Mechanical Maintenance Manager in Itasca
Job DescriptionJob Description
Position Summary
The Maintenance Manager is responsible for the overall reliability, safety, and operational readiness of all production equipment and facilities at the Itasca, IL location. This role leads the maintenance department, develops and administers a comprehensive preventive maintenance program, and ensures that all equipment repair and uptime activities are executed with minimal disruption to production. The Maintenance Manager also owns safety compliance and training for the maintenance function, manages vendor and contractor relationships, and drives continuous improvement in maintenance efficiency and cost control.
Core Responsibilities
1. Team Leadership & Development
• Supervise, schedule, and manage the day-to-day activities of the maintenance team, including technicians and any contract labor.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations; set individual goals, provide coaching, and support professional development and skills advancement.
• Build and maintain department staffing plans aligned with production demands and equipment complexity.
• Foster a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement within the maintenance team.
2. Preventive Maintenance Program
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve a comprehensive preventive maintenance (PM) program covering all production machinery, support equipment, and facility systems at the Itasca location.
• Establish PM schedules, task frequencies, and standard procedures for each asset class; ensure completion rates and compliance are tracked and reported.
• Evaluate equipment performance data and maintenance history to optimize PM intervals and reduce unplanned downtime.
• Lead the transition toward predictive maintenance practices where applicable, leveraging condition monitoring, vibration analysis, or other diagnostic tools.
3. Equipment Repair & Uptime
• Oversee all corrective maintenance and breakdown repair activities; prioritize and coordinate response to minimize production impact.
• Ensure repairs are completed correctly, safely, and in a timely manner — with root cause analysis performed on recurring failures.
• Maintain an accurate equipment register for all machines and systems; track mean time between failures (MTBF) and mean time to repair (MTTR) as key reliability indicators.
• Coordinate planned maintenance windows with Production scheduling to balance uptime requirements with PM completion.
4. Spare Parts & Inventory Management
• Manage the spare parts inventory to ensure critical components are stocked at appropriate levels to support timely repairs without excessive carrying costs.
• Establish reorder points, par levels, and stocking policies for high-criticality parts and consumables.
• Work with Procurement to source, qualify, and manage supplier relationships for parts, materials, and maintenance services.
• Maintain accurate inventory records within the ERP system; conduct periodic physical counts and reconciliations.
5. Safety & Regulatory Compliance
• Ensure all maintenance activities are performed in full compliance with OSHA regulations, company safety policies, and applicable local codes.
• Develop and deliver safety training for maintenance staff and, as applicable, for production personnel on equipment-related hazards and lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures.
• Lead incident investigations for maintenance-related events; document findings, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Maintain all required safety records, inspection logs, and regulatory documentation; ensure timely completion of required certifications and audits.
• Oversee environmental compliance within maintenance operations, including proper handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials and waste in accordance with EPA and local regulations.
6. Maintenance Records & Reporting
• Maintain detailed, accurate records of all maintenance activities including work orders, PM completions, repair history, parts consumption, and labor hours.
• Produce regular reports on key maintenance metrics — equipment uptime, PM completion rate, backlog, cost per repair, and safety incidents — for Operations and leadership review.
• Utilize the ERP or CMMS system as the system of record for all maintenance activity; ensure the team follows consistent work order documentation practices.
7. Budget & Cost Management
• Develop the annual maintenance department budget including labor, parts, contractor services, and capital repair needs; present and defend to Operations leadership.
• Monitor spending against budget throughout the year; identify variances and implement corrective actions to control costs.
• Evaluate repair-vs.-replace decisions on aging equipment, providing cost-benefit analysis to support capital planning recommendations.
• Identify and implement process improvements that reduce maintenance costs, extend equipment life, or improve technician productivity.
8. Vendor & Contractor Management
• Identify, qualify, and manage relationships with external maintenance contractors, specialty service providers, and equipment OEM representatives.
• Coordinate contractor activities on-site, ensuring all third-party personnel comply with company safety and access requirements.
• Review and approve contractor work scopes, quotes, and invoices; hold vendors accountable to quality and timeline commitments.
Key Performance Indicators
Performance in this role will be evaluated against the following metrics:
• Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) / unplanned downtime as a % of available production hours
• Preventive maintenance completion rate vs. scheduled
• Mean time to repair (MTTR) on critical equipment
• Maintenance cost as a % of total production operating cost
• Safety incident rate within the maintenance department
• Spare parts inventory accuracy and stockout frequency
• Work order backlog and closure rate
Qualifications
Education & Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Maintenance Management, Industrial Technology, or a related field ; equivalent combination of education and hands-on experience will be considered.
• 5+ years of experience in maintenance management within a manufacturing environment, with progressive responsibility.
• Demonstrated experience developing and managing a preventive maintenance program for production equipment.
• Previous experience directly supervising and developing a maintenance technician team.
• Familiarity with OSHA regulations, LOTO procedures, and environmental compliance requirements (EPA, local ordinances).
• Experience with ERP systems and/or CMMS platforms for work order management, parts inventory, and maintenance reporting.
Technical Skills
• Strong working knowledge of industrial machinery, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, electrical systems (low and medium voltage), and PLC-based controls.
• Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings, electrical schematics, and equipment manuals.
• Proficiency with standard maintenance tools, diagnostic equipment, and measurement instruments.
• Familiarity with predictive maintenance technologies (vibration analysis, thermography, oil analysis) a plus.
Leadership & Interpersonal Skills
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to motivate, develop, and hold accountable a team of maintenance technicians.
• Strong communication skills — able to convey technical information clearly to both maintenance staff and non-technical operations leadership.
• Effective problem-solving and diagnostic mindset; able to triage competing priorities under pressure.
• Project management capability to run multiple concurrent maintenance initiatives without losing execution discipline.
Physical Requirements
This role regularly requires the following physical capabilities in a manufacturing environment:
• Ability to lift and carry up to 60 pounds unassisted.
• Prolonged periods of standing, walking, and moving throughout the production floor and facility.
• Manual dexterity sufficient to operate tools, test equipment, and perform hands-on maintenance tasks.
• Ability to work in varying environmental conditions including noise, heat, and exposure to lubricants and cleaning agents typical of a manufacturing facility.
• Occasional bending, kneeling, climbing ladders, and working in confined spaces as required.
Company DescriptionArchitectural Builders Hardware Manufacturing, Inc. (ABH Manufacturing Inc.) is a family-owned manufacturer of high-quality construction products, including door hardware, exterior aluminum entrance solutions, and interior aluminum solutions. Established in 1990 and based in Itasca, IL, the company has grown to become a reputable provider of engineered door hardware solutions within the construction industry. ABH Manufacturing's products are used worldwide. We are committed to manufacturing our products to the highest quality standards while building strong relationships with our customers.
Fostering an entrepreneurial environment and finding individuals that are in alignment with our core values: passionate, dedicated, and open to change. Looking for team members that want to thrive for personal development and continue helping the growth of ABH.Company DescriptionArchitectural Builders Hardware Manufacturing, Inc. (ABH Manufacturing Inc.) is a family-owned manufacturer of high-quality construction products, including door hardware, exterior aluminum entrance solutions, and interior aluminum solutions. Established in 1990 and based in Itasca, IL, the company has grown to become a reputable provider of engineered door hardware solutions within the construction industry. ABH Manufacturing's products are used worldwide. We are committed to manufacturing our products to the highest quality standards while building strong relationships with our customers.\r\n\r\nFostering an entrepreneurial environment and finding individuals that are in alignment with our core values: passionate, dedicated, and open to change. Looking for team members that want to thrive for personal development and continue helping the growth of ABH.