Job Description

About Sara Lee Frozen Bakery:

Sara Lee desserts have always stood for incredible flavor and superior value in the frozen food aisle and away from home markets.  The Sara Lee Frozen Bakery collection of top brands includes Sara Lee®, Chef Pierre®, Van’s®, Bistro Collection®, Superior on Main® and Cyrus O’Leary’s®.

Sara Lee Frozen Bakery is proud to take these iconic brands into a new era and to continue the evolution that transformed one small Chicago bakery into an American institution. Using carefully sourced ingredients and time-honored recipes, the company is committed to making life’s moments a little sweeter, putting its customers first and discovering new ways to make everyone’s favorite foods even better.

Working for Sara Lee:

Our vision is to be the world’s most beloved bakery by creating irresistible foods, growing with our customers, and delivering value for all.  We will achieve success through collaboration and innovation in an environment where employees feel empowered to execute with speed. We believe that each of us has unique points of difference and experience to offer. We believe that there is always a better way, and we will never be satisfied with status quo. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, continually seek process improvements and a strong sense of customer service, then this is the right type of environment for you.  

Summary:  

The Maintenance Manager will lead a team of 70 maintenance employees in a food manufacturing plant. This role is critical in ensuring the reliability, efficiency, and safety of the plant's equipment and systems. The Maintenance Manager will develop and implement maintenance programs, manage a large team, and work closely with production to minimize downtime and ensure compliance with safety and food quality standards.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Leadership & Team Management:

• Manage, mentor, and develop a maintenance team of 70 employees, including maintenance supervisors, technicians, and support staff.
• Foster a collaborative and safe work environment, promoting a culture of continuous improvement.
• Ensure adequate staffing and training for all maintenance roles, managing scheduling, performance evaluations, and professional development.
• Responsible for addressing and documenting employee relations issues in accordance with company policy.
• Responsible for providing regular feedback to direct reports in performance appraisals, commendations and disciplinary action.
• Preventive & Predictive Maintenance:
• Develop and oversee preventive and predictive maintenance programs to maximize equipment reliability and minimize downtime.
• Implement and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to equipment performance, downtime, and maintenance efficiency.

Budgeting & Cost Control:

• Prepare and manage the maintenance budget, focusing on cost-effective solutions without compromising safety or equipment integrity.
• Manage spare parts inventory and procurement processes to ensure timely availability of critical components.

Compliance & Safety:

• Ensure that maintenance activities comply with local, state, and federal regulations, including OSHA, food safety, and environmental standards.
• Lead the implementation of safety programs and ensure all maintenance staff are properly trained and adhere to safety protocols.

Equipment & System Management:

• Oversee the installation, maintenance, and repair of all machinery, equipment, and systems within the plant.
• Collaborate with engineering, production, and quality assurance teams to ensure optimal equipment performance and compliance with food safety standards.

Continuous Improvement:

• Identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance equipment reliability, reduce costs, and improve overall plant efficiency.
• Work closely with production and quality departments to resolve issues related to machinery performance or failures.

Knowledge and Skill Requirement:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Maintenance Management, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years work experience in food processing industry managing a diverse, technical staff.  
• Must have experience with CMMS systems and TPM methodology
• Must have in-depth knowledge of food industry, processes and equipment and technologies. 
• Must have knowledge of financial indicators / analysis and experienced in budget development / management. 
• Computer skills including Microsoft Excel, Word, Project and Power Point. 
• Strong knowledge of safety regulations (OSHA, hazard communications, accident investigation and safety training methods).
• Strengths in People Management including: communication; leadership; effective presentation skills; coaching; crisis management; motivation; team building; organization; time management; stress management.
• Requires good written and oral communication skills, ability to work independently, and must be results oriented.
• Flexible in working during non-business hours to meet business needs.

Personal Attributes:

The Sara Lee Leader is one who:

• Role Models Integrity - Creates a culture of respect and inclusion, where all team members are empowered to contribute.
• Hones their Craft - Continually develops their skills and expertise to drive self, team, and company forward. Is intellectually curious, asking questions to inspire a better way.
• Values Partnerships - Frames the tough issues and works productively through them. Paves the way for their team to build relationships and collaborate effectively.
• Behaves Like a Business Owner - Perseveres toward a goal, despite obstacles and distraction. 
• Always Looks for Better Ways - Leads the charge to build capabilities, processes and systems where gaps exist. Actively coaches and mentors others.

Sara Lee Frozen Bakery 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.