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Position Overview
As the Maintenance Manager you will manage and lead the maintenance team and support reliability, and project delivery function for an Upper Tier COMAH chemical manufacturing site. Ensure asset integrity, legal compliance, and safe, reliable plant performance while delivering OPEX projects and supporting CAPEX projects aligned to business strategy. Act as a key custodian of the sites Maintenance, MI program and contractor management, embedding robust engineering standards and disciplined execution across maintenance and projects. The role requires strong leadership and people skills.
Job Responsibilities
Maintenance & Reliability Leadership
- Own the site maintenance strategy (preventive, predictive, and corrective), aligned with COMAH safety requirements and plant criticality.
- Maintain mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, and control assets to achieve high availability and integrity—especially for high-hazard equipment such as reactors, storage tanks, and formaldehyde handling systems.
- Implement reliability‑centred maintenance (RCM), failure mode & effects analysis (FMEA), and defect elimination to reduce unplanned downtime.
- Establish and manage spares strategy and obsolescence plans for critical equipment.
- Drive improvement and compliance with Bakelite EU Maintenance & Reliability KPI’s for the site.
- Champion CMMS usage (work management, backlog control, planning & scheduling, KPI reporting).
- Manage mechanical integrity programs (thickness surveys, NDT, inspections, calibration/testing of relief devices).
Safety & COMAH Compliance
- Ensure maintenance and project work protects the Safety Report assumptions and Safety Instrumented Functions (SIFs) integrity.
- Involvement with PHA (HAZOP/LOPA).
- Support Permit‑to‑Work systems (isolation, line‑breaking, hot work, confined space, excavation) and control of ignition sources.
- COMAH Duty Manager on call rotation.
Project Management (CAPEX/OPEX)
- Assist with delivering the site’s CAPEX portfolio from concept to handover: scope, feasibility, on‑site management and commissioning.
- Involvement with Management of Change (MoC) for equipment, process, controls, and documentation changes and pre‑startup safety reviews (PSSR).
- Manage contractors/vendors: pre‑qualification, competence assessment, RAMS review, site induction, supervision, and performance.
- Manage contractors to construct and commission based on “issued for construction” designs in collaboration with the Project Manager.
- Where necessary and in accordance with agreed processes, ensure design alignment with corporate engineering standards, best available techniques, and lifecycle cost/maintainability.
People, Culture & Stakeholder Management
- Lead and develop multi‑disciplinary maintenance team.
- Build strong interfaces with Operations, EHS, Quality, Supply Chain, and Corporate Engineering.
- Promote a positive culture and speak‑up environment for safety; lead incident investigations.
- Communicate plans, and risks clearly to leadership and regulators where appropriate.
Continuous Improvement
- Implement continuous improvement in maintenance and shutdown execution.
- Utilise condition monitoring, vibration analysis, thermography, online diagnostics, and data analytics to improve reliability.
- Optimise energy usage and emissions performance (aligned to ISO 50001 where applicable).
Education & Experience
Essential Qualifications
- Degree (BEng/BSc) in Mechanical, Electrical, or Control/Instrumentation Engineering (Preferred).
- Demonstrable experience (5+ years) in maintenance/reliability and project delivery within chemical or process industries.
- Upper Tier COMAH site experience with proven maintenance management leadership.
- Strong knowledge of UK regulatory frameworks: COMAH, DSEAR/ATEX, PUWER, LOLER, PSSR, Confined Space, Functional Safety (IEC 61511), EAWR.
- Proven competence in Permit‑to‑Work systems, mechanical/electrical isolation, and contractor control.
- Proficiency with CMMS (e.g., SAP PM) and project management software (e.g., MS Project).
Desirable Certifications / Training
- NEBOSH General Certificate.
- Functional Safety (IEC 61511) awareness.
- Project Management (e.g., Prince2).
- Inspection Competency (e.g., API/ASME awareness), NDT appreciation, Pressure Systems responsible person training.
- ISO Systems familiarity: ISO 9001, ISO 1401, ISO 4501, and ideally ISO 5001 (energy).
- LEAN/Six Sigma Green Belt (or higher).
Experience & Skills
- Experience of leading/supporting on CAPEX projects from design through to construction within operating plants.
- Maintenance scheduling & planning of preventive, reactive & shutdown activities, including material management.
- Leading reliability/continuous improvement through the use of problem‑solving tools/methodologies (A3 Thinking, 3C’s, 5 Why, Fishbone, FMEA, etc.).
- Contractor and vendor management; pre‑qualification and performance management.
- Mechanical, Electrical, Instrumentation and control systems familiarity.
- Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
Key Behaviours
- Safety‑first & process safety mindset; challenges unsafe conditions and decisions.
- Ownership & accountability for asset integrity and project outcomes.
- Structured & disciplined in planning, controls, and documentation.
- Departmental collaboration; Operations, EHS, Engineering and Quality; fosters learning culture.
- Continuous improvement orientation and data‑driven decision‑making.
Disclaimer
We are not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms/employment agencies for this employment opportunity. Please, no phone calls or emails to an employee about this position. All resumes submitted by search firms/employment agencies to any employee of the Company via email, the Internet or in any other form and/or method without a valid written search firm agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of the Company; no fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by the Company as a result of the unsolicited referral or through other means.
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