Facilities & Maintenance Manager
About the role
We are seeking a Facilities & Maintenance Manager to lead the maintenance, reliability, and continuous improvement of our 100,000-square-foot food manufacturing facility in Chicago. This role is crucial for ensuring our building, equipment, and critical systems operate safely, efficiently, and reliably, supporting the delivery of fresh, high-quality food to customers.
Responsibilities
Own the preventative maintenance strategy for our production facility, ensuring equipment and building systems operate safely, reliably, and efficiently.
Lead, coach, and develop the maintenance team while managing external contractors and vendors to deliver high-quality work on time and within budget.
Build and continuously improve preventative maintenance programs, inspection routines, and documentation to minimize downtime and extend equipment life.
Oversee maintenance and repair of facility infrastructure and manufacturing equipment, including refrigeration systems, conveyors, processing equipment, automated assembly equipment, and building utilities.
Partner closely with Quality Assurance and Food Safety to ensure all maintenance activities meet regulatory and food safety requirements.
Manage the facility maintenance budget, balancing cost efficiency with operational reliability and long-term capital planning.
Develop meaningful performance metrics and use data to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
Administer the facility's on-call program and provide leadership during after-hours maintenance issues and operational emergencies.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Operations, IT, Engineering, and plant leadership to support business continuity and facility improvement initiatives.
Requirements
5+ years of facilities or maintenance leadership experience within a food manufacturing or similarly regulated production environment.
Proven experience managing maintenance operations in refrigerated or temperature-controlled facilities.
Expert-level knowledge of preventative maintenance programs, CMMS systems, and equipment reliability best practices.
Strong technical knowledge of industrial manufacturing equipment, refrigeration systems, conveyors, utilities, and facility infrastructure.
Ability to balance competing priorities while keeping safety, food quality, and operational uptime at the center of every decision.
Collaborative leader who builds strong relationships across Operations, Quality, Food Safety, IT, and external vendors.
Proven experience managing budgets, analyzing performance metrics, and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Facilities Management, or a related field is preferred.
Skills
Leadership and management skills
Technical expertise in manufacturing and refrigeration systems
Project management and budgeting skills
Collaborative and problem-solving abilities
Benefits
We provide a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) with immediate employer match vesting, paid time off, and a paid sabbatical after 5 years of service. We also offer employee discounts, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and opportunities for professional growth and innovation.