At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a maintenance team to ensure safe and reliable plant performance in a chemical manufacturing environment.
- Company: Join Bakelite, a leader in sustainable chemistry with over 100 years of innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career development opportunities, and a chance to make a real impact.
- Other info: Dynamic work culture focused on safety, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Be part of a mission to create a safer, better world through innovative engineering.
- Qualifications: Degree in Engineering and 5+ years of maintenance experience in chemical industries required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 ÂŁ per year.
At Bakelite, you’ll help us create a better tomorrow with sustainable and innovative chemistry today. We’re Everywhere. Everywhere you look, you’ll find products enabled by Bakelite, from stronger homes to safer automobiles and everywhere in between. With more than 100 years of history and strong customer relationships, we boldly engineer sustainable products to tackle our world’s most challenging demands. Join Our Team and Help Us Build a Stronger, Safer, Better World. It’s Better with Bakelite.
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 (e.g., reactors, storage tanks, 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.
- Management of 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.
- 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)
- ISO Systems familiarity: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and ideally ISO 50001 (energy).
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 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.
Maintenance Manager in Barry employer: Dayforce HCM, Inc.
Contact Detail:
Dayforce HCM, Inc. Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Maintenance Manager in Barry
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to industry contacts, attend events, and connect with people 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 Bakelite and understanding their values and projects. Tailor your answers to show how your experience aligns with their mission of creating sustainable products.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice common interview questions and scenarios related to maintenance management. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses and highlight your leadership skills.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining the Bakelite team.
We think you need these skills to ace Maintenance Manager in Barry
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Maintenance Manager role. Highlight your experience in maintenance and reliability, especially within chemical or process industries. We want to see how your skills align with our needs!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re passionate about sustainable chemistry and how your leadership skills can help us build a better world. Keep it engaging and relevant to the job description.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; showcase your achievements! Use specific examples of how you’ve improved maintenance processes or led successful projects. We love seeing quantifiable results that demonstrate your impact.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss any important updates from our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Dayforce HCM, Inc.
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your technical knowledge related to maintenance and reliability, especially in the context of chemical manufacturing. Familiarise yourself with key concepts like RCM, FMEA, and the specific regulations like COMAH and DSEAR. This will show that you're not just a leader but also someone who understands the nitty-gritty of the role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past. Think about times when you improved safety or efficiency, or managed a challenging project. Be ready to discuss your approach to building a positive culture and how you handle incident investigations—this is crucial for a Maintenance Manager.
✨Be Project Savvy
Since the role involves managing CAPEX and OPEX projects, come prepared to discuss your experience with project management. Highlight any specific projects you've led from concept to handover, and be ready to talk about how you manage contractors and ensure compliance with engineering standards.
✨Communicate Clearly
Effective communication is key in this role. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly, especially when discussing complex topics like safety protocols or maintenance strategies. Be prepared to explain how you would communicate plans and risks to leadership and regulators, as this will demonstrate your ability to manage stakeholders effectively.