Senior Manager of Maintenance and Facility Reliability

MKC•Wichita, KS

16d•Hybrid

About The Position

Responsible for leading MKC’s enterprise-wide maintenance and reliability program across approximately 60 locations in four states. This role builds and sustains a proactive preventive maintenance (PM) culture, improves asset reliability, reduces unplanned downtime, and leads the adoption and long-term use of MKC’s Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). The Senior Reliability & Maintenance Manager manages and develops a team of millwrights, sets maintenance priorities, establishes execution discipline, and partners closely with Operations and Safety to strengthen a safe, compliant, and efficient work environment—supporting MKC’s mission, operational excellence, and risk reduction goals.

Requirements

Demonstrated leadership experience in multi-site maintenance or reliability environments
Strong working knowledge of industrial mechanical systems, including conveying systems, rotating equipment, motors/drives, bearings, alignment, and lubrication fundamentals
Proven ability to design and implement preventive maintenance programs that shift organizations from reactive to proactive maintenance
Experience leading or sustaining CMMS adoption, including data discipline and workflow execution
Strong planning, scheduling, prioritization, and documentation skills
Effective communication, coaching, conflict resolution, and team development capabilities
Ability to partner cross-functionally with Operations, Safety, HR, vendors, and contractors
Safety-first mindset with strong knowledge of safe work practices and regulatory requirements
Ability to work independently while managing multiple priorities in a dynamic field environment
Five or more years of maintenance or reliability leadership experience in industrial, manufacturing, agricultural, or processing environments
Demonstrated success improving preventive maintenance performance and reducing reactive work
Experience managing people, contractors, and maintenance resources across multiple sites

Nice To Haves

Reliability or maintenance-related training or certification exposure (RCM, RCA, vibration analysis, lubrication, etc.) preferred

Responsibilities

Lead and manage the millwright team, establishing clear expectations for safety, professionalism, workmanship quality, documentation, and customer service to operations sites
Coordinate deployment of millwrights across locations to support breakdown response, PM execution, and reliability improvement work
Manage vendor and contractor relationships, including selection, scope definition, supervision, pricing control, and performance evaluation
Design, implement, and continuously improve MKC’s preventive maintenance program, including standardized PM tasks, frequencies, and procedures for critical assets
Establish and maintain maintenance planning and scheduling routines to improve PM compliance and reduce emergency work
Build and manage a prioritized maintenance backlog in collaboration with Operations and Safety
Lead CMMS adoption, training, ongoing usage, and data quality standards across sites
Ensure accurate work order documentation, asset hierarchies, failure data, labor hours, parts usage, and closeout notes
Use maintenance and CMMS data to identify repeat failures, conduct root cause analysis, and drive permanent corrective actions
Recommend equipment upgrades, standardization, and reliability-focused capital improvements with appropriate justification
Provide safety leadership by modeling and enforcing safe work practices, supporting incident investigations, and ensuring corrective actions are completed
Participate in annual budgeting and manage maintenance-related spend within approved budgets
Improve parts availability and storeroom discipline, including critical spares identification and inventory controls
Support staffing, hiring, development, and contractor strategies aligned with operational needs
Track and improve key performance indicators such as PM compliance, reactive vs. planned work, backlog health, downtime trends, CMMS adoption, and maintenance-related safety performance
Maintain knowledge of applicable regulations, company policies, and best practices affecting the position
Attend required safety, leadership, and technical training as assigned
Maintain a professional, positive attitude that promotes teamwork and a favorable image of MKC
Complete required reports, documentation, and special projects as assigned by leadership