Shift Lead Maintenance Technician

About the Company

We are seeking a hands on, proactive and experienced Multiskilled Lead Shift Engineer to oversee and support the engineering team during shift operations at our plant in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire. This role is pivotal in ensuring equipment reliability, safety compliance, and operational efficiency. The Lead Engineer will act as the technical authority on shift, driving continuous improvement, mentoring team members, and coordinating maintenance activities to meet production goals.

About the Role

This role is pivotal in ensuring equipment reliability, safety compliance, and operational efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Champion health and safety across all engineering activities, ensuring full compliance with H&S and food safety standards.
• Lead and coordinate the execution of planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and reactive repairs on a wide range of automated and manual equipment.
• Provide advanced fault diagnosis and resolution across mechanical (e.g. conveyors, pumps) and electrical systems (e.g. PLCs, motor controllers).
• Act as the first point of contact for engineering escalations during the shift, ensuring rapid response and clear communication with stakeholders.
• Monitor equipment performance and downtime trends, initiating corrective actions and improvement plans.
• Maintain and review accurate records of maintenance activities, parts usage, and shift reports.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (production & quality) to support operational goals and drive continuous improvement.
• Lead Root Cause Analysis (RCA), CI projects, and contribute to technical reviews, audits, and CAPA processes.
• Support installations, commissioning, and decommissioning of equipment, ensuring compliance and documentation.
• Mentor and support shift engineers, fostering a culture of learning, accountability, and excellence.
• Ensure comprehensive shift handovers, including engineering issues, outstanding tasks, and performance metrics.
• Provide regular updates to Engineering Management on shift performance, incidents, and improvement opportunities.
• Conduct on-shift coaching and technical guidance for engineers and technicians.
• Ensure engineering activities comply with internal standards, external regulations, and audit requirements.
• Track and report on engineering KPIs such as MTTR, MTBF, downtime, and PPM completion rates.
• Champion the use of CMMS for logging work orders and maintenance history.

Qualifications

• Multi-skilled in both electrical and mechanical disciplines (electrical bias preferred).
• Proven leadership experience in a fast-paced FMCG or food manufacturing environment.
• Strong fault-finding skills across mechanical and electrical systems, including Siemens PLCs and automated material handling systems.
• Experience with PPM systems and engineering documentation.
• Ability to interpret and work from mechanical and electrical drawings.

Required Skills

• Apprentice trained in engineering (mechanical/electrical).
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop engineering teams.

Preferred Skills

• TIG welding experience.
• Siemens PLC fault finding and programming.
• Experience in CI methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma).
• Willingness to pursue further personal and professional education.

Pay range and compensation package

Not specified.

Equal Opportunity Statement

We are committed to diversity and inclusivity.