Maintenance Manager

Barden are partnering with a leading Irish Food & Beverage manufacturing business in Kilkenny as they seek a Maintenance Manager. This is a key leadership role within a high-performing dairy processing facility. The Maintenance Manager will act as a critical link between the maintenance and production teams, ensuring the effective delivery of the Preventative Maintenance (PM) plan. The role demands strong technical acumen, a proactive approach to problem-solving, and proven experience in leading and coaching teams in a fast-paced, regulated environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Participate in daily handovers and weekly maintenance meetings (3M).
• Attend Level 2 and Level 3 3M meetings for designated production areas.
• Manage daily reactive and preventive maintenance activities aligned with production schedules.
• Deliver on departmental and site-wide KPIs.
• Support site audit programs, including quality, compliance, and customer requirements.
• Lead investigations and root cause analysis (RCA) activities.
• Champion Health & Safety initiatives:
• Conduct area audits, behavioral safety walks, and promote “Good Saves.”
• Ensure safety systems and controls are in place (e.g., LOTO, Hot Work, Confined Space permits).
• Oversee contractor management and induction processes.
• Ensure compliance with maintenance procedures and schedules.
• Act as the Maintenance Lead on site projects:
• Oversee criticality analysis, new parts setup, PM schedules, and provide input during design phases.
• Promote and implement best practices in maintenance systems (e.g., CBM, vibration monitoring, thermal imaging, oil analysis).
• Support maintenance systems related to stores, parts management, stock setup, PM and BOM setup.
• Collaborate with operations teams to provide technical support on plant issues.
• Provide weekend maintenance cover one weekend in every four.

Candidate Requirements

• Third-level qualification in Engineering, Science, or a related discipline.
• Strong organizational and planning skills.
• Proven experience in people management and team coaching.
• In-depth understanding of maintenance activities and GMP standards.
• Proficiency in RCA tools and lean manufacturing methodologies.
• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office and CMMS systems (e.g., SAP MM and PM).