Sr Maintenance Manager

Dairy Farmers of America•Great Falls, MT

11d•Onsite

About The Position

Meadow Gold has an immediate job opening for an innovative Sr. Maintenance Manager that will ensure delivery of engineering services to an assigned plant. This role provides leadership and direction in assessing, determining, and executing facility capital expenditures and maintenance enhancement needs with significant focus on improving productivity and minimizing labor & overhead costs. The Sr. Manager will also minimize milk, ingredient and packaging waste while assuring highest levels of safety, quality, sanitation, and regulatory compliance. Meadow Gold is a farmer-owned brand of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), a dairy marketing cooperative owned by more than 12,500 family farmers. Our mark matters and it represents the wholesomeness of dairy that we share with our communities and loved ones. DFA manufactures a variety of dairy products, including cheese, butter, fluid milk, ice cream, dairy ingredients and more, under well-known and established regional brands. Our fingerprints touch thousands of brands across the marketplace, and we’re passionate about delivering the simple pleasures of dairy to people everywhere, straight from our family farm-owners. At Meadow Gold, we create fluid milk products and are proud to provide families with fresh, delicious dairy. By joining DFA, you can help us continue to make a difference that matters. We care deeply about the well-being of our neighbors and friends, and we celebrate the diversity of our company and our world. It takes an incredible team to deliver the goodness of dairy and enrich our communities – come join us!

Requirements

Undergraduate degree in engineering or related curriculum or technical training in related mechanical or electrical studies (or equivalent combination of education and experience)
8 or more years of engineering or maintenance experience in a food manufacturing environment that includes 1+ year of management experience
Environmental compliance experience
PLC programming experience
Capital project management experience
Budget management experience
Strong leadership and team management skills with the ability to motivate and guide a diverse team
Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes and equipment, along with a strong understanding of plant manufacturing or industrial regulations and safety protocols
Knowledge of architectural, mechanical, electrical, and process production engineering
Knowledge of continuous improvement (CI) tools and ability to use CI tools in projects
Strong organizational, planning, execution, and follow through skills
Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities
Skill in critical thinking, analysis, mathematical calculations, and statistical evaluations
Ability to develop scope, schedule, budget, and lead plant capex projects
Able to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, for a diverse range of internal and external audiences
Able to work in collaboration effectively and foster good teamwork
Able to handle challenging or conflict situations with tact and professionalism
Able to adapt and manage to change effectively
Must be able to read, write and speak English

Nice To Haves

Certification and/or License – may be required during course of employment

Responsibilities

Manage all aspects of the engineering and maintenance functions, including the direct management of engineers and maintenance managers/supervisors. Provide direction, guidance, and support, fostering a positive work environment and promoting professional development
Ensure the site has 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 of asset breakdowns
Oversee the preventative maintenance programs for the facility, electrical distribution, plant utility systems, architecture, process instrumentation, and all production machinery and equipment through assigned staff and outside contractors to support sustained plant operations and maximize operational efficiency
Collaborate with senior management to identify and prioritize capital improvement projects. Recommend expense or capital projects which are necessary or will improve productivity, safety, or operational efficiency
Oversee the design, planning, and execution of capital and expense projects, ensuring they meet budget and timeline as defined
Partner with others regarding the resolution of ongoing or escalated problems, the implementation of new procedures or processes, the introduction of new equipment installation and layout, and products or product lines
Perform replacement analysis of equipment considering space costs, depreciation, service life, and maintenance costs; advise production management of information and recommend appropriate actions
Ensure good business communication practices at all levels to ensure key stakeholders are well informed and can appropriately respond as needed
Ensure all process changes, equipment changes, or product changes are understood by affected employees in a timely fashion. Engage and interact with staff on a regular basis assisting them with their concerns and questions
Source and evaluate vendors, contractors, and suppliers to obtain quality products and services at competitive prices. Negotiate contracts and agreements with external parties as necessary
Develop and utilize maintenance key performance indicators (KPI) to drive improvements to plant reliability. Drive continuous improvement initiatives to optimize plant operations and reduce waste
Identify opportunities to implement new technologies, processes, and methodologies to enhance plant performance
Conduct or coordinate regular safety inspections, risk assessments, and safety training programs
Generate reports on plant performance, maintenance activities, and project updates for management review
Maintain accurate documentation of maintenance records, engineering plans, and compliance documentation
Prepare and manage the department's budget, ensuring cost-effective allocation of resources
Ensure compliance with quality, safety, environmental, and repair requirements for all equipment and infrastructure pertaining to any engineering-owned functions
Manage assigned employees, including recruitment, scheduling, development, evaluation, performance management, and career development; hold self and employees accountable for results
Ensure all plant environmental policies and procedures reflect current DFA guidelines and regulatory requirements and proper reporting is completed
Follow all DFA good manufacturing practices (GMP) and work in a manner consistent with all corporate regulatory, food safety, quality, and sanitation requirements