Maintenance & Reliability Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Maintenance and Reliability Manager

North Andover, MA

Family-owned and operated, Bake’n Joy Foods, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of top-quality bakery products, founded in 1941. We manufacture a variety of products for professional bakers, including frozen scoop batters, pre-deposited muffins, cornbread, loaf cakes, and Boston Coffee Cakes, as well as mixes and an expanding line of fully baked items such as coffee cakes, loaf cakes, and more. We remain committed to providing top-quality products, service, and value to our customers.

Job Summary/Objective

The Maintenance and Reliability Manager is responsible for leading the maintenance and reliability strategy for a mid-sized baked and frozen food manufacturing company. This role ensures all equipment and systems operate safely, efficiently, and reliably. The manager will build and develop a skilled maintenance team, implement a robust reliability program, and drive continuous improvement initiatives that support safety, quality, and long-term business growth.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a family-owned company that takes pride in producing high-quality baked and frozen products while investing in people, technology, and sustainable operations. The right candidate will be a hands-on manager who thrives in a collaborative environment and is passionate about developing teams and systems that perform at their best.

Essential Functions

Reliability & Maintenance Program Management

• Develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) program.
• Lead Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to reduce downtime and improve equipment performance.
• Oversee preventive and predictive maintenance strategies, ensuring optimal balance between reliability, cost, and efficiency.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to reduce unplanned downtime and increase Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
• Partner with Operations and Quality to ensure equipment reliability supports food safety, product consistency, and throughput goals.
• Champion Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) principles to engage operators in basic maintenance and equipment care.
• Develop and track KPIs to monitor performance.

Systems & Technology

• Manage Bake’n Joy’s Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), ensuring accurate asset data, PM scheduling, work order completion, and reporting.
• Leverage CMMS data to identify trends, optimize maintenance schedules, and improve reliability KPIs.
• Collaborate with engineering and automation teams to support controls, PLCs, and other automation systems.
• Support implementation of new technology to advance maintenance efficiency and reliability practices.
• Support engineering on equipment upgrades, controls integration, and capital project planning.

Parts Inventory & Cost Control

• Manage spare parts inventory and vendor relationships to ensure availability of critical components while minimizing carrying costs.
• Maintain a well-organized spare parts inventory.
• Develop and manage the annual maintenance budget, ensuring cost efficiency without compromising reliability or food safety.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities through energy efficiency, improved reliability, and optimized maintenance practices.

Leadership & Team Development

• Recruit, train, mentor, and retain a skilled maintenance and reliability team, fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Develop individual training plans to build technical expertise in areas such as automation, PLCs, controls, and preventive maintenance.
• Champion associate engagement and ensure effective communication and alignment across shifts and departments.
• Cultivate a culture of collaboration and pride, where team members are engaged in problem-solving and continuous improvement.

Competencies

• Strong proficiency with CMMS systems (e.g., eMaint, Fiix, SAP, Infor, or similar).
• Demonstrated experience with automation systems, PLCs, and controls troubleshooting.
• Knowledge of reliability methodologies (RCM, TPM, RCA, FMEA).
• Solid understanding of mechanical, electrical, and utilities systems standard to food manufacturing.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and data analysis/reporting tools.
• Excellent management, communication, and problem-solving abilities.
• Strategic thinker with hands-on execution ability.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to influence cross-functional teams.

Management Responsibilities

• Direct management of the maintenance supervisory team, maintenance planner, and buyer.
• Oversight of all Maintenance associates.

Work Environment

• Use of personal protective equipment as required.
• Must follow all GMP, food safety, and safety regulations.
• Primarily a manufacturing plant environment with exposure to noise, temperature variations, and machinery.
• Production environment includes hot, cold, humid, and refrigerated areas, exposure to bakery ovens, spiral freezers, and packaging lines.

Travel

• Required vehicular travel between production facilities.

Required Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Maintenance Management, or related technical field, or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of progressive maintenance experience in a manufacturing environment; 3+ years in a management role.
• Food or beverage manufacturing experience is strongly preferred.

Preferred Education & Experience

• Reliability certifications (CRE, CMRP, ARP, CRL, etc.)
• Bilingual English and Spanish

Physical Demands

• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Prolonged standing and walking on concrete floors.

Position Type

• Full-Time

Work Hours

• Typical work hours are Monday to Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM.
• Availability outside of typical work hours for on-call response to critical equipment failures.
• Requires flexibility for occasional off-shift or weekend support for major repairs or shutdowns.

Compensation

The typical starting salary range for this position is $140,000-$150,000 a year. Several factors, including skills, experience, education, certifications, and location will determine the actual pay offered. The salary range for this role reflects the competitive labor market value for associates in these positions.

This position may also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. Bake’n Joy offers its full-time associates a comprehensive Total Rewards package, which includes affordable, quality healthcare for our associates and their families, life insurance and disability benefits to provide security, and retirement benefits to help plan for the financial future.

Bake’n Joy is committed to fostering an environment where associates from all backgrounds can build long and meaningful careers. Through strong relationships, comprehensive benefits, and continuous learning opportunities, we seek to create an environment where associates can succeed, both professionally and personally.

Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

Bake’n Joy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.