Acceptance Testing, Automation, Automation Systems, Capital Equipment, Capital Project, Commissioning, Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), Food Production, GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), Groundskeeping, Identify Issues, Maintain Compliance, Maintenance Services, Manufacturing Automation, Network Administration/Management, OSHA, Operational Support, Preventative Maintenance, Problem Solving Skills, Record Keeping, Reliability Engineering, Root Cause Analysis, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), Startup, Technical Leadership, Technical Writing, Trend Analysis, Vendor/Supplier Management, Willing to Travel
Position Overview
The Senior Manager, Maintenance & Automation is a senior technical leader responsible for hands-on maintenance, installation, and reliability of food and manufacturing automation equipment across a multi-site network. This role supports both existing operations and new site implementations by providing strong technical leadership, direct troubleshooting support, and hands-on involvement with production and packaging equipment.
This position is not a facilities or grounds maintenance role. Success in this role requires deep experience working hands on with repair of food-grade manufacturing, production, and co-packaging equipment in regulated environments.
Work Location: Remote role with frequent travel to various sites. Candidates located in the Chicago or Atlanta areas are preferred.
Work Schedule: First shift, Monday through Friday with the ability to work outside of scheduled hours based on business needs.
Travel: Up to 70% domestic travel, including travel between our US sites as needed. This is non-negotiable.
Compensation: Attractive annual salary range of $98,000 $140,000, plus a performance-based bonus. Comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) with company match, and additional benefits.
Key Responsibilities
Support Existing Operations
- Hire, train, and support site Maintenance Managers and maintenance technicians with an emphasis on hands-on technical capability
- Provide interim coverage for site Maintenance Manager roles, including direct participation in troubleshooting, repairs, and corrective maintenance
- Audit maintenance programs with on-site involvement in equipment condition, PM effectiveness, and root-cause analysis
- Troubleshoot and resolve complex equipment issues related to production, packaging, and automation systems
New Site & Equipment Implementations
- Lead and personally participate in equipment installations, removals, demolition, commissioning, and startup
- Support and execute Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) and Site Acceptance Tests (SATs)
- Implement and standardize CMMS programs
- Establish spare parts programs and maintenance tool standards
- Create and maintain technical maintenance documentation and SOPs
- Train maintenance technicians and operators on production and packaging equipment
- Manage automation vendors while remaining hands-on during installs, modifications, and repairs
Maintenance, Reliability & Compliance
- Lead network-wide maintenance and reliability initiatives focused on production uptime and equipment performance
- Develop, improve, and enforce preventive and predictive maintenance strategies
- Coordinate outages, capital projects, and equipment upgrades
- Maintain accurate service records, spare parts inventories, and technical documentation
- Ensure compliance with OSHA, GMP, and food-grade manufacturing standards
- Identify trends in downtime, failure modes, and maintenance data to improve reliability