Job Title: Maintenance Manager
Contract Type: Permanent, Full Time
Location: Co. Waterford, Ireland
Role Summary
A leading food manufacturing and processing company is seeking an experienced Maintenance Manager to support operations at a production facility in Co. Waterford.
The successful candidate will lead an efficient and effective engineering function, ensuring the delivery of key maintenance KPIs including planned and preventative maintenance, response time to breakdowns, cost control, and continuous improvement initiatives. The role also involves managing unforeseen maintenance activity and coordinating internal resources and external contractors within agreed budgets.
Key Responsibilities
- Deliver key business objectives and performance targets for the Maintenance Department at both site and group level.
- Monitor and control maintenance expenditure in line with approved budgets and company procedures.
- Provide leadership and technical guidance to the engineering team, particularly during breakdowns and time-critical repairs.
- Manage the day-to-day activities of the Maintenance team, including prioritising repairs, scheduling maintenance work, and minimising disruption to production.
- Plan preventative and scheduled maintenance activities while responding effectively to unexpected maintenance requirements.
- Coordinate internal engineering resources and external contractors based on operational needs, specialist skills, and project requirements.
- Manage third-party maintenance contracts and communicate effectively with site leadership regarding costs, service levels, and contractor performance.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance equipment reliability, reduce downtime, and improve operational efficiency.
- Support employee development through training, coaching, mentoring, and performance management initiatives.
- Oversee all site utilities including electricity, water, compressed air, refrigeration, and related services to ensure continuity and quality of operations.
Qualifications & Experience
The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following:
- Trade qualification in a mechanical or electrical discipline, third-level qualification in Engineering, or equivalent relevant experience.
- Minimum of 5 years' experience in an engineering or maintenance role within an industrial or manufacturing environment, ideally within food manufacturing.
- Previous experience leading or managing engineering or maintenance teams in a fast-paced operational environment.
- Strong organisational and project management capabilities.
- Excellent communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
- Proven ability in people management, including coaching, mentoring, and team development.
