Maintenance & Engineering Lead
- Wexford
- Permanent
- Full-time
Location: Wexford
Full-Time | PermanentHartley People Recruitment is seeking an experienced Engineering & Maintenance Lead to oversee the maintenance and continuous improvement function at a Wexford-based manufacturing site. This role is a key leadership position, responsible for developing and implementing site strategies for equipment reliability, efficiency, and compliance with all regulatory and customer standards.The successful candidate will lead the engineering and maintenance team, ensuring plant performance targets are met through proactive maintenance, continuous improvement initiatives, and effective resource management. This position sits on the plant management team and plays a pivotal role in supporting operational excellence.Duties and Responsibilities:
- Manage all aspects of site maintenance, including machinery, equipment, and utilities, ensuring minimal unplanned downtime through proactive and predictive maintenance programmes.
- Deliver and report on KPIs relating to Health & Safety, equipment efficiency, preventative maintenance, CI, throughput, project delivery, energy optimisation, and cost control.
- Lead, coach, and develop the maintenance technician team, ensuring they are trained, engaged, and integrated into plant operations.
- Conduct performance reviews, set measurable objectives, and provide timely feedback to team members.
- Ensure best practice maintenance, health & safety, and quality management procedures are implemented and adhered to.
- Oversee compliance with all quality management systems, change control processes, and investigation of equipment events.
- Support delivery of site engineering projects, managing assigned projects from initiation to completion.
- Identify, manage, and implement process improvement opportunities to meet site targets.
- Promote and implement best practice maintenance systems, including condition-based monitoring, vibration analysis, thermal imaging, and oil analysis.
- Ensure adherence to sustainability and EH&S procedures, implementing additional controls where required.
- Act as a role model for plant values, behaviours, cleanliness, and hygiene standards.
- Trade qualification and/or third-level qualification in engineering or a related technical discipline.
- 5–10 years’ manufacturing, process, or maintenance experience, ideally in the dairy, food, or beverage sector.
- Experience in hygienic maintenance and implementing best-in-class maintenance standards.
- Proven capability in lean manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies.
- Strong organisational and planning skills, with a track record of delivering results in a fast-paced environment.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and experience with SAP or other CMMS systems (e.g. PEMAC).
- Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders.
- Customer-focused, results-driven, and committed to high performance standards.
For immediate consideration, please email your CV to or call Nigel at 051 878813.Hartley People Recruitment operates to the highest ethical standards, ensuring your CV is handled in confidence and only shared with clients with your prior consent.