Maintenance Supervisor

Description

Position Title: Maintenance Supervisor

FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports To: Director of Operations

Scope: The Maintenance Supervisor leads the Maintenance Department across both Uckele facilities, with direct responsibility for the technicians who keep production equipment, utilities, and

grounds running safely and reliably. Safety is the first accountability of this role: the Supervisor sets safety expectations for the department, enforces them consistently, and answers for the

safety performance of every technician and contractor working in the plants. This role owns the preventative maintenance program, coordinates equipment installation and upgrade projects,

and drives continuous improvement in equipment uptime and productivity while protecting product quality and cGMP compliance.

Essential Duties:

• Supervise, schedule, and coordinate maintenance technician coverage across both shifts and both locations, including on-call/after-hours response for equipment breakdowns.
• Assign clear ownership for every work order, PM, and project - who is responsible, what standard defines complete, and by when - and follow up until it is closed.
• Own hiring, onboarding, coaching, and disciplinary actions for department staff, and hold technicians to clear, measurable performance and safety expectations through regular one-on-ones and documented reviews.
• Develop and facilitate technical training curriculum for maintenance associates, including cross-training on critical equipment.
• Provide general oversight and monitoring of machinery, including project coordination for maintenance, upgrades, and repair, and refinement of an effective preventative maintenance program using the current CMMS.
• Identify and recommend equipment purchases that meet manufacturing needs; oversee installation of new equipment.
• Manage facilities and grounds upkeep at both locations.
• Partner with maintenance technicians to troubleshoot equipment and process issues within the manufacturing system.
• Lead continuous improvement and waste-elimination efforts through ongoing analysis and identification of inefficiencies within the Redzone system.
• Ensure maintenance activities comply with cGMP (21 CFR Part 111), OSHA, and Uckele safety programs, including lockout/tagout procedures and equipment qualification documentation.
• Own lockout/tagout, confined space, elevated work, and electrical safety practice within the department, and verify compliance through documented audits rather than assumption.
• Investigate equipment-related incidents and near misses to root cause, assign corrective actions with named owners, and close them out on a defined timeline.
• Lead safety training and toolbox talks for maintenance associates, and hold outside contractors to the same standards required of Uckele employees.\
• Track and report department safety metrics, including near-miss reporting, completion of PMs affecting guarding and safety devices, and open corrective actions.
• Maintain an organized storage area and inventory control for replacement parts.
• Responsible to report all, major or minor food safety problems to personnel with authority to initiate action.
• Promote food safety and quality awareness throughout the organization.
• Serve as liaison with all departments to clarify expectations and track progress on projects from concept to final completion.
• Coordinate and quote external contractor services as needed.
• Manage department budget, including labor, parts inventory, and capital equipment planning.
• Assist with other projects or duties as assigned.

Requirements & Qualifications:

• Associate's degree in a technical/mechanical field plus 5+ years of industrial maintenance leadership experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience; Bachelor's degree in manufacturing or mechanical engineering a plus.
• Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP) or similar credential preferred; OSHA 30-Hour General Industry certification or equivalent safety training strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of automation, manufacturing systems integration, and programmable logic controllers, with hands-on process improvement and project management experience.
• Proven people leader with experience supervising a multi-shift, multi-location maintenance or technical team.
• Demonstrated record of leading through accountability - setting measurable expectations, following through consistently, and improving team safety and reliability performance against them.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, attention to detail, and time management skills.
• Experience with mixing, tableting, capsuling, extrusion, powder filling, labeling, code dating, and liquid filling equipment preferred.
• Six Sigma experience preferred.
• Ability to work in a manufacturing environment, including exposure to moving machinery, elevated platforms, and confined spaces; ability to lift up to 55 lbs and use required PPE.
• Excellent work history, attendance, initiative and drive to succeed.
• Maintain excellent communication and relationships with others; be a team player; maintain a positive attitude.
• Perform in a manner consistent with company Vision/Mission Statement and Core Values.

Physical Environment/Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• The associate will frequently be required to stand for long periods of time and to occasionally sit, bend, or stoop to perform certain tasks.
• The associate will frequently be required to make coordinated hand and finger movements to grasp and manipulate objects.
• The associate must frequently lift and/or move up to 55 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job may include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.
• The associate must be able to wear personal PPE, including gloves, masks, etc., when required.
• The associate may obtain a forklift certification and may be required to perform forklift duties.

Work Environment:

• While performing the duties of this job, the associate is frequently exposed to fumes, airborne particles, moving mechanical parts, and vibration. The noise level in the work environment can be loud.
• Associates in the plant may be exposed to raw ingredients and food allergens (milk, egg, peanut, tree nut, fish, shellfish, soy, wheat).

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.