Maintenance Manager

The Maintenance Manager is a key member of the site leadership team and is responsible for the safe, efficient, and effective performance of the site’s maintenance department. This position oversees a team of approximately 40 exempt and non-exempt employees responsible for maintenance and reliability of a chemical manufacturing facility. The position reports directly to the General Manager and supports overall operational excellence.

Job Responsibilities

• Actively support and participate in established Environment, Health, and Safety programs.
• Support and enhance facility incident reduction initiatives through personal engagement and promoting individual accountability for safety performance within the Maintenance Department.
• Ensure awareness of and compliance with facility EHS policies and safety standards throughout the Department.
• Ensure effective programs in safety, cost control and reporting, and manpower training, development, and utilization.
• Maintain and administer a competent force of maintenance personnel; train, counsel, and appraise performance of personnel; recommend staffing and personnel actions; design and change organizational structure with approval of General Manager; assign functional duties and review periodically with General Manager.
• Work closely with maintenance supervisors and human resources to ensure personnel policies are equitably administered and an effective training program for all personnel is established and maintained.
• Direct and/or recommend necessary changes to plant processes, equipment, or procedures to meet operational objectives.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships both internally and externally to meet operational objectives.
• Work independently and under conditions of high interdependency.
• Share best practices related to turnaround planning, equipment repairs, preventive/predictive maintenance strategies, and technical training and development of maintenance personnel.
• Coordinate resources to ensure appropriate records and record management systems are in place to support maintenance activities.
• Liaise with the Engineering Department to ensure engineering resources provide appropriate support for ongoing maintenance activities and vice versa.
• Coordinate and assist efforts in other departments as needed, including EHS, Operations, Procurement, and Accounting.
• Prepare and administer the annual department operating budget and actively participate in the facility budgeting process.
• Develop and implement sound plans for managing large maintenance turnarounds.
• Work closely with the maintenance planning team to ensure accounting procedures, work order systems, equipment records, and preventive maintenance programs are effective and implemented as designed.
• Responsible for long-range planning and execution of maintenance activities related to turnarounds, expansions, and other major projects.
• Develop relationships with contractors, suppliers, and service companies to ensure strong response times and reliable support when needed.
• Monitor contractor performance to ensure compliance with safety standards and that contractors are safe, competent, and competitive providers.
• Provide leadership and active support in planning turnaround maintenance activities, including coordination with other departments and work groups, scheduling, allocation of staff, and determining contractor and equipment requirements.
• Ensure adherence to established maintenance procedures and regulatory standards throughout planning, scheduling, and field performance activities.

Scope/Contribution

This position is responsible for the maintenance of total complex equipment within a chemical manufacturing facility. Responsibilities include responding to routine daily operations, plant turnarounds, and emergency shutdowns.

The position requires extensive external interaction regarding plant repairs, material requirements, contractors, suppliers, and new technological developments. This position has a significant impact on cost savings through improved plant equipment reliability and effective workforce utilization.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of supervisory experience in a chemical manufacturing facility.
• Strong leadership skills, including the ability to establish and articulate strategic and operational objectives.
• Experience managing large-scale turnaround projects from a maintenance standpoint.
• Experience in nitrogen fertilizer facilities preferred.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively in English, prepare written documents, and interact effectively with peers, superintendents, supervisors, and managers.
• Familiarity with applicable codes, regulations, and industry standards.