Job Summary
The Maintenance & Reliability Technical Director oversees manufacturing maintenance and reliability operations and directly manages adherence to standards of work in maintenance, automation and reliability teams. Work closely with the plant director to direct and manage the support of day-to-day operation of the facility. Coordinate the activities of the manufacturing facilities technical resources to ensure customer orders are received, scheduled and produced, to utilize plant capacities and optimize manufacturing costs and quality safely and effectively.
Key Responsibilities
As a key member of our team, you will play an important role in driving our mission forward. The following responsibilities outline the core expectations and contributions for this position.
• Provide leadership and administrative oversight for Engineering, Maintenance, Purchasing, Infrastructure, Controls, and other technical functions, ensuring business objectives are achieved and teams are effectively managed and developed.
• Lead the development and execution of the site technical master plan, including long-range capital planning, innovation initiatives, and multi-disciplinary capital project delivery.
• Drive technical and reliability strategies that improve safety, quality, productivity, capacity, sustainability, equipment reliability, and overall plant performance.
• Direct the execution of capital projects from concept through startup, ensuring alignment to scope, schedule, budget, and business objectives.
• Champion environmental, health, safety, food safety, and regulatory compliance programs to ensure safe and sustainable operations.
• Provide leadership for identifying and implementing cost-saving and continuous improvement opportunities across fixed, variable, and marginal cost structures.
• Manage technical budgets, capital expenditures, and internal and external resources to ensure efficient achievement of site priorities.
• Build organizational capability through coaching, talent development, succession planning, and performance management of technical and reliability teams.
• Foster a high-performance culture that emphasizes communication, collaboration, accountability, recognition, and employee engagement.
• Partner effectively with Human Resources and labor relations teams in a unionized environment to support hiring, employee development, performance management, retention, and employee relations.
• Serve as a technical leader across the site and broader network, driving standardization, best-practice sharing, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Maintain a strong understanding of manufacturing processes, equipment, quality systems, and operational requirements to effectively guide technical decision-making and business performance.
• Evaluate organizational structures, planning processes, and scheduling systems to continuously improve operational effectiveness and resource utilization.
• Demonstrate the highest standards of integrity, ethics, and leadership while serving as a role model for employees at all levels.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
Engagement in our Integrated Work Systems
Ensure adherence to plant standards and procedures (including but not limited to GMP, AIB, FDA, IWS, Quality, Safety, Finance, ISO, HOPE, Danone Behaviors, Daily Direction Setting, Driving OE). As a fundamental piece of the organization, your responsibility is to participate and own the implementation and deployment of IWS system and its pillars (Leadership foundation, Daily Direction Setting, Driving OE; Autonomous Maintenance; planned Maintenance; Focused Improvement; Education and Training; Environmental, Health and Safety; Quality; Organization; Supply Network; Early Equipment Management) with the objective of owning your space, owning your performance (Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery, Mobilization, Nature) and owning your continuous improvement.
About You
The ideal candidate will bring a combination of education, experience, and skills that enable them to excel in this position. The following qualifications outline what we're looking for, including both required and preferred criteria.
Education & Experience
• Bachelor's degree in an Engineering discipline or a similar technical degree (Mechanical, Electrical or Chemical preferred), required. Advanced degree preferred.
• 8+ years operational and management experience in food manufacturing, serving in an operation or technical capacity required, 10+ years preferred.
• Formal project management training or certifications preferred.
• Experience in leading and managing technical disciplines and budgets in a large/multi-site manufacturing organization is essential.
• Must be a highly effective program and capital project manager with experience managing complex initiatives across multiple sites.
• Operational expertise with TPM principles (i.e., pillars, systems and standard work) is highly desired.
• Strong background in driving performance through improvements in reliability, reduction in losses, etc. via non-capital-intensive measures.
• Adept at working in traditional Engineering and Maintenance support programs such as AutoCAD, MS Project, SAP PM (or equivalent CMMS)
• Experience in developing individuals and teams to drive high performance.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to prioritize plant operations in light of multiple priorities and conflicting demands
• Strong knowledge of GMP's - to include regulations which govern food products
• Knowledge of safety policies and procedures regarding chemicals, equipment/machinery
• Strong mechanical aptitude
• Excellent negotiation skills. - including an ability to understand sensitive situations
• Engaged leadership style that develops leaders
• Team player with an ability to lead and participate in cross-functional teams.
• Ability to support a 24/7 manufacturing environment as business needs dictate.
About Us, We offer and What's next
Danone U.S. is part of Danone North America, a purpose-driven company and an industry leader in the food and beverage category. You'll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world. Our strong portfolio of brands includes: Activia®, DanActive®, Danimals®, Dannon®, evian®, Follow Your Heart®, Happy Family® Organics, International Delight®, Light + Fit®, Nutricia ®, Oikos®, Silk®, So Delicious® Dairy Free, STōK® Cold Brew Coffee ®, Too Good & Co™, and YoCrunch®.
With approximately 5,000 employees and 13 production locations across the U.S., Danone North America's mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible.
You'll be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps™ in the world, working to make sure our company creates real value for people and the planet. Come join our movement for a healthier world: One Planet. One Health BY YOU.
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