Kitchen Equipment Repair Lead
Job Summary
The Kitchen Equipment Repair Lead oversees daily repair, maintenance, and service needs for commercial food service equipment and facilities across the district. This role coordinates repair schedules, troubleshoots complex mechanical, electrical, refrigeration, and digital/smart kitchen systems, prioritizes emergency service requests, and ensures district kitchens remain safe, fully operational, energy-efficient, and compliant with health codes and district standards. The Kitchen Equipment Repair Lead guides repair staff, collaborates with kitchen managers, administrators, and vendors, maintains accurate digital records in the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), and ensures repairs are executed efficiently with minimal disruption to child nutrition programs.
Essential Functions
- Technical Leadership & Operations
- Leads and coordinates daily kitchen equipment repair, preventive maintenance, and emergency service activities.
- Troubleshoots, diagnoses, and repairs advanced commercial kitchen equipment, including combi-ovens, ranges, steamers, blast chillers, walk-in refrigerators/freezers, commercial dishwashers, food processors, and digital control systems.
- Prioritizes, assigns, and responds to service requests using the district work order management platform to minimize disruption to school breakfast and lunch operations.
- Develops, implements, and monitors automated preventive maintenance (PM) schedules for refrigeration, HVAC/exhaust hoods, and cooking equipment to prolong asset lifespan and optimize energy efficiency.
- Assists with the installation, removal, retrofitting, and commissioning of new commercial kitchen equipment.
- Operates district service vehicles, specialized tools, diagnostic devices, and recovery equipment safely and responsibly.
- Responds to emergency repair calls during and outside regular operating hours as assigned.
- Team Supervision & Communication
- Assigns, monitors, and reviews work completed by kitchen equipment repair technicians and trade staff.
- Provides technical guidance, safety coaching, and trade training to maintenance personnel.
- Communicates proactively with kitchen managers, nutrition supervisors, vendors,