Head of Maintenance - Dairy Manufacturing

About the role

We are seeking an experienced Maintenance Manager with a strong background in dairy manufacturing to lead maintenance operations within a large, unionized production facility. This opportunity is best suited for a maintenance leader who has worked directly within a dairy manufacturing plant environment and understands the equipment reliability, sanitation, food safety, and production demands unique to dairy operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead preventive and predictive maintenance programs
• Improve equipment reliability and reduce unplanned downtime
• Manage maintenance planning, scheduling, spare parts, and repair costs
• Utilize SAP or similar CMMS systems
• Support plant shutdowns, equipment upgrades, and capital projects
• Lead, coach, and develop maintenance personnel
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, GMP, food safety, sanitation, and plant safety standards
• Provide on-call support for critical maintenance issues

Requirements

• 5–8+ years of industrial maintenance or mechanical engineering experience
• Strong dairy manufacturing experience required
• Experience in milk processing, cheese, whey, dairy ingredients, or similar dairy production environments
• Previous maintenance leadership or supervisory experience
• 1+ year of management experience preferred
• Strong knowledge of mechanical/electrical systems, PM/PdM, and equipment reliability
• CMMS experience; SAP strongly preferred
• Union manufacturing experience is a plus
• Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of education and experience

Compensation & Schedule

• $110,000–$120,000 base salary
• 10% annual bonus eligibility
• Relocation assistance available
• Monday–Friday, standard business hours
• On-call availability required
• Minimal travel, approximately 1–3 trips per year