Summary:
The Maintenance Supervisor leads and supervises skilled hourly maintenance employees to deliver efficient, reliable, and timely maintenance support for the assigned division, while upholding the highest safety, quality, and regulatory standards. This role is responsible for overseeing all mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical systems supporting plant processing and packaging equipment in the RTE & Boxing departments, with a focus on high-quality workmanship, equipment reliability, and cost-effective maintenance practices.
Essential Functions
Leadership
· Supervise, train, and motivate a team of employees in the department.
· Conduct regular team meetings to communicate goals, expectations, and feedback.
· Ensure adherence and hold team members accountable to company policies, procedures, and safety standards.
· Maintain a positive work atmosphere by behaving and communicating in a manner that promotes respect and teamwork between coworkers, customers, supervisor and management
· Consistently lead by example to uphold our core values of integrity, transparency, teamwork, service, and quality.
Safety
· Actively practice and enforce safety and cleanliness in all aspects of the job
· Practice and enforce proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
· Maintain awareness of and compliance with OSHA, USDA and other governmental agencies
· Ensure product quality by learning and maintaining process standards, process controls (HACCP) and confirming these processes by following policies and procedures and reporting needed changes
· As necessary, instruct or direct the instruction of proper safety and sanitation practices and use of safety and sanitation equipment
· Ensure that accidents are promptly reported and that an Accident Report is completed and submitted according to company policies
· Promote a strong safety culture by following and enforce all safety, environmental, and health policies to ensure compliance with OSHA, USDA, and company EHS policies.
· Ensure proper lockout/tagout (LOTO), confined space, machine guarding, and PPE procedures are followed at all times.
· Partner with EHS personnel to support audits, inspections, and regulatory reporting requirements.
Maintenance & Reliability
· Maintain maintenance inventory accuracy through daily parts requisition and weekly cycle counts.
· Maintain area expense on R&M Material Fix, and Hourly Indirect OT.
· Supervise daily maintenance operations for processing and packaging equipment.
· Plan, schedule, and assign preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance activities to minimize downtime and maximize equipment reliability.
· Troubleshoot and resolve mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and automation-related issues.
· Ensure proper startup, operation, and shutdown of production equipment to support food safety and production schedules.
Planning, Cost Control, Continuous Improvement
· Control maintenance costs through effective planning and parts management
· Maintain inventory of spare parts and tools to support timely repairs and preventive maintenance.
· Assist with maintenance budgets, capital projects, and cost-reduction initiatives.
· Maintain accurate maintenance records, work orders, and equipment history using the CMMS.
· Analyze downtime, failures, and maintenance trends to identify root causes and improvement opportunities.
· Support continuous improvement initiatives to enhance equipment performance, safety, and operational efficiency.
· Manage maintenance associates with respect to hours, vacations, floor coverage, position placement, motivation and performance daily, weekly and by the month
· Knowledge of equipment uptime tracking.
Competencies
· Food Safety and Sanitation Regulations: Knowledge of food safety and sanitation requirements (HACCP, GMPs, USDA) as they apply to maintenance activities, equipment integrity, and contamination prevention.
· Maintenance Practices in Food Processing Environments: Understanding maintenance requirements for meat processing, packaging, refrigeration, and utility systems to support safe and efficient operations.
· Quality and Equipment Reliability: Knowledge of equipment standards and maintenance practices that support consistent product quality and minimize production disruptions.
· Equipment Systems and Maintenance: Deep understanding the operation, inspection, cleaning, and preventive maintenance of processing and packaging equipment, including mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems.
· Workplace Safety: Knowledge of OSHA and plant safety standards related to lockout/tagout, confined space, machine guarding, and safe work practices.
· Maintenance Operations Management: Awareness of maintenance scheduling, work order management, and coordination with production to support uptime and production goals. Must be willing to be on call for department and on call rotation for refrigeration system and weekend plant inspection.
· Leadership and Team Management: Ability to lead, train, coach, and motivate maintenance employees while promoting accountability and teamwork.
· Attention to Detail: Ensuring maintenance work meets safety, food safety, quality, and documentation requirements.
· Technical Problem-Solving: Strong ability to identifying, troubleshooting, and resolving equipment failures and maintenance issues efficiently.
· Time Management and Work Prioritization: Ability to prioritize maintenance tasks, manage schedules, and respond effectively to breakdowns and urgent issues.
· Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication to coordinate with maintenance staff, production, EHS, and management.
· Data and Record Management: Maintaining accurate maintenance records, equipment history, parts usage, and compliance documentation.
· Computer and CMMS Proficiency: Proficiency with computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) and basic computer tools for scheduling and reporting.
· Physical and Environmental Requirements: Ability to work in production environments, including cold, wet, or noisy conditions, and perform physical tasks as required.
· Decision-Making: Ability to make timely, informed maintenance decisions that balance safety, food safety, production, and cost considerations.
· Reliability and Continuous Improvement Mindset: Commitment to improving equipment reliability, safety performance, and maintenance effectiveness.
· Adaptability: Ability to adjust maintenance plans and resources in response to changing production needs, equipment conditions, or regulatory requirements.
Supervisory Responsibilities
The Maintenance Supervisor is responsible for the direct supervision, development, and evaluation of the departmental team of Maintenance Technicians.
Position Type and Expected Hours of Work
This position is full-time on-site at our plant located in Washington, Missouri. This position is typically Monday-Friday, 1:30PM - 11:30PM and as needed to meet customer needs. This position is also required to be available to return to the plant in the event of a call-back.
Travel
Travel is not regularly expected but may occasionally be required. Employees are reimbursed for pre-approved company expenses and gas in their personal vehicles.
Education & Experience
Required
· Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering Technology, Industrial Management, or related field or minimum 8 years of experience in food manufacturing maintenance or equivalent maintenance environment.
· Certified maintenance Management certification (CMM)
· Lean Six Sigma Green or Yellow Belt
· Formal Leadership training certification OR 2 years leadership experience
· Experience working with packaging machines, Thermoformers, rotary machines, tapers, banders, labeling equipment
· Experience with electrical distribution 480-volt power, low voltage, electrical controls to include PLC's, hydraulics, pneumatics and mechanical skills, the ability to read blue prints and technical manuals
· Microsoft Office applications, computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS), PLC Software applications, technical reading and writing, leadership, problem solving, budget management.
· Must be willing to train on ammonia refrigeration system.
· Valid US driver's license and vehicle to commute
Preferred
· Boiler experience
· Ammonia refrigeration knowledge
· Manufacturing maintenance: 7 years
· Management/supervisory: 5 years
Work Environment and Physical Demands
Work Environment
Constantly works in cool rooms, ranging from 35-45 degrees F and damp conditions; occasionally works in temperature range of -5 to 100 degree internally and externally
Physical Demands
· Stand: Must be able to remain standing on feet for long periods of time
· Walk: Needs to frequently move about inside the facilities to inspect products
· Carry weight, lift: Occasionally lifts tools and equipment weighing up to 80 pounds
· Twisting, turning and bending: Moves production tools and equipment weighing up to 80 pounds around production facility
· Use hands/fingers to handle or feel: Constantly inspects, repairs, removes and replaces machinery and other production equipment
· Climb or balance: Occasionally ascends/descends stairs and ladders to access and work on machinery and equipment
· Stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl: Constantly positions self through stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling to inspect materials and quality processes
· Talk/hear: Frequently communicates with co-workers and supervisor(s) regarding maintenance needs and projects; must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations
· See: Must be able to identify defects and inspect machinery and equipment
· Smell: Able to detect ammonia