Maintenance Manager – Manufacturing

Position Overview

R12 Talent is recruiting an experienced Maintenance Manager for one of our manufacturing clients.

This is a hands-on leadership position for someone who can manage and develop a maintenance team while remaining technically involved on the production floor. You will take ownership of equipment reliability, preventative maintenance, breakdown response, and maintenance improvement projects across the facility.

The successful candidate will be comfortable leading people while also getting involved with mechanical, electrical, PLC, VFD, pneumatic, conveyor, and automated equipment issues when the team needs additional technical support.

The overall goal is simple: keep equipment running reliably, reduce unplanned downtime, and build a stronger preventative maintenance operation.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and provide day-to-day leadership for the plant maintenance team

• Develop technicians through coaching, training, and hands-on technical support

• Maintain a strong presence on the production floor and assist with complex breakdowns

• Diagnose mechanical, electrical, automation, PLC, VFD, pneumatic, and equipment issues

• Develop and improve preventative and predictive maintenance programs

• Use the CMMS to manage work orders, maintenance schedules, equipment history, and performance

• Investigate recurring equipment failures and implement long-term corrective actions

• Identify opportunities to reduce downtime, scrap, and overall maintenance costs

• Support improvements designed to increase equipment availability and production throughput

• Coordinate equipment installations, modifications, upgrades, commissioning, and removal

• Ensure manufacturing equipment is ready and available for scheduled production

• Plan and manage maintenance and equipment-related projects from start to completion

• Maintain critical spare parts and ensure appropriate inventory levels

• Manage relationships with maintenance vendors, contractors, and equipment suppliers

• Monitor maintenance KPIs and use performance data to identify areas for improvement

• Support Lean Manufacturing and plant-wide continuous improvement activities

• Maintain an organized maintenance shop and fabrication area

• Ensure maintenance activities are completed in accordance with site safety requirements and applicable regulations

• Support general facility and grounds maintenance when required

What We're Looking For

• 3+ years of experience leading or supervising an industrial maintenance team

• 5+ years of hands-on maintenance experience within a manufacturing environment

• Strong mechanical troubleshooting and repair capabilities

• Industrial electrical troubleshooting experience

• Knowledge of PLCs and VFDs, including troubleshooting and/or programming

• Experience working with industrial automation and automated production equipment

• Strong understanding of preventative and predictive maintenance

• Experience working with a CMMS

• Strong root cause analysis and equipment troubleshooting skills

• Ability to interpret electrical schematics, equipment drawings, manuals, and technical documentation

• Previous fabrication experience

• Strong leadership and communication skills

• Ability to prioritize breakdowns, projects, preventative maintenance, and production requirements in a busy manufacturing facility

• Good understanding of industrial electrical and workplace safety requirements

• Willingness to work directly alongside maintenance technicians when required

Additional Experience That Would Be Beneficial

Experience within foam, fiber, textile, or other continuous-process manufacturing environments would be particularly relevant.

Additional experience with any of the following would also be beneficial:

• Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM)

• Forklifts and scissor lifts

• Confined-space working

• Working at heights

• Fire alarm systems

• Equipment installation and commissioning

• Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement projects

The Type of Manager We're Looking For

This isn't a position for someone who wants to manage maintenance entirely from an office.

Our client is looking for a manager who understands manufacturing equipment, enjoys being on the production floor, and can support technicians when difficult problems arise

You'll be expected to develop the maintenance team while improving the systems around them, including preventative maintenance, spare parts, CMMS utilization, equipment reliability, troubleshooting practices, and root cause analysis.

A major focus of the position will be moving maintenance away from repeatedly reacting to the same breakdowns and toward identifying why failures are occurring and how they can be prevented long term.

Working Environment

This is an on-site manufacturing leadership position with regular time spent on the production floor.

Candidates should be comfortable working in a fast-paced manufacturing environment and have the flexibility to support different shifts, overtime, weekends, or critical equipment issues when required.

Why Consider the Opportunity?

This position offers the opportunity to have a genuine impact on the performance of a manufacturing operation.

Rather than simply maintaining an existing program, you'll have the opportunity to develop the maintenance team, improve equipment reliability, strengthen preventative maintenance practices, reduce downtime, and influence how the maintenance function operates going forward.