Maintenance Assistant Manager

Irving, TX – Reports to: Maintenance & Utilities Manager – Exempt classification

About the Role

The Maintenance Assistant Manager leads and manages the maintenance supervisors, technicians, and team with a “One Team, One Mission” approach. This position collaborates across all shifts and departments (Utilities, Production, Planning, Safety) to support consistent production, minimize downtime, and enforce HACCP, USDA, and food safety protocols while fostering team member growth.

Responsibilities

• Manages the diversified activities of Maintenance teams and Apprentices, tracking performance, planned repairs/projects, and preventative maintenance.
• Empowers supervisors and team members to meet and exceed maintenance standards, ensuring effective response to line breakdowns.
• Leads failure analysis on work order challenges and implements corrective actions to prevent future breakdowns.
• Mentors and motivates associates, providing training and development to optimize performance and personal growth.
• Communicates performance standards, recognizing accomplishments and addressing performance issues.
• Ensures associates have the resources and capabilities to fulfill their responsibilities.
• Assists with new projects by providing cost estimates, scope of work, time frames, and warranties, and delivers monthly progress reports.
• Ensures compliance with company policies, safety regulations, GMP’s, SOP’s, SSOP’s, HACCP, and SQF; serves as a member of the HACCP Team.
• Provides back-up support to the Maintenance/Utilities Manager and Supervisors, including filling in during absences and rotating weekend PM coverage.
• Offers cross-functional support to the utilities department.

Requirements

• Seven or more years’ experience in an Industrial Mechanics/related position OR an Industrial Mechanics’ degree/equivalent technical diploma and 5 years of plant maintenance experience.
• Five years in a leadership and/or project management role.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including professional oral and written communication, a team-focused approach, and the ability to model composure and make decisions in stressful situations.
• After one year: Achieve Operator 1 certification from an Ammonia Refrigeration training center.
• After three years: Achieve Operator 2 certification from an Ammonia Refrigeration training center.
• After five years: Fill in for Utilities Supervision as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in food manufacturing facilities (especially poultry).
• Regulatory compliance knowledge, including USDA regulations, HACCP, GMP, and Food Safety (SQF).
• Strong knowledge of computerized maintenance management systems.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish).

Supervisory Responsibility

This position manages Maintenance supervisors and 10–20 Maintenance team members at the Irving facility.

Work Environment

• Primarily office-based, with frequent exposure to temperature variations (e.g., -40°F freezers, 32°F coolers, 40°F production areas, wet/cold environments).
• Noise, slippery floors, and moving equipment in operations settings.

Physical Demands

• Extensive standing, sitting, lifting, climbing ladders, and wearing factory-required equipment.
• Walking, visual acuity, quick response to sounds, and occasional driving.

Schedule

Exempt role; may require schedule changes or off-shift work. Some travel (less than 5%) to assist other facilities.