Maintenance & Engineering Team Leader. Arla - Leeds, Stourton dairy

Are you an ambitious, proven Maintenance Leader, passionate about safety, serving people, who isn’t afraid of challenging the status quo and striving for excellence? This brand new role brings a fantastic opportunity for the right candidate to shape and lead the vision of the team's transformational journey. You will be accountable to grow and deliver results through your team, working with operations to ensure safe, reliable operations in the heart of our dairy, the filling hall. This role will deputise for the Dairy Maintenance Manager. This is a Monday-Friday days based role that sits within the Maintenance & Engineering function and supports the site’s operational strategy.

About Stourton Dairy: Stourton Dairy is one of Arla’s largest strategic sites, globally and in the UK, with significant investment planned to support sustainability and future growth. For the right individual, this role offers clear development and progression opportunities into an Associate Manager position.

How you will make an impact:

• Lead a team of front line engineering technicians, responsible for safe operations and equipment availability.
• Accountable for the team and contractor for the right level of response, identifying root cause, right first time corrective action, continuous improvement and preventive action.
• Grow a culture founded on integrity, continual improvement mindset and technical excellence.
• Play a key part in shaping the department's digital and LEAN transformation, and fostering a culture where people thrive.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Create a shared vision, priorities and roadmap for the team.
• Implement measures that drive daily and long term improvement for individuals and teams.
• Bring, identify, build, implement new capabilities, processes and ways of working that create a competitive advantage for Stourton and Arla.
• Hire, develop, retain the right talent.
• Bring to life performance and development discussions and plans.
• Own the training matrix and standards, maintain and improve to grow talent.
• Own and ensure daily safety, quality and equipment availability.
• Cross functional prioritisation and assignment of resources to maximise uptime and equipment readiness.
• Own the backlog of remedial work, plan, schedule and execute remedial and follow up work through shift technicians.
• Ensure governance is followed by the team, work close out and quality workmanship by the team.
• Work cross functionally across other departments and lead through change.
• Zonal ownership of maintenance workshop, shared areas, tools and equipment.
• Ensure GMP standards are excellent at all times, 5S and audited.
• Work cross functionally with other department leaders to improve our service and effectiveness.

What will make you successful?

• Strong technical foundation – apprentice trained, problem solving experience within maintenance or engineering, apprentice background within a continuous, complex, fast paced manufacturing environment.
• Proven people and leadership capability, +5 direct reports (technician level FMCG).
• Experience leading through and initiating change and improvement.
• Qualified to HND or foundation degree alongside an engineering apprenticeship.
• Proficient in handling data, Microsoft office applications.
• IOSH Managing Safely, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt are desirable.

In terms of personal qualities, you bring a safety-first, inclusive and people-focused mindset. You will be an effective and confident communicator at all levels, able to influence decisions and present your case.

What do we offer?

We’re committed to your growth and development, offering internal and external training opportunities. You’ll enjoy a competitive salary, 26 days holiday, matched pension contributions up to 6%, life assurance, and flexible benefits. At Stourton, you’ll join a team proud of its high job satisfaction and steep learning curve, with plenty of challenges and support to help you succeed.

Would you like to join us? If you want to make an impact and help shape the future of dairy, apply as soon as possible. We process applications on a continuous basis and will close recruitment once the right candidate is found.

Shape the Future of Dairy: Arla is a global leader in the dairy industry, committed to enabling good food choices that make life better, providing people with natural, sustainable nourishment, while taking care at every step to ensure Arla is a choice they can feel good about. If you are looking to shape the future with an ambitious global cooperative that truly cares about your growth, where everyone feels valued and empowered, and collaboration is the core of culture, Arla is a choice you can feel good about.