Regional Lead Maintenance & Reliability

At Saputo, we bring good to the table by making high-quality products, investing in our people, and supporting communities around the world. As a top 10 global dairy processor, we value contributions that matter and foster an inclusive, growth‑driven work environment. Ready to bring your best?

Overview of the role

Saputo is seeking a Regional Lead – Reliability & Maintenance for an existing opportunity within our organization. The Regional Lead – Reliability & Maintenance is responsible for driving asset performance, equipment reliability, and maintenance excellence across a defined region in Canada. This role acts as the primary reliability leader within the region and ensures that all sites align with corporate standards, maintenance best practices, and continuous improvement principles.

The incumbent will partner closely with Site Maintenance Managers, Operations, Engineering, and Corporate Reliability to reduce unplanned downtime, optimize maintenance strategies, and improve lifecycle management of critical assets.

How you will make contributions that matter

• Reliability Engineering Leadership
  • Lead the deployment of reliability methodologies including RCM, RCA, FMEA, PM Optimization, and Criticality Analysis.
  • Ensure the application of standardized reliability tools across all sites.
  • Build and maintain regional asset health dashboards, KPIs, and performance metrics.
  • Drive defect elimination initiatives and chronic issue resolution.
• Maintenance Strategy & Program Development
  • Support sites in developing and optimizing preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
  • Champion the use of condition‑based monitoring technologies (vibration, thermal imaging, ultrasound, oil analysis, etc.).
  • Standardize maintenance workflows (planning, scheduling, work execution, backlog management).
  • Improve CMMS data integrity, hierarchy, and use of analytics.
• Regional Performance Management
  • Conduct regular performance reviews with each site, including reliability KPIs, downtime analysis, and PM compliance.
  • Benchmark sites and facilitate the sharing of best practices.
  • Develop long‑term capital replacement plans in collaboration with Engineering.
• Technical Support & Problem‑Solving
  • Provide expertise during major equipment failures, investigations, and root cause analyses.
  • Support commissioning, startup reliability, and new equipment acceptance.
  • Act as escalation support during critical downtime situations.
• Leadership, Coaching & Change Management
  • Mentor site maintenance teams, planners, and reliability specialists in modern reliability practices.
  • Lead cross‑functional teams on improvement projects.
  • Foster a proactive maintenance culture based on data, discipline, and continuous improvement.
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
  • Reduction in unplanned downtime
  • PM/PdM program maturity and compliance
  • Increase in asset availability and OEE
  • Reduction of repeat failures
  • Improved MRO inventory accuracy and critical spares readiness
  • Backlog management (age, prioritization, schedule adherence)

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field
• 10+ years of work experience in maintenance, Reliability Engineering, or asset management, preferably in the food industry
• CMRP, CRE certification or equivalent (strong asset)
• Lean Six Sigma training considered an asset
• Experience in multi‑site leadership preferred
• Strong background in CMMS systems (SAP PM)
• Advanced knowledge of maintenance best practices (RCM, RCA, PdM, TPM)
• Strong analytical abilities and data‑driven decision‑making
• Excellent communication and influencing skills across all organizational levels
• Ability to manage multiple priorities across a wide geographic region
• Bilingual (EN/FR); required to communicate and collaborate in both languages with colleagues or stakeholders located in Québec, elsewhere in Canada, or across North America

Benefits

• Generous and complete benefit coverage with group insurance
• Group retirement plan with employer contribution
• Telemedicine and assistance program for employees and their families
• Employee Share Ownership Plan with an employer match
• Paid Parental Leave program
• Paid time off: Sick days, floater days, and volunteer day off
• Opportunity to contribute to a collective RRSP & TFSA
• Training and development programs
• Saputo Flex Program, flexible work environment (schedule/location/time off) according to department needs
• Organized activities for employees and their families
• Advantageous discounts on Saputo products

Salary

• Salary offers will vary commensurate with experience, education, skills, and training – $106,870 to $140,270

We support employment equity. Saputo strives to embed diversity and inclusion in its operations and invites candidates from all horizons to join its family. Saputo welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations up to the point of undue hardship are available on request for candidates participating in all aspects of the selection process.

Saputo is an equal‑opportunity employer.