Maintenance Manager

We are working with a well-established food manufacturer to identify a Maintenance Manager to lead maintenance operations across production in the Chicago area. This person will be a hands-on leader responsible for equipment reliability, team leadership, and daily maintenance execution in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment. The ideal candidate brings strong technical ability, a high sense of ownership, and the people skills to lead across multiple shifts and personalities. This Manager will have the opportunity to be trained by the current Manager, who is retiring after a long career in Maintenance, ending with 10 years at this company.

What You’ll Do

• Lead equipment reliability and maintenance operations across high-speed production lines
• Build and drive preventive/predictive maintenance programs using CMMS and performance data
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of maintenance technicians
• Oversee troubleshooting and downtime response, ensuring fast recovery and root cause resolution
• Ensure compliance with safety and food manufacturing regulations
• Manage MRO inventory, vendors, and maintenance resources effectively
• Support capital projects and drive continuous improvement in uptime and efficiency

What Success Looks Like

• High equipment uptime across production lines
• Reduced unplanned downtime through structured maintenance systems
• A strong, accountable, and capable maintenance team
• Safe, compliant, and audit-ready operations
• Measurable improvements in plant efficiency and reliability

What You Bring

Required Experience

• 5–8 years of maintenance experience in a manufacturing environment
• 3+ years of maintenance leadership or supervisory experience
• Experience supporting high-speed production or packaging equipment
• Strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills
• Experience using CMMS systems
• Knowledge of safety procedures including LOTO and confined space

Preferred Experience

• Food or beverage manufacturing background
• Familiarity with GMP, SQF, FDA, or USDA standards
• Experience with predictive maintenance tools
• Basic PLC or automation troubleshooting
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Technology, or related field

What Sets You Apart

• Strong leadership presence with the ability to develop teams
• Proactive, systems-focused mindset
• Ability to solve problems quickly and effectively under pressure
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills
• Commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement

Why This Role

This is an opportunity to step into a highly visible leadership role where your impact on reliability, team performance, and operational success will be immediate and measurable.