AFB Manager Engineering
About The Position
The Engineering and Maintenance Manager is responsible for maintaining process and production equipment, powered industrial trucks, and plant facilities to support safe and efficient operations. The role manages plant maintenance staff, local engineering staff, plant projects, and outside contractors. It calls for strong collaboration and leadership to maintain teamwork and morale in a high-volume, high-pressure, non-union production environment while delivering results without sacrificing safety, quality, or teamwork. The manager leads the Engineering and Maintenance Supervisor, Plant Process Engineer, and Engineering and Maintenance Assistant, and is indirectly responsible for subordinate maintenance and engineering staff. The role manages departmental budgets and develops plant capital and expense plans. Project work can include economic analysis, design and engineering, feasibility planning, equipment sourcing, capital requests, installation coordination, cost control, startup, personnel training, and documentation. The manager also provides technical support, oversees work orders and preventative maintenance, maintains spare-parts inventory, and supports safe, reliable production and food safety. Routine plant operations budget responsibility is approximately $3 million annually; capital requests and extraordinary maintenance activity can involve millions more. The production facility operates 24/7/365. The manager is expected to work onsite during normal business hours, remain available for long hours, evenings, or weekends as project or maintenance needs require, and be on call for after-hours situations. Travel is up to 10%.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree.
- At least 6 years of related experience.
- At least 2 years of progressive maintenance or engineering management experience in a manufacturing facility.
- Experience in kaizen, operational excellence, Lean/Six Sigma, or business operating systems with a strong process orientation.
- Leadership skills for effective performance management of engineering and maintenance staff.
- Recruiting and hiring skills to build a qualified engineering and maintenance department.
- Financial skills to manage large budgets and projects.
- Interpersonal and communication skills to communicate effectively with audiences ranging from production operators to board members.
- Computer skills including MS Office, Visio, MS Project, MMS systems, ERP systems, basic networking principles and setups, controls systems, basic ladder logic, and AutoCAD.
- Ability to operate a variety of powered industrial trucks.
- Technical writing and presentation skills to communicate complex information to technical, professional, and general audiences.
- Ability to meet the physical requirements of the role, including occasionally lifting or moving up to 55 pounds.
- Ability to work onsite during normal business hours at a 24/7/365 production facility and be available for long hours, evenings, weekends, and after-hours calls as required.
- Willingness to travel up to 10%.
Nice To Haves
- Degree in mechanical or electrical engineering.
- Experience in the food, flavor, or feed industries.
- Experience in an SQF-certified or similar manufacturing environment.
- Familiarity with equipment operation.
Responsibilities
- Prioritize employee and contractor safety in all functions and ensure equipment is safely designed, installed, operated, and maintained.
- Lead, direct, and supervise the Engineering and Maintenance Supervisor, Plant Process Engineer, and Engineering and Maintenance Assistant, with indirect responsibility for additional maintenance and engineering staff.
- Manage and maintain engineering and maintenance departmental budgets, including routine operating expenses, capital requests, and extraordinary maintenance activity.
- Develop plant capital and expense plans and implement projects independently or with corporate engineering support.
- Conduct project economic analysis, design and engineering, feasibility planning, equipment sourcing, capital appropriation development, installation coordination and supervision, cost tracking, startup, personnel training, and system documentation.
- Provide technical support to the plant in areas such as safety, quality, and reliability, and troubleshoot issues affecting ongoing operations.
- Interpret and apply company policies and procedures to plant engineering and maintenance activities.
- Maintain knowledge of new technologies and safety policies and regulations, and develop recommendations to improve operations and maintain a safe workplace.
- Write and review job work orders, evaluate alternatives, prioritize and schedule repairs, source and purchase supplies, and follow up to confirm timely, effective completion.
- Develop and execute the preventative maintenance program with support staff and maintain spare-parts inventory.
- Develop equipment and line layouts, system and equipment cost estimates, and standards benchmarks; evaluate alternatives and recommend preferred solutions.
- Write capital requests, order equipment, coordinate installations, start up equipment and systems, and assess performance against projected benefits.
- Ensure equipment and processes support the production of safe food products.
- Remain available for after-hours situations and work evenings or weekends as required for projects or maintenance activity.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
