Maintenance Manager - Tobacco

Job Title: Maintenance Manager Department: Operations Reports to: Operations Manager

Job Summary:

The Maintenance Manager is responsible for planning, organizing, and overseeing all maintenance activities within the cigarette manufacturing facility. This includes ensuring that machinery, equipment, and building systems operate efficiently and safely, with minimal downtime. The role demands strong leadership, preventive maintenance planning, and compliance with industry regulations, especially in a high-volume, regulated environment such as tobacco production.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Preventive & Corrective Maintenance

Develop and implement a preventive maintenance program for all cigarette production equipment, utilities, and infrastructure.

Coordinate and supervise repairs and maintenance activities to ensure minimal disruption to production.

Maintain accurate records of maintenance tasks, inspections, and machine histories.

2. Team Management

Lead, train, and supervise a team of technicians, mechanics, and electricians. Schedule maintenance shifts and assign responsibilities according to production needs.

Ensure continuous development and training of the maintenance team in line with technological updates and safety requirements.

3. Equipment and Facility Oversight

Oversee the maintenance of high-speed cigarette-making and packaging machines. Manage building systems such as HVAC, compressed air and electrical supply systems.

Monitor equipment performance and lead initiatives to improve efficiency and reduce downtime.

4. Safety and Compliance

Ensure all maintenance activities comply with health, safety, and environmental (HSE) regulations.

Collaborate with the Quality and Regulatory teams to meet tobacco industry standards. Maintain safety protocols and ensure team adherence to safety practices.

5. Budgeting and Inventory

Prepare and manage the maintenance budget, ensuring cost-effective operations.

Oversee spare parts inventory, liaise with suppliers, and ensure critical components are always in stock.

6. Project Management

Lead maintenance projects such as machinery installation, factory upgrades, and layout modifications.

Support new equipment commissioning.

Qualifications and Experience:

Bachelors Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering or related field. 10+ years of experience in industrial maintenance.

Strong knowledge of tobacco machinery and production lines (GD, Focke, etc.) is highly desirable.

Proven leadership skills with experience managing technical teams.

Solid understanding of preventive maintenance systems.

Familiarity with relevant local and international safety and environmental regulations.

Key Competencies:

Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills. Excellent communication and team leadership. Time management and organizational ability.

Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities.