Reliability Lead
About The Position
The Reliability Lead supports The Hershey Company’s Lawrence, Kansas plant in building a world-class maintenance organization centered on preventive and predictive maintenance. This role leads equipment reliability, maintenance excellence, and continuous improvement within an assigned business unit. It develops and coordinates maintenance planning and reliability strategies to maximize asset performance, improve operational efficiency, and support the plant’s manufacturing goals. The role works across operations, engineering, and technical teams to improve plant performance and establish long-term maintenance strategies. It also supports capital planning and technical improvement projects, helps develop mechanics and operators, and advances equipment ownership and maintenance capabilities.
Requirements
- At least 3 years of relevant maintenance, reliability, or manufacturing experience.
- Experience with reliability-centered maintenance, preventive and predictive maintenance, Lean Manufacturing, TPM, and continuous improvement.
- Experience with SAP-PM or a similar CMMS platform.
- Experience leading projects, driving change, influencing cross-functional teams, and applying Root Cause Analysis (RCA) methodologies.
- Advanced troubleshooting and diagnostic capability, with a strong focus on safety, quality, and technical standards.
- A bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline is preferred; equivalent combinations of education and relevant manufacturing maintenance experience will be considered.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with SAP S/4.
- Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP) credential.
- RCA training.
- Predictive maintenance expertise.
- Maintenance planning and scheduling expertise.
- Reliability engineering expertise.
- Safety management expertise.
- Capital project management expertise.
- Coaching and team development experience.
- Mechanical Engineering degree preferred.
Responsibilities
- Lead maintenance and asset reliability activities for assigned production lines or process areas, including complex installation, repair, maintenance, and calibration across manufacturing and utility systems.
- Manage maintenance planning and scheduling, including prioritizing SAP work orders, coordinating technical activities, and developing schedules that minimize production impact.
- Drive preventive and predictive maintenance programs by analyzing equipment and maintenance data, applying diagnostics, and implementing corrective actions.
- Lead root cause analysis, defect handling, troubleshooting, and breakdown elimination to resolve complex equipment issues and improve reliability.
- Partner with Technical Assurance on asset management processes, inventory accuracy, maintenance cost effectiveness, and compliance with safety, quality, and technical standards.
- Support site capital planning and lead capital or major technical improvement projects, including planning, monitoring, and coordinating required work.
- Participate in daily operational huddles, report maintenance performance metrics, identify risks, and drive corrective actions and continuous improvement.
- Coach mechanics and operators to strengthen equipment ownership, autonomous maintenance practices, troubleshooting capability, and technical skills.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
- Wellness programs supporting physical and mental health.
- Competitive pay.
- Annual incentive opportunities.
- 401(k) with company match.
- Paid time off and company holidays.
- Flexible ways of working where applicable.
- Career development programs, learning opportunities, and internal mobility.
- Performance-based incentives.
- Comprehensive benefits package supporting physical, mental, and financial well-being.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
