Maintenance Lead (Chicago)

At Barry Callebaut, we are on a journey to transform the cocoa and chocolate industry. As the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, our actions truly shape the future of our industry. We are a business-to-business company, serving the entire food sector, from the cocoa bean to the finest chocolate product. We are a company with a purpose, we believe in doing well by doing good and reinvesting in the communities we operate. We have a long-standing commitment to sustainability and our goal is to shape a sustainable cocoa and chocolate future. We are headquartered in Zurich, and have more than 12,000 passionate Employees working in more than 40 countries worldwide. We are very proud of who we are and what we do. And of course, we are always looking for talented people to help us have a positive impact on our industry and beyond!

About the role:

The Maintenance Lead will be responsible for facilitation and leadership to maintain, install, modify, troubleshoot, repair, overhaul, rebuild, and dismantle all types of complex manufacturing and support equipment. This role will also be responsible for coaching, mentoring, auditing and facilitating Maintenance Technicians and other team members in applying knowledge of maintenance to the improvement of safety, quality, delivery, cost and culture. This role will report to the Maintenance Manager.

Key responsibilities include :

● Lead a shift of Maintenance Technicians, coordinating and prioritizing the workload of the team.

● Liaison and collaborate with production supervisor and leads as well as Planning, Quality and Production teams when necessary.

● Champion, coordinate, and execute process improvement initiatives and projects for the Maintenance team.

● Coach, train, and advice technicians, operators, or other personnel as required in maintenance best practices.

● Assist the Maintenance Manager and Plant Manager in achieving departmental KPIs.

● Lead and coordinate emergency repair situations minimizing downtime, including liaising with external contractors directly and internal teams, especially during out of hours periods.

● Review documentation for maintenance activity using the maintenance database, adequately communicate maintenance issues to appropriate employees (e.g., other maintenance techs, operators, engineers, supervisors, etc.), and properly utilize the maintenance inventory system.

● Review and monitor team members CMMS reporting for completeness and accuracy, including inventory tasks.

● Executive activities regarding inventory accuracy of raw materials, packaging, and finish goods for the site.

● Maintain inventory accuracy in various bin location for Barry-Callebaut

● Provide inventory reports on accuracy.

● Coordinate inventory activities with warehouse, purchasing, production, and quality departments.

● Gain competency in storeroom management to support this function during periods of absence.

● Complete shift report at the end of each shift and complete handover with incoming Lead.

● Ensure all tasks and activities carried out by the team are done following Barry Callebaut safety, food safety and engineering guidelines and procedures.

● Troubleshoot and repair electrical and mechanical systems on equipment.

● Demonstrate troubleshooting capabilities on control systems, pumps, motors, HMIs, and PLCs on complex process and packaging equipment.

About you:

● High school diploma or equivalent and an accredited apprenticeship, or equivalent certification in industrial maintenance or a related field.

● Minimum of 5 years work experience in an industrial manufacturing maintenance related field, required. Food industry experience preferred.

● Experience using computerized maintenance Management Systems and understanding of Microsoft office and Google systems.

● Experience using CMMS software, Maximo knowledge preferred

● Forklift certified preferred

● Must have experience with HACCP, GMP, OSHA regulations.

● Must be able to work overtime and during Holiday shut-downs when necessary.

● Additional technical training in lubrication, mechanical, and electrical skills, preferred.

● Ability to read and understand manuals, line diagrams and schematics, required.

● Ability to communicate orally and in writing as well as proven problem solving and troubleshooting skills

What you can expect from Barry Callebaut:

● Competitive salary of $39 USD hourly and comprehensive benefits package

● 12 paid holidays, generous PTO, plus your birthday off

● Environment that welcomes workplace flexibility

● An atmosphere where diversity is embraced, and inclusivity is second nature.

● Ability to grow personally and professionally within an organization that values development and internal career growth

● Be part of our mission in making sustainability the norm through Forever Chocolate with priorities centered around prospering farmers, zero child labor, carbon and forest positive, and creating 100% sustainable ingredients in all of our products.

At Barry Callebaut, we are committed to Diversity & Inclusion. United by our strong values, we thrive on the diversity of who we are, where we come from, what we’ve experienced and how we think. We are committed to nurturing an inclusive environment where people can truly be themselves, grow to their full potential and feel they belong. #oneBC - Diverse People, Sustainable Growth.