Overview

Purpose:

Dole Packaged Foods is a purpose led organization that is a champion of accessible fruit nutrition and builds a brighter future for people through the goodness of fruit.

At Dole, our culture is uniquely driven by core Values. Our commitment to these Values transforms our work into a meaningful journey toward a brighter future together. Here, you'll be part of a respectful, inclusive culture that deeply values our colleagues, customers, and global communities. We strive for excellence, empowering each other to confidently overcome challenges, continuously learn, and achieve world-class results. Guided by unwavering integrity, our actions consistently reflect our commitment to always doing what's right, fostering lasting trust and strong relationships. Through a spirit of collaboration, we cultivate positivity, generosity, and genuine teamwork, enabling collective success toward our One Dole Purpose. Our innovative spirit leads directly to meaningful outcomes and business success.

The Plant Maintenance Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, strategy, and performance of the Maintenance Department. This role ensures the reliability, safety, and efficiency of all manufacturing, packaging, utility, and facility systems through effective maintenance programs, employee development, capital project execution, and continuous improvement initiatives. The Plant Maintenance Manager partners closely with Production, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Plant Leadership to maximize equipment uptime, optimize maintenance costs, and support operational excellence.

Responsibilities

Primary Accountabilities:

• Lead and manage all maintenance operations to achieve established goals for safety, reliability, equipment uptime, cost control, and operational efficiency.
• Develop and execute preventive, predictive, and reliability-centered maintenance strategies to improve equipment performance and reduce unplanned downtime.
• Direct Maintenance Supervisors, maintenance technicians, contractors, and support personnel while fostering a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Establish departmental priorities, performance expectations, and development plans for maintenance personnel.
• Lead, coach, and develop maintenance supervisors, planners, and technicians.
• Build technical capabilities through training, succession planning, and skills development programs.
• Develop and manage the maintenance department budget, including labor, parts inventory, outside services, and capital expenditures.
• Monitor maintenance KPIs including preventative maintenance compliance, equipment downtime, work order completion, asset utilization, maintenance costs, and schedule compliance.
• Ensure effective administration and utilization of computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) for work order control, asset history, maintenance planning, and inventory management.
• Partner with Production and Operations leaders to coordinate maintenance activities and improve equipment reliability and manufacturing performance.
• Lead root cause investigations and implement corrective and preventive actions for equipment failures and operational issues.
• Provide overall leadership for automation, controls, PLC systems, utilities, facilities, and manufacturing equipment reliability programs.
• Oversee maintenance support for packaging, processing, refrigeration, utilities, warehouse, and facility operations.
• Lead capital improvement projects, equipment installations, facility upgrades, and operational expansion initiatives.
• Evaluate capital investment opportunities and develop recommendations to improve efficiency, reliability, safety, and operational capacity.
• Ensure compliance with all environmental, health, safety, food safety, GMP, regulatory, and company requirements.
• Promote a safety-first culture and ensure effective execution of training, safe work practices, contractor safety programs, and regulatory compliance.
• Develop talent pipelines through effective hiring, onboarding, succession planning, performance management, and employee development activities.
• Support plant startup activities, process improvements, automation initiatives, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Quality, Procurement, Human Resources, and Plant Leadership on strategic initiatives and business objectives.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Experience, Knowledge, & Skills You Bring:                 

• Minimum 7 years of maintenance experience within food manufacturing, consumer packaged goods, beverage, pharmaceutical, cold storage, or other complex manufacturing environments.
• Minimum 3 years of progressive maintenance leadership experience, including leadership of supervisors, technicians, and contractors.
• Strong experience managing preventive, predictive, and reliability-centered maintenance programs.
• Experience supporting automated manufacturing and packaging systems, controls, PLCs, motors, drives, utilities, refrigeration, and facility systems.
• Experience managing maintenance budgets, capital projects, and maintenance planning processes.
• Strong knowledge of CMMS systems, work order management, spare parts control, and equipment reliability metrics.
• Demonstrated success improving equipment uptime, asset utilization, maintenance costs, and operational performance.
• Strong understanding of food manufacturing GMP requirements, food safety programs, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, root cause analysis, continuous improvement, and operational excellence methodologies.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and retain high-performing maintenance teams.
• Strong project management, organizational, and planning skills.
• Excellent analytical, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
• SAP experience preferred.
• Fluent English required; Bilingual Spanish preferred.

What You’ll Need to Succeed:

• Passionate about a purpose driven career
• Committed to fostering inclusive environments that support employee development and well-being
• Sets clear expectations, encourages innovation, and drives continuous improvement
• Models and coaches towards transparency and integrity in decision-making

• Effectively facilitates cross-team communication and teamwork

Education & Certification:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or related field preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and relevant manufacturing leadership experience may be considered.
• Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP), Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or other related certifications are a plus.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to climb stairs and access production areas.
• Requires standing, walking, stooping, bending, reaching, twisting, and other physical movements throughout the workday.
• Ability to work safely in a manufacturing environment with exposure to production equipment, noise, varying temperatures, and moving machinery.

Work Environment:

• Cold, refrigerated, and freezer environments.
• Fast-paced, high-volume food manufacturing setting.
• Industrial production environment with associated noise levels.
• Availability to support off-shift operations, weekends, and emergency maintenance situations when required.

Travel Requirements:

• Limited travel is expected (less than 10%)