Maintenance Foreman

SUMMARY:

A well-established manufacturing business is seeking a results-driven Maintenance Foreman to manage all plant maintenance activities, ensuring optimal equipment reliability, minimal downtime, compliance with food safety and safety standards, and effective supervision of maintenance teams and contractors in a high-performance manufacturing environment.

POSITION INFO:

Minimum requirements for the role:

• Must have a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Industrial Management, Engineering, or a suitable Trade
• Proven experience managing maintenance within a meat processing plant
• Familiarity with manufacturing equipment/machinery found within a meat processing plant
• Must have strong knowledge of maintenance processes and factory operations
• Proven experience in managing teams and driving performance
• Technical understanding of machinery and maintenance practices is essential
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Excellent organisational and leadership abilities

• Overseeing preventative and reactive maintenance on all plant equipment including grinders, mixers, formers, conveyors, and refrigeration systems.
• Minimizing downtime by prioritizing breakdowns and coordinating rapid, effective repairs.
• Developing and managing planned maintenance schedules aligned with production requirements.
• Troubleshooting mechanical, electrical, and pneumatic faults on production equipment.
• Supervising, allocating work, and monitoring performance of Artisans such as Fitters, Electricians, and Millwrights.
• Ensuring maintenance work is completed safely, correctly, and within required timeframes.
• Training and mentoring team members to improve fault-finding, efficiency, and technical capability.
• Managing overtime, shift coverage, and standby arrangements where required.
• Ensuring all maintenance activities comply with HACCP and food safety standards.
• Enforcing strict hygiene controls during maintenance to prevent contamination risks.
• Coordinating with QA to ensure equipment is safe for production after maintenance work.
• Maintaining audit-ready documentation for inspections and compliance requirements.
• Driving equipment reliability and reducing repeat failures through root cause analysis.
• Analyzing breakdown trends and implementing corrective and preventative solutions.
• Working closely with production teams to optimize machine performance and reduce waste.
• Ensuring critical spares are available and properly managed to avoid downtime.
• Enforcing occupational health and safety compliance, including risk assessments and LOTO procedures.
• Investigating incidents and implementing corrective and preventive actions.
• Supervising external contractors and ensuring compliance with safety and food-grade standards.
• Liaising with suppliers for parts, services, and technical support.
• Maintaining maintenance records, job cards, and equipment histories, often via CMMS systems.
• Reporting on downtime, maintenance KPIs, and team performance.
• Assisting with maintenance budgeting and cost control.
• Supporting installation, commissioning, and upgrading of equipment and plant systems.
• Participating in continuous improvement and efficiency projects within the plant.
• Driving cost control initiatives and reducing waste across maintenance processes.
• Managing maintenance budgets and monitoring expenses against targets.
• Handling staff scheduling, discipline, and performance management.
• Ensuring compliance with labour legislation and company policies.
• Supporting new machinery and equipment installation and commissioning.
• Maintaining accurate maintenance records and documentation.