Tire and Lube Technician at Michigan Milk Producers Assoc

The Michigan Milk Producers Association is looking for an experienced Maintenance Manager to join our team, in our Constantine, MI facility. In this critical role, you will lead a dynamic maintenance team to optimize equipment performance, uphold the highest standards of system reliability, and ensure the plant operates efficiently. You will also collaborate closely with leadership to align maintenance strategies with the companys long-term goals.

As a key player in the team, you will focus on developing a culture of active employee engagement, continuous improvement, and leadership development. You'll also oversee the accuracy of maintenance work and champion cross-departmental collaboration to maximize operational efficiency. In addition, this position involves participation in an on-call rotation with the Plant Engineer, ensuring plant support during off-hours.

This role is ideal for a seasoned professional eager to make a tangible impact while growing their career in a supportive, high-performance environment.

About Us:

The Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) established in 1916 is a dairy farmer-owned and operated milk marketing cooperative and dairy processor. As the 10th largest dairy cooperative in the U.S., MMPA serves dairy farmers throughout Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana, employing approximately 625 people in four states. In addition to a cheese plant in Indiana called the Middlebury Cheese Company, and a dairy product plant in Ohio called Superior Dairy, MMPA operates two SQF Level 3 dairy ingredient plants in Michigan. Products made at MMPAs plants include fluid milk, cheese, ultra-filtered milk, ice cream, butter, nonfat dry milk, cream, and condensed skim milk.

Why youll love working here:

• Competitive salary
• Health and wellness benefits with medical coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield, including mental health benefits
• Disability insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement including 401k with employer contributions
• Personal and professional growth opportunities
• Employee appreciation events and recognition awards
• Employee wellness initiatives
• Employees feedback and suggestion forums

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational Excellence:

• Oversee daily maintenance activities to ensure optimal performance of all equipment and
• systems.
• Develop and implement preventive and predictive maintenance programs to reduce downtime and extend equipment lifespan.
• Continuously monitor plant performance, identify inefficiencies, and implement improvement solutions.
• Collaborate with senior management to identify and execute long-term maintenance and plant improvement strategies aligned with organizational goals.
• Utilize a strong work order scheduling background to prioritize, assign, and track maintenance tasks, ensuring timely completion of preventive and corrective maintenance activities.

Team Leadership:

• Lead, mentor, and engage a team of maintenance technicians, promoting a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Effectively prioritize and assign technician tasks to ensure plant readiness and minimize downtime.
• Regularly assess technician workloads, reassign tasks as needed, and ensure alignment with urgent plant needs.
• Conduct performance evaluations and provide coaching, training, and development opportunities to enhance team morale and effectiveness.
• Utilize various training methods (online, classroom, on-the-job) to continually develop team skills.
• Identify high-potential team members for leadership roles, supporting the development of a strong leadership pipeline.

Follow-Up and Quality Assurance:

• Inspect completed maintenance work to ensure it meets quality standards and resolves the root causes of issues.
• Provide constructive feedback to technicians, addressing areas for improvement in work quality and efficiency.
• Utilize follow-up reviews to reinforce plant readiness goals and proactively prevent recurring issues.
• Plant Readiness:
• Ensure all maintenance activities align with production schedules to maintain plant readiness.
• Lead the prioritization of urgent repairs and planned maintenance to ensure maximum operational capacity.
• Work closely with other departments to monitor plant activities and maintain smooth operations.
• Monitor technician engagement to ensure tasks are completed in an efficient and timely manner.

Communication and Collaboration:

• Act as the liaison between maintenance, production, quality assurance, and other departments to ensure shared responsibility for plant readiness.
• Participate in cross-departmental meetings to align maintenance priorities with overall plant goals and address operational challenges.
• Project Management:
• Collaborate with Engineering to plan, implement, and oversee maintenance projects (e.g., upgrades, installations, and modifications), ensuring timely and cost-effective completion. Manage relationships with external contractors and vendors for specialized repairs or system improvements.
• Safety and Compliance:
• Ensure strict adherence to safety protocols and regulations to foster a safe working environment.
• Lead safety Toolbox meetings to continuously promote a culture of safety within the team.
• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all maintenance tasks to ensure consistency and safety.
• Support environmental and audit compliance efforts by ensuring equipment and processes meet regulatory standards (e.g., SQF, OSHA, customer requirements).
• Documentation and Systems Management:
• Maintain accurate records of maintenance activities, equipment history, and inventory through the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS).
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of work order scheduling, utilizing CMMS to efficiently manage maintenance requests, schedule resources, and track progress.
• Utilize ERP systems for cost tracking and management of parts and materials.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Participate in an on-call rotation with the Plant Leadership to provide plant support during non-standard hours. This may include responding to emergency breakdowns, system failures, and other urgent operational needs outside of regular working hours.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in maintenance roles, with at least 3 years in a supervisory or leadership capacity within a manufacturing environment, preferably in food or dairy processing.
• Proven expertise in mechanical systems, troubleshooting, and preventive maintenance, with a focus on dairy processing and production equipment.
• In-depth understanding of ultra-filtration (UF) technologies, clean-in-place (CIP) systems, and associated equipment used in dairy operations, particularly in the context of milk filtration, processing, and tank cleaning.
• Experience with milk intake and loading operations, including the mechanical systems of milk tanker unloading, receiving, and storage systems.
• Strong organizational and planning skills, with the ability to effectively prioritize tasks and manage technician workloads to minimize downtime and maximize operational efficiency.
• Demonstrated leadership and communication skills, with the ability to engage, mentor, and develop a skilled team of maintenance technicians while fostering accountability and continuous improvement.
• Knowledge of regulatory standards, including SQF, OSHA, environmental compliance, and other industry-specific requirements (such as FDA and HACCP).
• Experience with work order scheduling and using CMMS/ERP systems to prioritize, assign, and track maintenance work efficiently to minimize downtime.
• Ability to assess plant operations, prioritize maintenance tasks, and implement corrective actions to maintain plant readiness and ensure smooth operation.

Join us in maintaining the highest standards in the dairy industry! Apply now and become part of our dynamic MMPA team!

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each responsibility satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the responsibilities.

This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive list of responsibilities that are required of the role. Responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice.

MMPA provides the opportunity for meaningful work that makes a difference in the dairy industry and in our communities. The diverse talents and perspectives of our employees help us to meet the needs of our member farms and the customers we serve.

MMPA is an equal opportunity employer.

We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States.

We are not interested in unsolicited candidate introductions, referrals or resumes from third party recruiters or staffing agencies for this position.