Sr. Manager, Engineering

We are currently seeking a Sr. Manager, Engineering to join our Minneapolis Milk Plant in Minneapolis, MN. In this critical role, you will oversee and manage all aspects of the engineering and maintenance functions optimizing productivity and maintaining the facility’s infrastructure and equipment. As a people leader, you will direct a team of maintenance supervisors and technicians and work closely with plant management to accomplish goals while demonstrating Kemps’ Culture of Excellence principles.

Kemps is a farmer-owned brand of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), a dairy marketing cooperative owned by more than 12,500 family farmers. Our mark matters and it represents the wholesomeness of dairy that we share with our communities and loved ones. DFA manufactures a variety of dairy products, including cheese, butter, fluid milk, ice cream, dairy ingredients, and more, under well-known and established regional brands. Our fingerprints touch thousands of brands across the marketplace, and we’re passionate about delivering the simple pleasures of dairy to people everywhere, straight from our family farm owners.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Ensure mechanical and electrical expertise is available to production and other departments to maintain production systems, utilities, buildings, and grounds in a 24-hour 7-day per week operation.

Ensure the site has an effective predictive/preventative maintenance program which has a maintenance strategy for all assets to remove unscheduled down time, increase the lifespan of assets by keeping them in optimal condition, and contain maintenance strategies so assets are timely maintained to minimize costs of asset breakdowns.

Utilize a computerized maintenance management system to optimize asset utilization through scheduled preventative maintenance.

Collaborate with plant management and corporate staff to utilize equipment to improve employee safety, production quality, equipment reliability, and overall equipment effectiveness by utilizing Continuous Improvement techniques and a Management Operating Structure (MOS).

Collaborate with senior management to identify and prioritize capital improvement projects. Recommend expense or capital projects which are necessary or will improve productivity, safety, or operational efficiency.

Remain current with the latest and emerging industry regulations and codes relative to mechanical and electrical systems design and operation.

Prepare and manage the department’s budget, ensuring cost-effective allocation of resources.

Perform replacement analysis of equipment considering space costs, depreciation, service life, and maintenance costs; advise production management of information and recommend appropriate actions.

Source and evaluate vendors, contractors, and suppliers to obtain quality products and services at competitive prices. Negotiate contracts and agreements with external parties as necessary.

Promote a safe and environmentally sound workplace that complies with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations.

Provide management of employees directly or through supervisors to ensure effective selection, retention, development, disciplinary action, and performance management. If a collective bargaining agreement exists, may participate in negotiations, grievances, or other contract-related activities and discussions.

Follow all DFA good manufacturing practices (GMP) and work in a manner consistent with all corporate regulatory, food safety, quality, and sanitation requirements.