Director, Maintenance

Job Description

JOB TITLE: Director, Plant Facilities and Maintenance

Reports to: VP, Manufacturing

SUMMARY:    Kayem’s Director of Facilities and Maintenance is responsible for the strategic oversight, leadership, and hands-on management of all facilities operations, maintenance programs, utilities, and infrastructure projects across the manufacturing site(s). This role ensures operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, preventive maintenance, and continuous improvement in support of a safe, reliable, and cost-effective manufacturing environment. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for all facilities, maintenance, utilities, and site infrastructure activities across manufacturing operations.
• Oversee the planning, scheduling, and execution of preventive and corrective maintenance programs to ensure minimal downtime and maximum equipment reliability.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with production, engineering, EHS, and quality teams to align facilities and maintenance initiatives with business goals.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal regulations, including OSHA, EPA, fire codes, and building codes.
• Oversee management and compliance of Industrial Refrigeration System and related activities.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets, capital improvement projects, and vendor contracts.
• Lead a team of maintenance managers, technicians, and external contractors; responsible for hiring, training, performance management, and workforce development.
• Oversee facilities-related capital projects such as equipment installations, building renovations, and system upgrades.  Ensure equipment design and installations meet food safety standards.
• Implement best practices in asset management, reliability engineering, and lean maintenance principles.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives that ensure equipment uptime, reduce maintenance costs, and improve energy efficiency and sustainability.
• Maintain and ensure accuracy of the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS).
• Develop and manage key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor maintenance effectiveness and facility performance.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Facilities Management, Industrial Maintenance or related field required.  Professional Engineering or Master’s degree preferred.
• 10 plus years of progressive experience working in facilities and maintenance management including 5 plus years in a leadership role within a manufacturing environment. 
• Proven experience managing large teams and complex capital projects.
• Strong knowledge of building systems (Industrial Ammonia systems, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire protection) and manufacturing and energy utilities (boilers, chillers, compressed air, etc.)
• Experience in GMP or regulated industry preferred (e.g. pharmaceutical, chemical engineering, or food/beverage)

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Strong leadership, organizational, analytical, team building, and people-development skills.
• Ability to translate business plans into actionable results.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills and ability to handle multiple projects and activities to ensure timely completion.
• Proficient in CMMS, project management tools and Microsoft office Suite.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, results-driven environment and manage resources to successful outcomes.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to refrigerated and wet conditions.  The noise level in the plant is usually loud.

This person will also perform some work within an office setting with standard equipment such as computers, printers, and phones where the noise level is generally quiet to moderately loud.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.  The employee is required to stand, walk, sit climb or balance, and smell.

The employee must regularly lift and/ or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Pay Range

The base pay range for this role is up to $160K USD/annually.

The listed salary range represents Kayem Foods’ good faith estimate for this position and represents the minimum and maximum for new hire pay ranges.

Ranges are reviewed on a regular basis. An employee’s rate of pay within the range is determined by their qualifications, relevant experience, and demonstrated performance over time. In addition to those factors, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider internal equity of our current team members as a part of any final offer. Hiring at the maximum of the range would not be typical to allow for future and continued wage growth. This position is eligible for our comprehensive benefits package and is eligible for an annual wage review.  Kayem Foods complies with all federal, state, and local minimum wage laws.

It all started in 1909 when Kazimierz Monkiewicz began making handmade sausages in Chelsea, MA. Now over 100 years later, Kayem Foods is a 4th generation family owned and operated company still headquartered in Chelsea, MA. Kayem is the largest processed meat company in New England specializing in natural casing and skinless franks, fully cooked and fresh sausage, dinner hams and deli meats. The company markets 13 national, regional, and local brands including al fresco all natural, the #1 brand of chicken sausage in the U.S. and Kayem, the #1 brand of Franks in New England.

Today, Kayem operates plants with cutting edge technology and stringent USDA, ISO 9000 & BRC quality standards but we still retain our "Old World" philosophy and vision. For over a century, Kayem has been owned by the same family, employing many other families for multi-generations, still in its hometown of Chelsea and still manufacturing & delivering freshly made convenient, wholesome, and delicious foods to its most valued customers.  Some things are too good to change.