Industrial Maintenance Operations Lead

Job Description

Job DescriptionIndustrial Maintenance Operations Lead

Location: Rushville, Indiana

Compensation: Up to $75,000 + Overtime

Employment Type: Full-Time

A day in the life

You arrive about 30 minutes before the maintenance crew. A quick handoff with the outgoing supervisor sets the tone for the shift: open work orders, priorities from production, parts on hand, and any active Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigations. You finalize assignments, confirm who is working where, and take a brief walk through the storeroom to verify critical spares. Within minutes of shift start, your team is deployed—some on preventive maintenance, others troubleshooting equipment, and one tech staged for a planned repair.

As production ramps, you coordinate closely with operations to minimize downtime, step in on major breakdowns, and keep documentation current. You review completed work for quality and safety, make sure the shop stays clean and organized, and keep communication flowing between shifts with a concise end-of-shift report. You update weekend work lists, track overtime needs, and coach team members on safe, efficient methods. Throughout, you maintain a professional relationship with union representatives and uphold the collective bargaining agreement.

Impact you'll drive

• Direct day-to-day maintenance activities across your assigned shift to support safe, reliable production.
• Plan daily/weekly tasks, assign work, and track locations/status of team members throughout the shift.
• Coordinate staffing and overtime to ensure adequate coverage for preventive work and unplanned repairs.
• Communicate equipment status across operations, management, and other maintenance shifts.
• Complete daily reports and end-of-shift updates; ensure work orders and PMs are accurately closed.
• Monitor downtime; lead and document RCA for significant events, and transition active RCAs between shifts.
• Verify quality of completed work and cleanliness of job sites before sign-off.
• Oversee weekend maintenance progress; update work lists and visual boards as needed.
• Identify improvements to reliability, safety, processes, and overall plant performance.
• Respond decisively to major equipment breakdowns, directing critical repair efforts.
• Document safety, environmental, quality, attendance, and performance matters and elevate appropriately.
• Maintain a safe, orderly maintenance shop and strong familiarity with storeroom parts, locations, and inventory.
• Collaborate with production and operations to reduce downtime and meet targets.
• Uphold company policies, procedures, safety requirements, and environmental standards.

Leadership & shift rhythm

• Arrive ~30 minutes before the team to review assignments and connect with the outgoing supervisor.
• Ensure technicians are assigned and actively engaged shortly after the shift begins.
• Manage overtime and coverage; supervisor OT is generally pre-approved except for start/end-of-shift duties and major breakdowns.
• Facilitate smooth shift transitions with clear, consistent communication.

What you bring

• Associate degree in a related technical field preferred; equivalent education/experience considered.
• 5+ years in a maintenance supervisory or leadership capacity.
• Deep industrial maintenance background in manufacturing environments.
• Hands-on expertise with preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, and breakdown repairs.
• Demonstrated ability to direct, coordinate, and develop maintenance teams.
• Strong command of safety practices relevant to maintenance and heavy industry.
• Foundry or heavy industrial experience preferred.
• Excellent organization, prioritization, and communication skills.
• Proficiency in problem analysis, corrective action selection, and documentation of work and downtime.
• Thrives in a fast-paced plant setting; willing to work overtime during major breakdowns and planned shutdowns.

Safety & quality first

• Champion a safe, healthy workplace and ensure adherence to safety policies.
• Keep maintenance areas clean and organized.
• Address and report safety, environmental, quality, and employee matters promptly.
• Verify work is complete, accurate, and safe before sign-off.
• Promote continuous improvement in maintenance, safety, reliability, and operations.

Why this role

• Up to $75,000 + Overtime
• Full-time leadership opportunity
• Lead a skilled industrial maintenance team in an established manufacturing setting
• Drive equipment reliability and continuous improvement

About the company

Our client is a well-established manufacturing organization operating in a demanding industrial environment. Safety, quality, equipment reliability, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement are core priorities—and you'll be central to advancing them.

About Morales Professional

At Morales Professional, part of the award-winning Morales Group, we connect exceptional people with workplaces where they can grow, contribute, and thrive. We value integrity, collaboration, continuous improvement, and people-first leadership.

Morales Professional is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes candidates from all backgrounds and experiences to apply.