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- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team in maintaining cutting-edge manufacturing equipment and driving continuous improvement.
- Company: Join Surface Transforms, the UK's only manufacturer of carbon-ceramic brakes for automotive use.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, 25 days annual leave, and extra perks like a birthday day off.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a high-performance environment while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in leading maintenance teams and knowledge of industrial furnaces and CNC machines.
- Other info: Be part of a forward-thinking company focused on innovation and sustainability.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 65000 £ per year.
Overview
Who Are We
Surface Transforms are experts in the development and production of carbon-ceramic materials and the UK’s only manufacturer of carbon-ceramic brakes for automotive use.
Here at Surface Transforms, our mission is to “Innovate and develop a sustainable, world-leading, high-performance braking system to push performance boundaries to new levels. Investing in our people and processes to empower and enable profitable success.”
Our Values:
- Leadership – Decisive, united together, acknowledging our success
- Collaboration – Empowering and challenging our entire team
- Communication – Thorough, inclusive, agile considered decisions
- Ambition – Resilience through brave and bold thinking
- Excellence – Striving to continuously improve our high standards
- Trust – Autonomy to develop and deliver, knowing you are fully supported
We are looking for an experienced Head of Maintenance and Facilities to lead our maintenance function and ensure maximum equipment reliability, plant uptime, and safety standards. You’ll be responsible for driving preventive and autonomous maintenance as part of our Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) strategy, ensuring our production lines run smoothly to support On-Time-In-Full (OTIF) delivery.
This is a hands-on leadership role where you’ll manage a multi-skilled team, implement robust maintenance strategies, and drive continuous improvement across all plant assets — including our advanced thermal-processing equipment.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of multi-skilled Engineers, Technicians, Supervisors, and Contractors.
- Implement and oversee Preventive & Predictive Maintenance (PM) strategies to minimise downtime and improve equipment reliability.
- Deploy Autonomous Maintenance (AM) practices, enabling operators to take ownership of basic care and defect reporting.
- Ensure the availability of critical spares, manage MRO stores, and develop supplier relationships to protect OTIF.
- Monitor, track, and report maintenance KPIs, driving continuous improvement initiatives.
- Oversee maintenance for all production assets, including vacuum furnaces, kilns, ovens, burners, quench systems, gas trains, oxidisers, CNC machines and Assembly equipment.
- Ensure full compliance with safety regulations, statutory inspections, and burner/combustion safety standards.
- Lead planned shutdowns and improvement projects, from scheduling and spares kitting to equipment verification and run-at-rate sign-off.
- Actively participate in daily operational reviews, supporting cross-functional problem-solving and rapid escalation where required.
The Skills, Knowledge, and Experience you will need
Need to have:
- Proven experience leading a multi-skilled maintenance team within a precision, heavy, or high-temperature manufacturing environment.
- Strong knowledge of industrial furnaces and CNC Machines.
- Expertise in Preventive & Predictive Maintenance, TPM, and Autonomous Maintenance deployment.
- Hands-on experience using CMMS systems for planning, scheduling, and tracking performance.
- Good understanding of combustion safety, interlocks, ignition sequencing, and burner management systems.
- Excellent leadership, decision-making, and cross-functional communication skills.
Nice to have:
- Knowledge of reliability-centred maintenance (RCM) and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Familiarity with EN 746-2, DSEAR/ATEX, and other relevant safety compliance frameworks.
- Experience in automotive, aerospace, or advanced materials manufacturing environments.
You’ll have these personal attributes:
- Decisive, structured, and disciplined
- Calm under pressure and solutions-driven
- Strong communicator and effective collaborator
- Able to coach, develop, and engage your team
- Analytical and data-driven in your approach
What we’ll give you in return:
- Attractive salary
- 25 days annual leave + bank holidays
- An extra day off for your birthday
- A confidential employee assistance helpline covering physical and emotional support
- Death-in-service scheme
Salary: £60,000 – £65,000
Hours: Monday – Thursday 8am – 5pm, Friday 8am – 2.30pm
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Head of Maintenance and Facilities employer: Surface Transforms Plc
Contact Detail:
Surface Transforms Plc Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Maintenance and Facilities
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the automotive and manufacturing sectors. Attend industry events or join relevant online forums to meet people who might know about job openings or can refer you directly.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Surface Transforms and their products. Understand their mission and values, and think about how your experience aligns with their goals. This will help you stand out as a candidate who truly gets what they’re about.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills! Be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've led teams and improved maintenance processes in previous roles. Use metrics to back up your achievements – numbers speak volumes!
✨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 you’re genuinely interested in joining the team at Surface Transforms.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Maintenance and Facilities
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Head of Maintenance and Facilities role. Highlight your experience with multi-skilled teams and any specific knowledge of industrial furnaces or CNC machines. We want to see how your background aligns with our mission!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about the role and how your skills can help us innovate in the automotive industry. Keep it concise but impactful, showing us your personality.
Showcase Your Achievements: When detailing your experience, focus on your achievements rather than just responsibilities. Use metrics where possible to demonstrate how you've improved maintenance processes or led successful projects. We love data-driven results!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen to join our team at Surface Transforms!
How to prepare for a job interview at Surface Transforms Plc
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of carbon-ceramic materials and the specific machinery mentioned in the job description. Being able to discuss your hands-on experience with industrial furnaces and CNC machines will show that you're not just a leader, but also technically savvy.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led and developed multi-skilled teams in the past. Think about specific situations where your coaching made a difference, or how you implemented PM strategies that improved equipment reliability. This will demonstrate your ability to lead effectively.
✨Be Data-Driven
Since the role involves monitoring maintenance KPIs, come prepared with examples of how you've used data to drive continuous improvement initiatives. Discuss any CMMS systems you've worked with and how they helped you plan and track performance.
✨Safety First
Familiarise yourself with safety regulations and compliance frameworks relevant to the role, like EN 746-2 and DSEAR/ATEX. Be ready to discuss how you've ensured compliance in previous roles and how you would approach safety in this position.
