At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead maintenance strategy and ensure brewing equipment operates safely and efficiently.
- Company: Join a high-performing brewery with a focus on innovation and reliability.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, health perks, 25 days holiday, and a beer allowance!
- Other info: Opportunities for career growth and community volunteering.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced environment while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Degree in engineering and experience in maintenance leadership required.
The predicted salary is between 55000 - 65000 € per year.
Location: Full time - Samlesbury
We are seeking an experienced Maintenance Reliability Manager to take ownership of the maintenance and reliability strategy for our Brewing Department within a high‑performing, fast‑paced brewery environment. This role is responsible for ensuring all brewing assets, utilities interfaces, and supporting infrastructure operate safely, efficiently, and with best‑in‑class reliability. You will combine strategic ownership of maintenance systems with hands‑on operational leadership to drive performance today while building sustainable capability for tomorrow.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Maintenance Strategy & Reliability Leadership
- Own and execute the Brewing Department maintenance and reliability strategy.
- Translate production and business needs into robust asset care strategies.
- Lead the Maintenance Pillar within the site management system (VPO – Voyager Plant Optimisation).
- Drive long‑term asset performance, reliability improvement, and cost optimisation.
- Execution Excellence
- Ensure effective planning, scheduling, and execution of all Brewing maintenance activities.
- Drive high levels of schedule compliance, backlog management, and maintenance discipline.
- Own key maintenance KPIs including availability, MTBF, downtime, cost, and reliability performance.
- Lead structured response to breakdowns and chronic losses, ensuring RCA and sustainable fixes.
- Ensure accurate CMMS execution (SAP/Sigma), including work order quality and feedback loops.
- People Leadership & Capability Development
- Lead, coach, and develop maintenance planners, reliability engineers, and Plant Technical Experts.
- Build strong technical capability in fault finding, condition monitoring, and structured problem solving.
- Develop apprentices and frontline engineers through training plans and hands‑on coaching.
- Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement.
- Continuous Improvement & Problem Solving
- Embed structured tools such as 5 Whys, PDCA, Abnormality Management, and RCA.
- Lead initiatives to eliminate chronic losses and improve overall equipment effectiveness.
- Drive improvements across safety, quality, throughput, energy, and cost.
- Ensure adherence to SOPs, standards, and maintenance best practices.
- Asset Care, Compliance & Utilities
- Ensure safe, compliant, and reliable operation of brewing equipment and utilities systems (steam, refrigeration, compressed air, cooling systems).
- Support food safety, environmental, and regulatory compliance requirements including audits and inspections.
- Own engineering inputs into safety and quality compliance standards.
- Support VPO audits and maturity assessments.
- Planning, Spares & CAPEX
- Own spare parts strategy including critical spares identification and inventory optimisation.
- Partner with planning teams to ensure robust long‑, medium‑, and short‑term maintenance plans.
- Lead CAPEX projects and new equipment introductions, ensuring maintainability and reliability by design.
- Own Management of Change (MOC) for brewing engineering modifications.
- Additional Responsibilities
- Provide hands‑on support during breakdowns and escalations.
- Ensure completion and quality of all maintenance documentation and CMMS updates.
- Support development of SOPs, training materials, and maintenance documentation control.
- Participate in reliability events including PM optimisation, CIL, and SOP reviews.
- Support OEMs and contractors on site to ensure effective execution and knowledge transfer.
- Support 5S implementation and sustainment activities.
- Attend training courses and operational meetings as required.
Qualifications
- Degree (or equivalent experience) in Mechanical, Electrical, or Automation Engineering.
- Significant experience in maintenance and reliability leadership within high‑speed manufacturing or process environments (brewing or FMCG desirable).
- Proven track record of delivering maintenance strategy and reliability improvement at scale.
- Strong leadership experience managing engineering or technical teams.
- Strong knowledge of CMMS systems (SAP preferred) and maintenance data analysis tools.
- Strong fault‑finding capability across mechanical, electrical, and automation systems.
- Experience within World Class Manufacturing / TPM / structured maintenance environments.
- Strong understanding of utilities systems (steam, refrigeration, compressed air, cooling systems).
- Strong analytical capability (e.g. Power BI or similar tools).
Desirable
- Experience in brewing, batch processing, or high‑speed packaging environments.
- Knowledge of refrigeration plant, steam systems, heat exchangers, and compressed air networks.
- Experience delivering CAPEX or large‑scale reliability improvement programmes.
Benefits
- Benefits for you and your family to help your physical and mental health.
- Competitive parental leave and pension double contributions.
- 25 days holidays per year.
- Employee benefits to help your physical and mental health and overall well‑being (travel insurance, gym memberships, discounted services, dental, etc.).
- A beer allowance to enjoy our brands.
- 2 volunteer days a year to support your local community.
- WPA Private Medical Care.
- 26 weeks paid leave for primary caregiver.
Maintenance Reliability Manager – Brewing in Preston employer: Budweiser Brewing Group (AB InBev)
Join our dynamic team as a Maintenance Reliability Manager in Samlesbury, where we prioritise employee well-being and professional growth. With a strong focus on continuous improvement and a supportive work culture, we offer competitive benefits including generous parental leave, a beer allowance, and opportunities for community engagement. Here, you will not only lead maintenance strategies but also develop your skills in a fast-paced brewery environment that values innovation and teamwork.
Contact Detail:
Budweiser Brewing Group (AB InBev) Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Maintenance Reliability Manager – Brewing in Preston
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the brewing industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its brewing processes. Show them you’re not just another candidate; demonstrate your passion for brewing and how you can contribute to their maintenance strategy.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your problem-solving skills! Be ready to tackle hypothetical scenarios related to maintenance and reliability. They’ll want to see how you think on your feet and approach challenges.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Maintenance Reliability Manager – Brewing in Preston
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in maintenance and reliability, especially in brewing or similar environments. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Showcase Your Achievements:Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific examples of how you’ve improved maintenance strategies or led teams to success. We love seeing quantifiable results that demonstrate your impact!
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use clear language and avoid jargon unless it’s relevant to the role. We appreciate clarity and want to understand your qualifications easily.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to submit your application directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy!
How to prepare for a job interview at Budweiser Brewing Group (AB InBev)
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of maintenance strategies and reliability leadership, especially in brewing environments. Be ready to discuss specific examples from your past experience where you've successfully implemented asset care strategies or improved reliability.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
This role requires strong people leadership, so be prepared to share how you've developed teams in the past. Think about times when you've coached maintenance planners or engineers, and how you fostered a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
✨Be Data-Driven
Familiarise yourself with key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to maintenance, such as MTBF and downtime. Be ready to discuss how you've used data analysis tools like Power BI to drive improvements in maintenance performance and decision-making.
✨Prepare for Problem Solving
Expect questions around structured problem-solving techniques like 5 Whys or RCA. Have examples ready that demonstrate how you've tackled chronic losses or breakdowns in the past, and how you ensured sustainable fixes were put in place.
