Area Owner Area Owner

Nestle Operational Services Worldwide SA•Eau Claire, WI

22h•Onsite

About The Position

At Nestlé Health Science, we believe that nutrition, science, and wellness must merge, not collide. Here, we embrace the intrinsic connections of these three pillars, harnessing their collective strength to empower healthier lives. Our broad product portfolio includes renowned brands like Garden of Life®, Nature's Bounty®, Vital Proteins®, Orgain®, Nuun®, BOOST®, Carnation Breakfast Essentials®, Peptamen®, Compleat Organic Blends®, and more. We also have extensive pharmaceutical expertise, offering innovative medicines that aim to prevent, manage, and treat gastrointestinal and metabolic-related diseases. At Nestlé Health Science, we bring our best for better lives. Our people are challenged to bring fresh, diverse views and make bold moves to empower healthier lives through nutrition. We know brilliant ideas can come from anyone, anywhere. Here we embrace the entrepreneurial spirit and collaborate with teams that champion focused and forward thinking. We are committed to fostering professional growth and celebrating the achievements of our people along the way. We offer dynamic career paths, robust development, opportunities to learn from talented colleagues around the globe, and benefits that support physical, financial, and emotional wellbeing. Join us to innovate for impact and reimagine the future of health and nutrition for patients and consumers. POSITION SUMMARY: As the Maintenance Area Owner, you’ll lead the maintenance team to keep people safe, protect product quality, and improve equipment reliability—so we can deliver our production plan on time, every day. You’ll do this by developing team capability and owning day-to-day leadership activities across the full employee lifecycle (onboarding, training, coaching, performance conversations, and—when needed—corrective action). This role is hands-on and highly visible. You’ll set expectations, remove barriers, and build a culture of engagement and accountability by being present on the floor and following through on commitments. You’ll also connect regularly with all shifts to reinforce standards, share priorities, and drive continuous improvement. SHIFT: This role is primarily days, with flexibility needed for a 24/7 operation (frequent extended hours, off-shift check-ins, and support during critical events). You’ll be accountable for maintenance results in the Liquid area and for building capability across all shifts and crews.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field (or an associate degree and/or 5+ years of manufacturing experience in place of a bachelor’s)
2+ years of people leadership experience (formal supervisor/manager) or 2+ years of informal leadership experience within food manufacturing
Demonstrated ability to build strong working relationships and partner effectively with cross-functional teams (food manufacturing preferred)
Experience with food processing and packaging equipment
Experience with TPM or a continuous improvement methodology (7 KSR + 4 digital tools)
Ability to maintain a safe work environment through standard work and strong safety practices
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Strong interpersonal, organizational, and leadership skills
Ability to manage multiple priorities with strong organization and follow-through
Strong mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting skills using root-cause problem solving
Working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel

Nice To Haves

5+ years of manufacturing leadership experience preferred
SAP-AMM experience preferred
Knowledge of IP/ME (Industrial Performance/Manufacturing Excellence)
Project management experience

Responsibilities

Identify the biggest losses and recurring downtime drivers, then use standard problem-solving tools to eliminate root causes
Lead daily/weekly operating rhythm meetings (DOR, WOR, MOR) and other meetings as needed
Build team capability by assessing skill levels against plant needs and partnering with internal/external experts to close gaps
Partner with Technical Associates (TAs) to drive consistent standards across crews and strengthen technical capability in the area
Align Maintenance TAs so all crews are working toward shared objectives and expectations
Work cross-functionally to ensure Tetra meets or exceeds planned requirements
Respond quickly and effectively to issues, partnering with Production, Safety, Quality, HR, and Engineering
Coach and develop the team through visible, on-the-floor leadership and regular feedback
Implement, improve, and reinforce environmental health & safety and product safety programs
Spot, escalate, and communicate risks and unresolved operational issues in a timely way
Drive continuous improvement in safety, reliability, performance, and team effectiveness
Partner with the Maintenance Planner to improve daily/weekly plans, preventive maintenance tasks, and PM frequencies
Keep the Maintenance Manager informed on key topics (nonconformances, production/maintenance challenges, labor relations, and scheduling needs)
Support employee lifecycle activities, including hiring, performance management, corrective action, and (when applicable) terminations
Help write, review, and manage work permits for the assigned area
Ensure SOPs and work instructions are current, accurate, and available for applicable roles
Conduct basic investigations related to line performance, quality concerns, or in-sterility events
Engage and empower the maintenance team by connecting business priorities and performance expectations to day-to-day work and plant results
Take on other responsibilities as assigned