Head of Maintenance / Maintenance Planner

Develop a proactive group maintenance program while supporting our sites to maintain safe, reliable and efficient plant and equipment.....

We are seeking an experienced Head of Maintenance / Maintenance Planner to oversee and coordinate maintenance activities across our family-owned group of agribusinesses, operating across multiple sites throughout the Darling Downs, QLD, with our main office based in Toowoomba.

This is a senior, hands-on maintenance role combining maintenance leadership, planning and technical expertise. You will take responsibility for developing a proactive group maintenance program while supporting our sites to maintain safe, reliable and efficient plant and equipment.

About the Role

Working across our operations, you will be responsible for:

• Leading and coordinating maintenance requirements across the group.
• Developing and managing preventative maintenance programs for plant, equipment, vehicles and facilities.
• Planning and prioritising maintenance work to minimise downtime and disruption to production.
• Coordinating breakdown response and ensuring repairs and follow-up work are completed.
• Troubleshooting mechanical faults and assisting with more complex maintenance issues where required.
• Managing MEX Maintenance Software across the group and implementing where there are gaps.
• Maintaining accurate asset registers, work orders, maintenance schedules and maintenance records.
• Monitoring equipment condition and identifying emerging maintenance risks before failures occur.
• Planning and coordinating equipment installations, upgrades and maintenance projects.
• Working closely with production and site managers to schedule maintenance around operational requirements.
• Coordinating maintenance staff, contractors and suppliers.
• Managing critical spare parts and maintenance inventory to ensure appropriate parts are available when required.
• Monitoring maintenance expenditure and working within approved budgets and purchasing processes.
• Developing and improving maintenance procedures, systems and documentation.
• Ensuring maintenance work complies with company safety procedures and relevant site requirements.
• Identifying opportunities to improve equipment reliability, maintenance efficiency and operational performance.
• Providing maintenance reporting and updates to management.

About You

We are looking for someone who has:

• Trade qualifications in fitting, mechanical engineering, fabrication or a related mechanical trade.
• Strong practical experience maintaining industrial, manufacturing or agricultural plant and equipment.
• Experience planning and coordinating preventative and corrective maintenance.
• Previous supervisory or maintenance leadership experience.
• Experience using a CMMS or maintenance management system, with MEX experience highly regarded.
• Strong fault-finding and problem-solving skills.
• The ability to prioritise maintenance across multiple sites and competing operational requirements.
• Good organisational and planning skills.
• A practical, hands-on approach combined with the ability to plan ahead.
• A strong commitment to workplace health and safety.
• Good record-keeping and communication skills.
• The ability to work independently and take ownership of the group's maintenance requirements.

What Success Looks Like

• A structured maintenance plan is in place across the group with clear priorities and responsibilities.
• MEX is effectively implemented and consistently used to schedule, record and track maintenance work.
• Preventative maintenance is completed as scheduled rather than maintenance being predominantly reactive.
• Breakdowns are responded to promptly, with appropriate follow-up to minimise repeat failures.
• Maintenance downtime is planned and coordinated with production wherever possible.
• Critical spare parts are identified and appropriately maintained.
• Maintenance projects are planned and completed safely and effectively.
• Management has clear visibility of maintenance priorities, outstanding work and upcoming requirements.

What We Offer

• A senior maintenance role across a diverse group of Australian agribusinesses.
• A combination of hands-on maintenance, planning and leadership responsibilities.
• Exposure to a broad range of production, feed milling, agricultural and associated equipment.
• The opportunity to develop and improve maintenance systems across the group.
• A supportive, practical working environment with direct access to operational management.
• Competitive remuneration based on skills and experience.