Primary Purpose of the Role:
The Senior Maintenance Manager is responsible for ensuring the safe, reliable, and cost-effective operation of the plant’s equipment, facilities, utilities, and technical assets. The role leads the Maintenance organization to minimize planned and unplanned downtime, improve equipment reliability, optimize maintenance costs, and develop sustainable maintenance systems that support business growth and operational excellence.

The position owns the site maintenance strategy, Progressive Maintenance systems, maintenance planning and scheduling processes, spare parts management, asset lifecycle planning, and maintenance-related capital investment initiatives. The role is accountable for building organizational capability, strengthening technical expertise, and delivering continuous improvement through the IWS methodology.

As a member of the Plant Leadership Team (PLT), the Senior Maintenance Manager shares accountability for the overall leadership, strategic direction, culture, organizational capability, and performance of the Tatebayashi Factory. The role is expected to contribute beyond the Maintenance function and actively support the achievement of the plant’s Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, People, and Environmental objectives.

Main Responsibilities:

• Serve as a member of the Plant Leadership Team (PLT), contributing to overall plant performance, strategy, culture, and capability development.
• Lead the Maintenance organization to ensure safe, reliable, and cost-effective operation of plant assets.
• Own equipment reliability, breakdown elimination, maintenance systems, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead the Progressive Maintenance (PM) Pillar and drive IWS implementation in partnership with Autonomous Maintenance (AM).
• Manage maintenance planning, scheduling, budgets, spare parts, and resource utilization to optimize plant performance.
• Develop and execute maintenance strategy, asset lifecycle plans, and maintenance CAPEX investments.
• Ensure compliance with safety, quality, food safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
• Develop people, manage external contractors and suppliers, and collaborate across functions to deliver SQCDME objectives.
  
  

Education background

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Process Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience in maintenance, engineering, or manufacturing operations.

Technical Skills and Experiences required

• Extensive experience in maintenance leadership within a manufacturing environment.
• Proven people management experience, including leading supervisors, engineers, and technicians.
• Strong knowledge of equipment reliability, preventive maintenance, and continuous improvement.
• Experience in maintenance planning, budgeting, spare parts management, and CAPEX projects.
• Experience with TPM/IWS methodologies is preferred.
• Experience in food, beverage, pharmaceutical, or similar industries is preferred.
• Proficiency in SAP PM and Microsoft Office applications.
• Native-level Japanese and business-level English communication skills.

Competencies to be successful on the job

• Strong leadership and coaching capability.
• Strategic thinking with a hands-on approach.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to drive change and continuous improvement.
• Collaboration across functions and organizational levels.

Dedicated to bringing health through food to as many people as possible, Danone is a leading global food & beverage company built on three businesses: Essential Dairy and Plant-Based Products, Waters and Specialized Nutrition.

At Danone, we aim to inspire healthier and more sustainable eating and drinking practices, in line with our vision - Danone, One Planet. One Health - which reflects a strong belief that the health of people and the health of the planet are interconnected. We deliberately concentrate on high-growth and health-focused categories, and commit to operating in an efficient, sustainable and responsible manner.

Check out the link below to find out more about Danone in Japan.

http://www.danone.co.jp/

Danone Japan is a certified B Corporation and is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Female / Minority / Disability / Marital Status / Sexual Orientation / Gender Identity

Danone Japan doesn’t just welcome what makes you unique, we value it. We’re proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All hires to our team are based on qualifications, merit and business needs. We recruit, employ, train and promote regardless of race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic characteristic or any other protected status. Faithful to our values of openness and humanism, all our employees share in the commitment to engage one another with dignity and respect.