About the role
Department: Corporate
Reports to: Vice President of Engineering
Status: Full-time
Purpose: The Senior Manager of Corporate Maintenance will develop, implement, and oversee our corporate-wide maintenance programs, policies, and budgets to ensure the safety, efficiency, and reliability of all company assets. This role is responsible for implementing strategies that maximize asset lifespan and operational uptime across multiple sites, providing technical support and coaching to site maintenance managers and managing key vendor relationships related to asset maintenance. The role will also be responsible for leading the selection, implementation, and overall management of the upgrade to the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
Key responsibilities
- Develop and implement a comprehensive maintenance strategy for Gay Lea Foods that establishes a long-term vision for asset reliability, fully aligned with the company’s overarching objectives.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with HSE, Quality, Engineering, Production, and Supply Chain teams to embed maintenance practices into all operational processes.
- Drive continuous improvement by analyzing production and asset reliability data to identify opportunities and lead initiatives that enhance safety, quality, and operational efficiency.
- The role is expected to provide regular onsite support and coaching to the site Maintenance Managers, including participation in internal site audits and performance reviews.
- Support sites in the hiring, training and development of maintenance leaders and technicians.
- Develop standardized maintenance protocols, asset care strategies and reliability engineering practices.
- Establish company-wide KPI standards and performance metrics, and monitor progress and drive accountability across the organization.
- Partner with site maintenance leaders to understand current practices and build buy-in for change.
- Facilitate cross-site learning, benchmarking, and adoption of best practices.
- Drive cost savings, risk mitigation, and sustainability through improved asset management.
- Work with engineering to integrate design for reliability requirements as well as standards for component and equipment selection.
Qualifications and Experience
- A bachelor's degree in engineering, industrial technology or a related field.
- 15+ years of progressive experience in maintenance within the food manufacturing industry, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
- Extensive knowledge of mechanical, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing systems. Experience with advanced maintenance methodologies, such as reliability-centered maintenance, predictive maintenance, and lean principles.
- Strong track record of improving operational reliability, reducing costs, and implementing proactive maintenance strategies.
- Excellent leadership and organizational skills and attention to detail. Ability to think strategically and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Operations leadership experience is a benefit though not required.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Proven experience in leading maintenance and reliability programs across multiple manufacturing sites is preferred.
- Demonstrated success in implementing platforms and driving company-wide change. Experience with ERP platforms an asset.
Gay Lea Foods is a leading Canadian dairy co-operative renowned for producing high-quality, nutritious dairy products that Canadian families love and trust. From farm to table, our 1,200 farmer members in Ontario and Manitoba, and more than 1,200 employees across four provinces, work together to nourish communities through award-winning brands including Gay Lea, Nordica, Salerno, Bothwell Cheese, and more. As part of its deeply rooted, balanced commitment to people, profit, and planet, Gay Lea Foods proudly invests one percent of pre-tax earnings back into Canadian communities through a national food security partnership with Second Harvest, and the community-building efforts of the Gay Lea Foundation. To learn more, visit gayleafoods.com.
Gay Lea Foods is an equal-opportunity employer and values diversity in our workplace.
Reasonable accommodation is available upon request throughout our recruitment and selection process.
Thank you for your interest in Gay Lea Foods.
Wishing you all the best with your career search!
About Gay Lea Foods
With our roots on the farm, Gay Lea Foods has grown to become a leader in the Canadian dairy industry and the largest dairy co-operative in Ontario, with members on 1,300 dairy farms in Ontario and Manitoba, and more than 4,200 producer and investor stakeholders. Our dedication to innovation and the development of high quality products has allowed us to respond to consumers’ evolving tastes and grow the market for Canadian cow and, more recently, goat milk. We are a Canadian success story – and that story is far from over. Moving forward, Gay Lea Foods is poised to seize and create even more opportunities for sustainable, long-term growth in the Canadian dairy industry as we expand beyond our provincial borders, grow our foods and ingredients business, and continue to invest in innovative and industry-leading products.
As much as we evolve, however, we remain a dairy co-operative, owned by dairy farmers. From our farms and production facilities, to our distribution networks and employee ideologies, we embrace and act with co-operative-inspired values, understanding there is no shortcut to quality or success. It takes commitment, passion and collaboration.
Those are the things we’re made of and we’re proud to share our story.
Just like the milk that comes from our farms, so too are Gay Lea Foods’ products and values born on the farm.
About the role
Department: Corporate
Reports to: Vice President of Engineering
Status: Full-time
Purpose: The Senior Manager of Corporate Maintenance will develop, implement, and oversee our corporate-wide maintenance programs, policies, and budgets to ensure the safety, efficiency, and reliability of all company assets. This role is responsible for implementing strategies that maximize asset lifespan and operational uptime across multiple sites, providing technical support and coaching to site maintenance managers and managing key vendor relationships related to asset maintenance. The role will also be responsible for leading the selection, implementation, and overall management of the upgrade to the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
Key responsibilities
- Develop and implement a comprehensive maintenance strategy for Gay Lea Foods that establishes a long-term vision for asset reliability, fully aligned with the company’s overarching objectives.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with HSE, Quality, Engineering, Production, and Supply Chain teams to embed maintenance practices into all operational processes.
- Drive continuous improvement by analyzing production and asset reliability data to identify opportunities and lead initiatives that enhance safety, quality, and operational efficiency.
- The role is expected to provide regular onsite support and coaching to the site Maintenance Managers, including participation in internal site audits and performance reviews.
- Support sites in the hiring, training and development of maintenance leaders and technicians.
- Develop standardized maintenance protocols, asset care strategies and reliability engineering practices.
- Establish company-wide KPI standards and performance metrics, and monitor progress and drive accountability across the organization.
- Partner with site maintenance leaders to understand current practices and build buy-in for change.
- Facilitate cross-site learning, benchmarking, and adoption of best practices.
- Drive cost savings, risk mitigation, and sustainability through improved asset management.
- Work with engineering to integrate design for reliability requirements as well as standards for component and equipment selection.
Qualifications and Experience
- A bachelor's degree in engineering, industrial technology or a related field.
- 15+ years of progressive experience in maintenance within the food manufacturing industry, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
- Extensive knowledge of mechanical, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing systems. Experience with advanced maintenance methodologies, such as reliability-centered maintenance, predictive maintenance, and lean principles.
- Strong track record of improving operational reliability, reducing costs, and implementing proactive maintenance strategies.
- Excellent leadership and organizational skills and attention to detail. Ability to think strategically and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Operations leadership experience is a benefit though not required.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- Proven experience in leading maintenance and reliability programs across multiple manufacturing sites is preferred.
- Demonstrated success in implementing platforms and driving company-wide change. Experience with ERP platforms an asset.
Gay Lea Foods is a leading Canadian dairy co-operative renowned for producing high-quality, nutritious dairy products that Canadian families love and trust. From farm to table, our 1,200 farmer members in Ontario and Manitoba, and more than 1,200 employees across four provinces, work together to nourish communities through award-winning brands including Gay Lea, Nordica, Salerno, Bothwell Cheese, and more. As part of its deeply rooted, balanced commitment to people, profit, and planet, Gay Lea Foods proudly invests one percent of pre-tax earnings back into Canadian communities through a national food security partnership with Second Harvest, and the community-building efforts of the Gay Lea Foundation. To learn more, visit gayleafoods.com.
Gay Lea Foods is an equal-opportunity employer and values diversity in our workplace.
Reasonable accommodation is available upon request throughout our recruitment and selection process.
Thank you for your interest in Gay Lea Foods.
Wishing you all the best with your career search!
About Gay Lea Foods
With our roots on the farm, Gay Lea Foods has grown to become a leader in the Canadian dairy industry and the largest dairy co-operative in Ontario, with members on 1,300 dairy farms in Ontario and Manitoba, and more than 4,200 producer and investor stakeholders. Our dedication to innovation and the development of high quality products has allowed us to respond to consumers’ evolving tastes and grow the market for Canadian cow and, more recently, goat milk. We are a Canadian success story – and that story is far from over. Moving forward, Gay Lea Foods is poised to seize and create even more opportunities for sustainable, long-term growth in the Canadian dairy industry as we expand beyond our provincial borders, grow our foods and ingredients business, and continue to invest in innovative and industry-leading products.
As much as we evolve, however, we remain a dairy co-operative, owned by dairy farmers. From our farms and production facilities, to our distribution networks and employee ideologies, we embrace and act with co-operative-inspired values, understanding there is no shortcut to quality or success. It takes commitment, passion and collaboration.
Those are the things we’re made of and we’re proud to share our story.
Just like the milk that comes from our farms, so too are Gay Lea Foods’ products and values born on the farm.