Equipment Maintenance Supervisor

Maintenance Supervisor Location: Central Mississippi
Reports To: Plant Manager
Direct Reports: Maintenance Technicians (Mechanical, Electrical, Utilities)

Position Summary
Service Specialists recruiting agency is seeking a Maintenance Supervisor for a food manufacturing company. This individual is responsible for supervising daily maintenance activities to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient operation of all production, blending, packaging, and facility equipment. This role supports continuous food manufacturing operations by leading maintenance technicians, executing preventive and corrective maintenance, and ensuring compliance with food safety, quality, and safety standards. The Maintenance Supervisor plays a critical role in minimizing downtime, supporting sanitation readiness, and maintaining equipment integrity essential to producing safe, high-quality food products.

Key Responsibilities
Maintenance Operations
Supervise and coordinate daily maintenance activities for production, blending, conveying, packaging, and utility systems.
Assign and prioritize work orders to ensure timely completion of preventive and corrective maintenance.
Support troubleshooting and repair of mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic systems.
Ensure equipment is properly maintained to support consistent product quality and safe food production.
Participate in equipment startups, shutdowns, changeovers, and sanitation coordination.

Preventive Maintenance & Reliability
Execute and support the preventive maintenance (PM) program to reduce unplanned downtime and extend equipment life.
Assist in identifying recurring equipment issues and support root cause analysis and corrective actions.
Work closely with the Maintenance Manager to improve reliability, spare parts usage, and maintenance planning.

Food Safety, Quality & Compliance
Ensure maintenance work complies with GMPs, food safety standards, and sanitation requirements .
Enforce proper lockout/tagout (LOTO), confined space, and safety procedures.
Support food safety audits and inspections by maintaining equipment condition and documentation.
Ensure maintenance activities do not compromise product integrity, allergen controls, or sanitation standards.

Team Leadership & Training
Lead, coach, and develop maintenance technicians to promote accountability, safety, and skill development.
Provide hands-on guidance and technical support to maintenance staff.
Ensure proper training on equipment, procedures, and safety practices.
Promote a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and continuous improvement.

Coordination & Communication
Coordinate maintenance activities with Production, Quality, and Sanitation to minimize disruptions.
Communicate equipment status, downtime issues, and repair progress to leadership and production teams.
Assist with documentation of maintenance activities, PM records, and work orders.

Continuous Improvement
Identify opportunities to improve equipment performance, maintenance procedures, and plant reliability.
Participate in capital projects, equipment upgrades, and process improvements.
Support implementation of maintenance best practices and standardized work.

Qualifications
Education & Experience
Technical, manufacturing, engineering or industrial technology college degree preferred.
Minimum of 7 years of maintenance experience in a manufacturing environment; food or ingredient manufacturing preferred.
Prior supervisory or lead experience strongly preferred.

Knowledge & Skills
Strong mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills.
Working knowledge of food manufacturing equipment, blending systems, conveyors, and packaging machinery.
Understanding of GMPs, sanitation practices, and food safety requirements.
Ability to read mechanical drawings, electrical schematics, and technical manuals.
Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills.

Physical & Work Requirements
Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with exposure to noise, temperature variations, and production equipment.
Ability to stand, walk, climb, and lift as required to support maintenance activities.
Flexibility to work off-shifts, weekends, or emergency call-ins as needed.