Reliability Manager

Overview

The Reliability Manager is responsible for providing strategic and technical leadership for the site's Reliability, Asset Care, Controls Systems and Condition-Based Maintenance functions. The role is accountable for developing, deploying and governing a world-class reliability framework that delivers sustainable improvements in equipment reliability, asset performance, planned maintenance effectiveness, technical availability and operational efficiency.

The role leads the site reliability agenda through a team comprising Reliability Leads, Control Systems Specialists, the Condition-Based Maintenance Specialist and Asset Care Lead, ensuring engineering standards, compliance requirements and continuous improvement principles are effectively embedded across the site.

In addition, the Reliability Manager leads the Engineering compliance programme, ensuring adherence to PepsiCo engineering policies, legal obligations, GEHSMS requirements, Change Control processes, Food Safety standards and applicable governance systems. The role owns the reliability improvement roadmap, reliability budgets, engineering development programmes and reliability capability across the engineering function whilst supporting strategic business objectives and operational performance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deploy the site Reliability Strategy aligned to business objectives, engineering functional priorities and PepsiCo standards, delivering sustainable improvements in asset reliability, maintenance effectiveness and technical availability.
• Own site reliability performance through delivery of key KPIs including TE improvement, MTBF, MTTR, Technical Availability, PM Compliance and Equipment Reliability. Eliminate chronic equipment losses through Root Cause Analysis, IDA, FMEA, Reliability Centred Maintenance methodologies and structured problem-solving techniques.
• Lead the Asset Care function through the Asset Care Lead, ensuring preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance programmes are executed safely, effectively and to the required quality standards. Develop long-term asset care and lifecycle management plans for critical production and utility assets.
• Provide leadership and governance for all site control systems, ensuring robust standards exist for PLCs, SCADA, HMIs, industrial networks, backups, cybersecurity, change control and obsolescence management programmes.
• Own and continuously improve the site's Condition-Based Maintenance programme, ensuring predictive technologies such as vibration monitoring, thermography and oil analysis are effectively utilised and translated into actionable maintenance interventions.
• Lead Engineering compliance programmes to ensure adherence with legal requirements, PepsiCo engineering standards, permit-to-work systems, GEHSMS, Change Control, Food Safety, BRC, AIB and all associated governance processes. Act as a visible role model for engineering safety and operational excellence.
• Develop and maintain a robust Engineering Continuous Improvement and Lean Six Sigma pipeline, delivering performance improvements through reliability initiatives, structured improvement projects and strategic functional objectives.
• Provide leadership, coaching and development for Reliability Leads, Asset Care Lead, Control Systems Specialists and CBM Specialist. Develop succession plans, technical capability and future engineering talent pipelines to support current and future business requirements.
• Own reliability and asset care budgets, support development of Annual Operating Plans (AOP) and capital investment proposals, and ensure effective prioritisation of engineering expenditure to maximise business value and return on investment.
• Lead implementation of Engineering Excellence initiatives, PeMM deployment, reliability visual management systems and strategic departmental KPIs. Collaborate with Maintenance Managers, Stores Manager, Process Specialists and Operations Teams to execute the overall Engineering strategy.

Qualifications

 

Essential

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Mechanical, Electrical, Automation or Manufacturing Engineering.
• Proven leadership experience managing multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong maintenance and reliability experience within FMCG or manufacturing environments.
• Advanced knowledge of preventive, predictive and Reliability Centred Maintenance methodologies.
• Experience leading Root Cause Analysis, FMEA and equipment loss elimination programmes.
• Strong understanding of asset care systems, lifecycle management and maintenance best practices.
• Working knowledge of SAP PM or equivalent CMMS/EAM systems.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Demonstrated capability leading engineering strategy deployment and organisational change.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and convert findings into practical business actions.

Desirable

• Reliability Engineering certification.
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or above.
• Experience managing automation, controls and industrial network systems.
• Knowledge of TPM, PeMM or World Class Manufacturing methodologies.
• Experience leading site-wide maintenance and reliability transformation programmes.