Maintenance Supervisor

The Maintenance Supervisor leads, inspires, and manages plant maintenance personnel and outside contractors at our Kiel facility. This role ensures all maintenance activities are executed with craftsmanship, strict code compliance, and a safety-first mindset to facilitate efficient, non-stop plant operations. The ideal candidate will bridge the gap between "boots on the ground" team leadership and modern, data-driven maintenance strategies. They will inherit a facility with immense potential but must immediately drive a culture shift toward rigorous preventative maintenance and legacy safety risk abatement.

• Optimize Asset Reliability: Drive down equipment downtime on critical A and B manufacturing assets to maximize production uptime.
• Modernize PM Systems: Overhaul and enforce a rigorous Preventative Maintenance (PM) program, migrating toward data-supported tracking using software- currently Brightly, Asset Essentials.
• Abate Safety Compliance Risks: Systematically address, close out, and eliminate active and legacy safety risks (guarding, ergonomics, and safety register items).
• Eliminate Production Backorder Clutter: Reduce frequency of breakdown occurrences to actively help production teams minimize backlog and backorders.
• Maintain Floor Engagement: Keep a highly visible presence on the floor, standardizing daily crew lineups, Gemba participation, and cross-departmental alignment.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Daily Execution Management: Assign, oversee, and audit daily maintenance and toolroom activities across the plant floor.
• Continuous Improvement (Lean/5S): Drive root-cause problem solving and implement process improvements on core equipment to strip out operational waste.
• Vendor & Project Oversight: Manage relationships with third-party contractors and vendors, and collaborate with plant engineering on new equipment specs and installations (e.g., laser cutting equipment, press upgrades)
• Budgetary Ownership: Assist in the formulation of annual departmental operating and capital expenses, maintaining strict control over tool and supply ordering.
• Safety Culture Leadership: Conduct routine safety observations, enforce changing safety documentation/policies, manage contractor safety compliance, and lead monthly safety meetings.
• People & Performance Development: Provide clear daily expectations, 1:1 coaching, and annual development reviews for the skilled trades team.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsible for the staffing and documentation of the skilled trades maintenance and toolroom departments including timekeeping, scheduled overtime, call-ins, personal time, and vacation schedules.
• Responsible for the performance management of Maintenance department.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent required. A Technical School certificate, Associate's, or Bachelor's degree in an engineering or technical discipline is strongly preferred.

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a maintenance supervisory or lead capacity within a heavy manufacturing/stamping environment.

Technical & Functional Expertise

• Advanced Equipment Troubleshooting: Demonstrated, hands-on experience maintaining stamping presses (e.g., mechanical and hydraulic repairs, cylinders, manifolds), laser cutting systems, press brakes, and large industrial annealer.
• Multi-Trade Competency: Comprehensive technical knowledge spanning electronics, mechanical systems, hydraulics, welding, fabrication, robotics, and facility infrastructure (HVAC, docks, grounds)
• Digital Literacy & Systems: Proven experience using Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) like JDE or modern maintenance tracking software to plan work and evaluate team data.

Leadership & Behavioral Skills

• Composure & Change Management: Ability to walk into an environment with data gaps or legacy equipment issues, remain calm under pressure, and methodically turn "chaos into calm."
• Accountability & Soft Skills: A balanced leadership approach that treats people with immense respect and positivity while strictly holding individuals accountable to work timelines and safe behaviors.
• Transparent Communication: Skilled at collaborating across departments, facilitating team discussions, and handling workplace issues or rumors with open, professional honesty.

VOLLRATHS CORE VALUES

Take Ownership: Our intention is to match our actions with our words, building trust with others. We are united in taking responsibility for the success of Vollrath as a whole.

Empower Action: Our intention is to create a workplace where every member can thrive in their growth and contributions with excitement, confidence, and psychological safety. We support each team member with resources and tools to strengthen collaboration and performance.

Treat All People With Respect: Our intention is to recognize the diverse experiences, styles, and backgrounds of others, treating everyone with dignity. We aim to foster an inclusive culture where all team members can be their authentic selves and feel safe in voicing their perspectives.

Life Beyond Work: Our intention is to care for the well-being of every individual we engage with, understanding them as a whole person. We strive to keep people mentally and physically safe, sending each person home in a condition to build a fulfilling life beyond work. We encourage balance, allowing our colleagues to pursue their passions.

Commitment to Those Who Count on Us: Our intention is to drive innovation and practical solutions through understanding the needs of our coworkers, customers, owners, and communities. We are dedicated to proactively addressing those needs and delivering results.