Maintenance Manager in Köln

Job Title: Maintenance Manager Location: North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany About the client and role Our client, a manufacturing company, is in search of a Maintenance Manager to oversee all maintenance activities across the site. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring equipment reliability, minimizing downtime, improving maintenance processes, and supporting safe and efficient plant operations. This role will involve leading maintenance teams, developing preventive and predictive maintenance strategies, coordinating technical support, and working closely with production and engineering functions to ensure equipment and facilities operate to the required standards. Responsibilities Lead and manage all maintenance activities across the manufacturing site, including mechanical, electrical, and facilities maintenance. Develop and implement preventive and predictive maintenance programs to improve equipment reliability and reduce unplanned downtime. Lead, support, and develop maintenance technicians and engineering personnel. Monitor equipment performance and identify opportunities to improve reliability, efficiency, and asset lifecycle. Coordinate maintenance activities with production, engineering, quality, and operations teams to minimize disruption to manufacturing. Ensure maintenance work is completed safely, effectively, and in accordance with company procedures and applicable regulations. Manage breakdown response, root cause analysis, and corrective actions for recurring equipment issues. Support the installation, commissioning, and integration of new machinery, equipment, and manufacturing technologies. Manage maintenance schedules, spare parts, contractors, and external service providers. Establish and monitor key maintenance performance indicators, including downtime, MTBF, MTTR, preventive maintenance completion, and maintenance costs. Support budgeting, cost control, and capital expenditure planning for maintenance-related activities. Drive continuous improvement initiatives across maintenance processes, equipment reliability, and site performance. Maintain accurate maintenance records, technical documentation, and equipment histories. Support health, safety, environmental, and quality objectives across the site. Develop a proactive maintenance culture focused on safety, reliability, accountability, and continuous improvement. Skills and Qualifications Possess a degree or technical qualification in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, mechatronics, maintenance engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience. Have several years of experience in maintenance management within a manufacturing or industrial environment. Demonstrate strong leadership and people-management skills, with experience managing maintenance or technical teams. Have a strong understanding of preventive, predictive, and reactive maintenance strategies. Experience with mechanical, electrical, automation, and manufacturing equipment maintenance. Familiarity with CMMS systems, maintenance planning, spare parts management, and asset management. Experience working with maintenance KPIs, budgets, cost control, and continuous improvement initiatives. Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, TPM, Six Sigma, or similar operational excellence methodologies is advantageous. Demonstrate strong troubleshooting, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills. Demonstrate a hands-on, proactive, and results-oriented approach. Experience within automotive, battery, industrial, or high-volume manufacturing environments would be advantageous. About CLM At CLM, we’re obsessed with creating a better executive search experience for our candidates and clients in the automotive industry. With over 25 years of international experience providing staffing solutions at C-Suite, Leadership and Management level, we go above and beyond to ensure your needs always come first. Unfortunately, due to the high level of applications, we are not physically able to get back to every candidate that applies. Please follow our CLM page at https://www.clmsearch.com/careers/ for regular job updates and we hope to support you with your next venture.