What are the responsibilities and job description for the Maintenance Manager - Berkeley position at Whitsons Culinary Group?
SUMMARY
The Maintenance Manager oversees all maintenance, repair, and facility operations for Whitsons’ Berkeley Distribution Center. This role ensures the reliability, safety, and operational efficiency of all building systems, equipment, and machinery that support food storage, packaging, and logistics operations.
The Maintenance Manager leads a team of technicians and contractors to ensure preventative and corrective maintenance schedules are executed efficiently. This position also partners closely with Operations, Safety, Sanitation, and Quality Assurance to maintain regulatory compliance, minimize downtime, and support continuous improvement in facility performance.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who combines technical expertise with strong organizational and problem-solving skills, ensuring the facility operates safely and efficiently every day.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND DUTIES
Maintenance & Equipment Operations
- Oversee the maintenance and repair of all building systems, including refrigeration, HVAC, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and material-handling equipment (e.g., forklifts, pallet jacks, conveyors).
- Manage preventive maintenance programs to minimize unplanned downtime and extend equipment life cycles.
- Troubleshoot, diagnose, and resolve mechanical and electrical issues quickly and safely.
- Maintain accurate logs of all maintenance activities, work orders, and repairs using a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
- Ensure all repairs and installations comply with company, local, and state codes and safety standards.
Team Leadership & Vendor Management
- Supervise and schedule maintenance staff and external vendors.
- Oversee contractor performance, ensuring quality work, safety compliance, and adherence to budget.
- Provide training, coaching, and performance feedback to team members to promote technical skill development and accountability.
- Coordinate with Operations leadership to schedule repairs and minimize production disruptions.
Safety, Compliance & Facility Standards
- Ensure compliance with OSHA, FDA, and local safety regulations.
- Maintain documentation and records for inspections, audits, and compliance reporting.
- Partner with the Safety team on regular facility audits, hazard assessments, and root cause analyses.
- Support and enforce lockout/tagout, confined space entry, and other critical safety procedures.
Budget & Continuous Improvement
- Develop and manage the annual maintenance budget, including labor, parts, and capital projects.
- Track expenses, analyze cost trends, and recommend cost-saving initiatives without compromising quality or safety.
- Identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency, equipment reliability, and workflow optimization.
- Support capital project planning, equipment upgrades, and facility expansion projects as assigned.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the team member is frequently required to sit, walk, talk and hear; use hands and fingers to feel, handle, or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. The employee must be able to multi-task.
Position may require extended hours including evenings and/or weekends, travel to multiple work sites and occasional out-of-town travel. Must be able to drive his/her own vehicle to other work sites.
TRAVEL REQUREMENTS
Some travel is required. Most traveling will be confined to day trips in the region but from time to time, may also include travel to client locations outside New York (reliable transportation required).
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
The work is performed primarily in an office setting. The noise level in the work environment is moderate.
The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.
The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the Company and employee and is subject to change by the Company as the needs of the Company and requirements of the job change.
Employee’s signature below constitutes employee's understanding of the requirements, essential functions, and duties of the position.
This role offers a salary range of $85,000 – $95,000 annually, based on skills, experience, and location. Employees also receive a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, 401(k) with company match, generous PTO, and paid holidays.
Qualifications:
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPETENCIES
Education
- High school diploma or GED required, technical certification or associate degree in facilities maintenance, mechanical engineering, or related field preferred.
- Trade licenses (HVAC, electrical, or plumbing) highly desirable.
Skills & Experience
- Minimum 5–7 years of maintenance experience in a food distribution, cold storage, or manufacturing facility; at least 2 years in a supervisory or management capacity.
- Strong technical knowledge of mechanical, electrical, and refrigeration systems.
- Proven experience with preventative maintenance scheduling, vendor management, and capital project execution.
- Familiarity with CMMS systems and Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook).
- Ability to interpret technical manuals, blueprints, and schematics.
- Demonstrated leadership, communication, and organizational skills with the ability to prioritize in a fast-paced environment.
Other Requirements
- Must complete all Whitsons and other mandated training as required.
- Must be able to work flexible hours, including weekends or evenings as needed for emergency maintenance.
WORK ENVIRONMENT AND OTHER DETAILS
EXPECTED HOURS OF WORK:
This is a full-time exempt position. Days and hours of work are generally Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. As an exempt position, it is expected that Team Member will devote whatever time necessary to accomplish the goals and responsibilities. This may require extended work hours, evening, and/or weekend work.
Salary : $85,000 - $95,000