The Company
Our client is a recently established food manufacturer with a flagship project to develop a greenfield manufacturing facility in Pakenham.
Production is scheduled to commence in 2026. Their focus is on quality, localisation, and healthier formulations, aligning with growing consumer demand for trusted, locally made products.

The Role
Reporting directly to the Managing Director, the Maintenance Manager will play a pivotal role in ensuring site readiness, reliability, and performance.
Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and implementing preventative and predictive maintenance programs
• Leading the installation, commissioning, and maintenance of high-speed food production equipment
• Building and managing a hands-on maintenance team, including trades and technicians
• Driving continuous improvement, equipment uptime, and operational efficiency
• Ensuring compliance with HACCP, GMP, and OH&S standards
• Supporting operational ramp-up through close collaboration with production and engineering teams
• Managing maintenance budgets, spare parts, and contractor relationships

This is a hands-on leadership role requiring strong technical expertise, proven maintenance management capability, and the ability to thrive in a start-up environment.

Requirements
The ideal candidate will bring:

• Trade qualifications in mechanical or electrical maintenance (essential)
• Proven leadership experience as a Maintenance Manager or Supervisor in food or beverage manufacturing
• Hands-on experience commissioning and maintaining production lines in a high-speed environment
• Strong preventative maintenance planning and reliability engineering skills
• Knowledge of HACCP, GMP, and relevant Australian food manufacturing compliance standards
• Excellent troubleshooting, problem-solving, and team leadership capabilities
• Ability to build maintenance systems, teams, and culture from the ground up
• A proactive, solutions-focused mindset and strong communication skills

Contact
Please call Eugene Lane-Mullins on 0435 914 485 or email [email protected] to discuss this role or any other positions in more detail.