Mars Inc

Director, Maintenance & Reliability

Mars Inc$120K — $145K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Industrial, or related field); advanced degree preferred.
  • 8+ years of experience in manufacturing, engineering, or maintenance in a fast-paced automated environment (FMCG/Food & Beverage preferred).
  • 5+ years of experience in people leadership, successfully managing supervisors or department managers, and creating engaged teams.
  • Expertise in Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) or Mars Supply Excellence (MSE), with direct experience leading the Progressive Maintenance pillar.
  • History of successfully managing multi-million dollar operating budgets while promoting a strict 'Zero Incident' safety culture.
  • Experience collaborating on capital projects, applying Early Equipment Management to enhance maintainability.
  • Familiarity with Autonomous Maintenance practices in partnership with operational teams.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and promote the Site PM (Progressive Maintenance) Pillar, embedding continuous improvement methodologies across the site.
  • Cultivate a culture of root-cause analysis to reduce failures and improve operational efficiency.
  • Oversee management and preservation of all physical assets, implementing advanced maintenance programs.
  • Enhance cost efficiency and reliability of utilities such as steam, air, water, and power.
  • Manage inventory strategy to balance cash flow and asset risk, optimizing storeroom operations.
  • Safely oversee strategic shutdowns and ensure quality start-ups of operations.
  • Contribute to the Site Master Plan and align engineering strategies with long-term operational needs.

Benefits

  • Access to diverse, talented associates committed to the company's guiding principles.
  • Opportunity to work for a purpose-driven company focused on creating a better future.
  • Strong emphasis on learning and development through Mars University and continuous training.
  • Comprehensive benefits package and participation in company bonus programs.
Full Job Description
Job Description:

Relocation Available

What You'll Do

The Director, Maintenance & Reliability (Site Technical Manager) is the senior technical leader for our Fort Smith manufacturing site, home to more than 700 Associates. In this role, you'll set the strategy for engineering, maintenance, reliability, controls, automation, utilities and site infrastructure across a large, highly automated manufacturing operation.

You'll directly lead five Associate Technical Managers and provide strategic direction to an organization of more than 100 maintenance, engineering and technical Associates. As a key member of the Site Leadership Team, you'll guide major investment decisions, develop technical talent and build the capabilities needed to support the site's continued growth and long-term performance.

This is an opportunity to make a significant impact by strengthening asset reliability, advancing manufacturing technology and building a high-performing technical organization at one of Mars Petcare's largest manufacturing sites.

Key Responsibilities

  • Set and execute the site's long-term technical strategy across engineering, maintenance, reliability, controls, automation, utilities and infrastructure. Translate business priorities into clear plans that support safety, quality, service, cost, sustainability and future growth.
  • Lead five Associate Technical Managers and provide strategic direction to an organization of more than 100 maintenance, engineering and technical Associates. Build organizational capability through coaching, workforce planning, technical development, succession planning and clear accountability.
  • Own the site's reliability and asset management strategy, including preventive and predictive maintenance, asset health, breakdown elimination, root cause analysis and long-term equipment lifecycle planning. Use performance data to identify losses, prioritize resources and deliver sustainable improvements.
  • Lead the site's Planned Maintenance Pillar and strengthen maintenance systems, processes and technical standards. Partner with Operations to improve equipment ownership, reduce unplanned downtime and increase overall equipment performance.
  • Develop and lead the site's capital investment strategy, including project prioritization, budgeting, governance and execution. Ensure capital projects are delivered safely, on time and within budget, with equipment designed for reliability, maintainability, efficiency and long-term value.
  • Provide strategic oversight for controls, automation, utilities, infrastructure and operational technology. Evaluate new technologies and engineering solutions that improve performance, strengthen site capability and support future growth.
  • Partner closely with Operations, Quality, Safety, R&D and Supply Chain leaders to address operational risks, improve manufacturing performance and ensure technical activities meet Mars standards, regulatory requirements, food safety expectations and recognized engineering practices.
  • Serve as a key member of the Site Leadership Team, bringing technical expertise and sound business judgment to plant-wide decisions. Champion continuous improvement, influence investment priorities and help shape the site's long-term strategy.


Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a closely related technical field.
  • 8+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing engineering, maintenance, reliability or technical leadership within a complex manufacturing environment.
  • 5+ years of people leadership experience, including experience leading other leaders and developing large technical teams.
  • Demonstrated success developing and executing site-level engineering, maintenance, reliability or asset management strategies.
  • Strong knowledge of preventive and predictive maintenance, equipment reliability, root cause analysis, asset lifecycle management and continuous improvement.
  • Experience leading major capital projects and managing significant capital and operating budgets.
  • Strong business judgment, communication and change leadership skills, with the ability to influence across functions and at all levels of an organization.


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About Mars Inc

Mars, Incorporated is an American multinational manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products. It was founded in 1911 and is headquartered in McLean, Virginia. Mars operates in six business segments: Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, and Symbioscience. Some of its most popular brands include M&M's, Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, Skittles, and Pedigree. The company is known for its commitment to sustainability and has set a goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 67% by 2050.
Learn more about Mars Inc
Size
125,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1911

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