Technical Specialist Maintenance Leader

Ascend Performance Materials•Decatur, AL

3d•Onsite

About The Position

This position serves as the people leader and technical authority for Ascend’s Technical Specialist Maintenance Department. This role is accountable for leading a diverse team of high voltage, process analyzer, and distributed control system (DCS) technicians in the safe and effective execution of daily maintenance, troubleshooting, reliability improvement, and turnaround activities for specialized plant systems. The position plays a critical role in improving equipment reliability, driving maintenance excellence, supporting operational performance, and developing technical talent across the organization.

Requirements

Bachelor or Associate of Science in Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, Instrumentation, or related technical discipline preferred
Minimum of 7–10 years of experience in chemical, petrochemical, refining, pulp and paper, power generation, or heavy industrial manufacturing environments
Minimum of 2 years of supervisory or leadership experience preferred
Demonstrated experience supporting electrical distribution systems, analyzers, instrumentation, PLCs, and DCS systems in an industrial manufacturing environment
Experience with reliability-centered maintenance, turnaround execution, and maintenance work processes preferred
Six Sigma and/or Lean Manufacturing experience desired
Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP) certification preferred
Demonstrated knowledge of maintenance work processes, reliability principles, and maintenance best practices
Strong understanding of electrical safety, instrumentation systems, process controls, and industrial maintenance standards
Demonstrated experience with Six Sigma and/or Lean Manufacturing fundamentals
Proven leadership and team-building capabilities with the ability to work effectively across all organizational levels in a fast-paced manufacturing environment
Demonstrated ownership mindset and strong drive to improve systems, processes, and organizational effectiveness
Strong troubleshooting, root cause analysis, decision-making, conflict resolution, facilitation, and prioritization skills
Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Proficient computer skills including Microsoft Office Suite, SAP, CMMS systems, and LIMS
Strong analytical skills with demonstrated ability to identify, implement, and sustain corrective actions
Working knowledge of NFPA 70E, NEC, OSHA regulations, ISA standards, and industrial electrical maintenance practices
Ability to meet the physical requirements of an industrial manufacturing environment including working in extreme temperatures, climbing stairs and ladders, walking, sitting, standing, bending, kneeling, and working in confined or elevated areas as required
Ability to use hands and fingers to handle tools, equipment, and computer systems
Good hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds periodically
Ability to wear required PPE including arc flash clothing, respirators, and fall protection equipment as required
Ability to work in operating plant environments including exposure to noise, vibration, chemicals, and outdoor weather conditions
Ability to support off-hours callouts, turnaround activities, and emergency response situations as needed
Safety-first leadership mindset with strong visible field presence
High accountability and ownership of results
Collaborative leadership style that develops trust and engagement
Strong coaching and employee development capabilities
Data-driven decision-making approach focused on reliability and continuous improvement
Ability to lead organizational change and drive cultural improvement initiatives
Strong customer-service orientation toward operations and plant stakeholders

Responsibilities

Ensures safety and environmental performance of technical specialists and contractors in all aspects of work processes including implementation of safety programs that comply with regulatory requirements including NFPA 70E, NEC, PSM/ISA84, EPA, ADEM, and OSHA.
Leads people, sets and communicates expectations clearly, develops skills, and ensures accountability for implementation of action items from KMS, safety reviews, audits, housekeeping inspections, and other identified improvement opportunities.
Owns and drives reliability-centered maintenance work practices within the group including the use of RCA/5-Why analysis, precision maintenance, predictive maintenance technologies, and defect elimination methodologies.
Leads and advances the technical specialist organization toward a proactive maintenance culture focused on predictive, preventive, and corrective maintenance practices to improve asset reliability and optimize lifecycle cost.
Supervises the installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, calibration, and testing of a wide range of electrical and instrumentation systems including MCCs, control panels, switchgear, transformers, analyzers (GC, spectroscopy, emissions), analytical sample systems, PLCs, UPSs, DCS cabinets, and associated hardware.
Coordinates and manages technical specialist business plans, annual budgets, maintenance spend, contractor utilization, and resource allocation in alignment with site goals.
Conducts regular reviews of performance metrics with the team including safety, reliability, maintenance execution, backlog management, cost control, and continuous improvement opportunities.
Partners with Operations, Engineering, Reliability, and Maintenance Planning organizations to provide appropriate technical resources and support process and equipment optimization.
Performs technical resource functions by following field work activities, conducting job observations, supporting troubleshooting efforts, and auditing permit and maintenance execution quality.
Reviews and ensures accuracy of department procedures, PM strategies, calibration procedures, technical standards, and equipment documentation while ensuring alignment with plant procedures and policies.
Ensures that appropriate staffing, training, tools, test equipment, spare parts, and resources are available for employees to perform their functions safely and effectively.
Establishes, maintains, and administers processes that ensure equitable technician resource leveling, overtime allocation, vacation scheduling, contractor management, and labor cost control.
Manages non-exempt payroll approval processes and ensures compliance with company policies and labor practices.
Develops and communicates clearly defined roles, responsibilities, standards, and expectations for direct reports and ensures performance through leadership, coaching, employee development, and effective use of performance feedback processes.
Leads development and execution of A2E and continuous improvement initiatives that support safety, quality, reliability, environmental, and productivity objectives.
Supports plant turnaround planning and execution activities including scope development, manpower planning, scheduling, cost tracking, and post-turnaround reviews.