machines, pneumatics and hydraulics a plus.
• Electrical experience with wiring, motor control circuitry 480-volt 3 phase required.
• PLC troubleshooting experience with Allen Bradley platform preferred.
• Experience working with ammonia refrigeration systems is a plus.
• Strong computer skills, including MS Excel and maintenance-related software (CMMS), to support and oversee the preventative maintenance program.
• Ex…