Mechanical Maintenance Manager in Grays

We're recruiting for an experienced Mechanical Maintenance Manager to join a busy industrial operation based in West Thurrock. This is a key management position where you will lead and develop a team of approximately 15 mechanical maintenance professionals, ensuring the safe, efficient and reliable operation of plant and equipment.

You will be responsible for overseeing both planned preventative and reactive maintenance, managing maintenance priorities and ensuring that equipment, systems and associated areas are maintained to the highest possible standards.

The successful candidate will ideally have a strong mechanical maintenance background gained within a process or heavy industrial environment, together with previous experience managing a maintenance team.

• Effectively manage and lead a team of approximately 15 direct reports.
• Ensure the mechanical maintenance backlog is effectively controlled in line with established KPIs.
• Review the mechanical maintenance backlog on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
• Compile daily and weekly reports covering maintenance work completion and performance.
• Liaise with mechanical maintenance personnel to ensure work is correctly recorded and completed within the CMMS and daily reporting systems.
• Ensure plant and equipment are maintained in accordance with relevant legislation, including PSSR, PUWER and LOLER.
• Schedule planned preventative maintenance activities and ensure they are completed within agreed timescales.
• Identify opportunities for plant improvements and modifications, ensuring these are managed through the appropriate Management of Change (MOC) process.
• Provide cover for the Maintenance Manager during periods of absence.
• Conduct quarterly 1-to-1 development reviews with direct reports.
• Undertake disciplinary investigations and meetings in accordance with company procedures.
• Manage the timekeeping, attendance and performance of direct reports.
• Write and develop Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS) and provide support to the wider mechanical maintenance team.
• Manage a range of external service contractors who attend site to undertake routine servicing and maintenance of equipment.
• Work closely with other departments to ensure maintenance activities are completed safely, efficiently and with minimal disruption to operations.
• Support the maintenance team with hands-on technical guidance and assistance when required.

The successful Mechanical Maintenance Manager will ideally have:

• Completed a recognised mechanical engineering apprenticeship, ideally within a comparable process industry such as Paper, Energy from Waste (EFW), Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Food, Power Generation, Oil & Gas or FMCG.
• A recognised management qualification or management training.
• A minimum of IOSH Managing Safely; NEBOSH would be highly desirable.
• BTEC HNC level qualification or equivalent as a minimum; HND or Degree would be advantageous.
• Previous experience managing a mechanical maintenance team within an industrial or process environment.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of Health, Safety and Environmental procedures.

You will ideally have experience and knowledge of:

• Mechanical maintenance within a process or industrial environment.
• LOTO (Lock Out/Tag Out) and equipment isolation procedures.
• Permit to Work systems.
• Confined space working, ideally to CS2 level.
• Alignment of drive systems using DTI and laser alignment equipment.
• Installation, maintenance and setting of various types of mechanical seals.
• PSSR regulations.
• LOLER, PUWER and COSHH requirements.
• Computerised Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS).
• Microsoft Office applications and relevant engineering/design and calculation software.
• Producing and reviewing Risk Assessments and Method Statements.

We are looking for a confident and experienced maintenance professional who can combine strong people management skills with solid mechanical engineering knowledge. You will be comfortable managing a sizeable maintenance team, prioritising workloads, monitoring KPIs and maintenance backlogs, and ensuring that all work is completed safely and effectively. Excellent communication skills are essential, as you will work closely with maintenance personnel, management, contractors and other departments across the site.

If you are an experienced Mechanical Maintenance Manager looking for your next opportunity in the West Thurrock area, we would be keen to hear from you.