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- Tasks: Lead a proactive engineering team to enhance maintenance processes and drive improvements.
- Company: Join SDUK, home of beloved brands like Cathedral City and Clover.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, career development, and a supportive work environment.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in a dynamic team focused on innovation and quality.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership skills and experience in engineering maintenance.
- Other info: Exciting opportunities for growth in a well-respected company.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
SDUK\’s brands include the Nation\’s favourite cheese brand Cathedral City plus other well-known butter & spreads (Clover, Country Life, Vitalite, Utterly Butterly), functional ingredients and dairy free products.
Increase your chances of an interview by reading the following overview of this role before making an application.
This role, (internally titled as maintenance lead, proactive) is a management position that will lead the proactive engineering team towards delivering incremental and significant improvement opportunities across the site, utilising strong influencing skills, data and analytical skills.
Working across 16 lines with varying levels of automation (13 of which have been installed over the past 2.5 years), the position will be key in ensuring we build a strong preventative and proactive strategy that is fit for purpose, can be evolved, and will work towards the continued reduction of unplanned downtime.
Leading a team consisting of controls, asset care, and process improvement engineers, this role will benefit an engineer with management experience and a mechanical bias to identify opportunities for innovation to engineer out any problems.
A background in reactive maintenance is suitable, as long as you also have a strong understanding of preventative and proactive practices.
Key Responsibilities
- Developing and implementing proactive and predictive maintenance strategies to minimise equipment downtime and extend asset life
- Establishing a comprehensive preventative maintenance programme based on equipment criticality and historical performance data
- Utilising predictive maintenance tools and techniques (vibration analysis, thermal imaging, etc.) to identify potential equipment failures before they occur
- Analysing maintenance data to refine maintenance strategies and improve OEE
- Identifying and implementing process improvements to enhance maintenance efficiency and effectiveness, and to reduce equipment downtime
- Leading, mentoring, and developing a team of asset care, controls, and process improvement engineers, fostering a culture of excellence and accountability
- Working closely with the reactive maintenance team and production teams to understand operational requirements and minimise disruptions during maintenance activities
- Assisting in the development and management of the maintenance budget, focusing on cost‑effective solutions
- Ensuring all maintenance activities comply with food safety, H&S, and Saputo regulations, and promoting a culture of safety within the maintenance team
- Maintaining accurate records of maintenance activities, including preventative and predictive maintenance tasks, generating reports on maintenance performance, equipment reliability, and improvement initiatives
Ideal Qualifications
- Educated in a relevant field (apprenticeship to NHD level or equivalent, or a strong graduate) with relevant practical engineering experience within a production / manufacturing environment
- An experienced manager, leading, mentoring, and developing high‑performing engineering teams
- Able to demonstrate expertise with proactive and preventative practices
- A strong communicator with experience effectively influencing senior members to deliver change
- Experienced leading and delivering CI projects and delivering a culture change
- A strong analytical thinker, driven by data, with strong planning and decision‑making skills
- Able to demonstrate a detailed understanding of the site safety, technical and (ideally) food manufacturing standards to ensure your team is always compliant
Benefits
- Claim money back towards essential healthcare such as dental, eye care, etc.
- Access to Thrive 24‑hours a day – a leading and NHS clinically approved app which focuses on general wellbeing
- Discounted branded products
- Free, on‑site parking
- Subsidised staff restaurant
- My Staff Shop
- Access to exclusive benefits, free advice and savings – providing great discounts from thousands of the UK’s largest retailers & service providers.
For additional information on our benefits please go to uk.saputo.com / en / careers / employee-benefits
We support employment equity.
Saputo strives to embed diversity and inclusion in its operations and invites candidates from all horizons to join our team.
To enable you to bring your best we will ensure you are provided with any physical or non‑physical adjustments to support your participation in the job application and interview process.
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Proactive Maintenance Lead employer: Saputo Dairy UK
Contact Detail:
Saputo Dairy UK Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Proactive Maintenance Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees at SDUK on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral, which can really boost your chances.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by researching SDUK's brands and their values. Show us that you’re not just another candidate; you’re genuinely interested in what we do and how you can contribute to our proactive engineering team.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice common interview questions related to maintenance leadership. We want to see how you handle challenges and lead a team, so be ready to share specific examples from your past experiences.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows us you’re serious about joining the SDUK family.
We think you need these skills to ace Proactive Maintenance Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Proactive Maintenance Lead role. Highlight your relevant experience and skills that match the job description. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of your past achievements in maintenance management that align with what we’re looking for.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: Since this is a management position, don’t forget to showcase your leadership skills in your application. We love to see how you've led teams or projects in the past and the impact you made!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother 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 Saputo Dairy UK
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you’re well-versed in the specifics of proactive maintenance and engineering principles. Brush up on SDUK's brands, especially Cathedral City and their other products, so you can speak confidently about how your skills align with their needs.
✨Show Your Leadership Skills
As a management position, it’s crucial to demonstrate your leadership abilities. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past, focusing on how you’ve driven improvements and fostered collaboration.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions that show your interest in the role and the company. Inquire about the current challenges the proactive engineering team faces or how they measure success in this position. This shows you’re not just interested in the job, but also in contributing to their goals.
✨Be Yourself
While it’s important to be professional, don’t forget to let your personality shine through. Companies like SDUK value authenticity, so be genuine in your responses and let them see the real you. This will help you connect better with the interviewers.
