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Senior Manager, Maintenance

Company Overview

Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM), headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, and Bridgestone Europe, Middle East and Africa (BSEMEA), headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, operate collectively as a “Bridgestone West” strategic region. This region services the strategic business needs of teams across the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa. BSAM and BSEMEA are subsidiaries of Bridgestone Corporation, globally headquartered in Japan. Bridgestone and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand products and solutions to address the needs of a broad range of customers and industries.

Business Unit

BAMG - Des Moines

Management Level

Management

Job Category

Engineering & Science

Position Summary

The Des Moines, IA facility is an automated tire manufacturing plant that produces both radial and bias agricultural tires on a 24/7 basis. This is an onsite, full-time role that will require absolute commitment from the Senior Maintenance Manager to be onsite as the needs arise. Full relocation assistance is being offered for the right candidate.

The Senior Maintenance Manager position is a key plant leadership role focusing on designing, planning and implementing maintenance programs to optimize the availability and productivity of manufacturing facilities and equipment. Problems faced are often complex and require extensive investigation and analysis. This position requires the ability to influence others to accept practices and approaches, and the ability to communicate and influence executive leadership on a regular basis. This position directs, plans, controls, staffs and organizes the activities and development of subordinates to achieve the overall safety, cost, production, and quality objectives of the maintenance, powerhouse and factory storeroom areas. Incumbent also coordinates the activities of other production and staff departments to assure continuity with plant objectives. Additionally, is responsible for all equipment, building, support staff, communication internally and externally, motivation of staff and maintenance personnel, as well as long range strategic planning activities for the maintenance area(s). Continuous success is only achieved through proper strategic planning.

Responsibilities

•Provide a Safe and Environmentally Sound Work Environment – Promote safety awareness. Initiate and monitor safety programs. Ensure safety meetings are conducted. Investigate and countermeasure all accidents and safety violations for both maintenance and powerhouse, outside contractors and assist with the production departments. Report results. Develop plan for improvements. Meet and exceed plant and corporate goals. Assure environmental compliance with all maintenance tasks. Supports the mission of the environmental engineer as needed.

•Maintain Quality Standards – Educate and Develop all personnel in local standard practices and the BSJ Maintenance Standard QA sensor and Accuracy Control modules. Work with all production areas to reduce waste, promote good housekeeping, and secure necessary assistance in developing and implementing plans for continuous improvement.

•Ensure Cost Effectiveness – Develop the maintenance and powerhouse budgets. Direct and control all activities consistent with the plant manager's policy, budget, waste, scrap, downtime, frequency objectives. Monitor and analyze responsible department and plant performance, countermeasures adverse trend or problems areas for expected results. Obtain and develop resources as necessary to meet department and plant objectives. Establish effective cost reductions program. Manages expense budgets >$30M annually.

•Maintain Maintenance Objectives – Establish plan and implement control points for meeting the BSJ Maintenance Standard requirements. Communicate objectives to all personnel, interact and coordinate activities with the production departments, engineering/maintenance and other service departments. Direct resources from within and outside of the departments to improve and correct any deficiencies. Initiate root cause countermeasures to reduce N.O.T. Report and monitor results. Assure Continuity of Operation – Refine and optimize existing operations. Plan for growth, manpower and equipment requirements.

•Direct Administration of Company and Contractor Teammates – Manage craftsmen and contractors. Select and develop teammates. Identify developmental needs for the organizations. Counsel, Teach, Coach, & Motivate all personnel. Insure fair and equitable practices. Conduct mid-term and annual performance evaluations. Recommend promotions, increases, etc. Responsible for ensuring that all direct reports work in a discriminatory-free environment and for reporting/addressing any potentially discriminatory situations. Responsible for adhering to the Company's Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity policies. Assume duties of the plant engineer in his/her absence. Manages a team of 10 staff and 106 hourly teammates.

• Other duties as assigned

Working Conditions:

•Physical Activity: Requires the incumbent to be on call 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week and have the ability to handle stressful situations.

•Proper planning and execution are vital - Incumbent must be able to react with decisions that have long range and short-range implications.


Preferred Qualifications:

•14 + years’ experience in Maintenance or Engineering to include 5+ years’ experience as Manager/Supervisor in Maintenance or Engineering departments. Management experience in a union environment is a plus.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in an Engineering or technically related field; 8+ years of experience in Engineering or Maintenance to include 5+ years management or leadership experience in an Engineering or Maintenance department.
Or Master’s degree; 6+ years of experience in Engineering or Maintenance to include 5+ years management or leadership experience in an Engineering or Maintenance department.

At Bridgestone, you are Free to Be


We believe people can only provide superior service and quality to others when they feel safe bringing their chosen version of themselves to work. We believe in championing all perspectives, individuals and teams because we understand the importance of seeing the world and our business through many different lenses. So, show us what you are made of, because who you are is what we need.


What we offer

At Bridgestone, what really matters is to foster co-creation opportunities and empowering you to be creative and curious to make mobility safer, more efficient, and more sustainable for future generations. Whatever role you fill, when you represent Bridgestone, you are a valued teammate, and part of our larger mission to “Serve Society with Superior Quality”, for that, we offer you more than just a competitive compensation; we will provide you:

  • A supportive and engaging onboarding experience to ensure a smooth transition into our team.
  • The opportunity to develop and grow, through training and regular mentorship.
  • Corporate Social Responsibility activities.
  • A truly global, dynamic and challenging work environment.
  • Agility and work/life effectiveness and your long-term well-being.
  • An effective and inclusive team.

Bridgestone is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. It is our policy to consider all individuals for employment based on their unique merit and without regard to age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.


Employment Eligibility

If hired, a Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification must be completed at the start of employment. Temporary work authorization or the need for sponsorship may disqualify you from employment.

Our Benefits

Bridgestone Americas believes that taking care of you means more than just a prescription or dental plan. Our benefit plans are designed to meet our teammates' emotional, financial and physical needs, helping them thrive at work.

Bridgestone Application & Interview FAQs

Answers to frequently asked questions about our application and interview process to help you prepare.

Before you apply for one of the available opportunities at Bridgestone, review each of the skills needed for the role that interests you and be prepared to show how you meet the qualifications.

Whether on a job application or your resume, it is essential to customize your information to highlight the most relevant connections to the job you want.

Once you have provided your information to Bridgestone, you will receive a request for an interview if you are being considered.

In the Bridgestone hiring process, depending on the role you are being considered for, you may have a one-on-one interview or a panel interview, and both can happen in person or via video call. If you are applying for a manufacturing or retail role, you will probably interview in person or at the location where you plan to work. All these factors can change how you might prepare for and conduct an interview, so we have created a guide that covers virtual or video interview tips and in-person interview tips. We have also included other common information you should consider.

Prepare Your “Elevator Speech”
In most interviews, you will get the prompt to “tell us about yourself” or something of that nature. It’s best to prepare a short but compelling description of yourself. Consider including:
Brief summary of your career, potentially highlighting your most relevant job.
Why are you looking to start a career at Bridgestone, or are you looking to change careers/jobs?
What was interesting about this particular role or working at Bridgestone?

Be Ready to Answer Questions
During an interview, you will be asked questions about previous experience to learn more about you. Whether you are asked about strengths or weaknesses or about a particular work situation that you might have considered a challenge or a win, it helps if you structure your answers with the STAR Method.
Situation: Describe the challenge you faced, win you had, or relevant situation
Task: Explain the role you played
Action: What were the detailed steps you took or how you accomplished the task
Result: Explain the outcome
Make sure that it is relevant to the role you are seeking. This method also helps you demonstrate how you accomplished something or overcame a challenge independently or while working well with a team.

Be Ready to Ask Questions
It is also important to ask questions to help you make an informed decision about the role if an offer is extended to you. Remember that you are interviewing Bridgestone as much as we are interviewing you, so asking interview questions is critical.
Some questions you can ask:
What would my day-to-day role look like?
Describe the team I would be working with.
What is your favorite thing about working at Bridgestone?
You mentioned (insert topic here). Tell me more about that.

By asking open-ended questions that cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no,” you can learn more about the role and the people you would be working with. And by circling back on information shared during the interview, you show that you are actively listening and interested.

Plan Your Route
If you are interviewing in person, map out the route you will take before the day of your interview to make sure you allow enough time for travel. Be mindful of traffic patterns and look for any construction in the area. Aim to be about 15 minutes early for your interview so you can find a place to park and take some time to prepare mentally.
If you have an unexpected schedule conflict, notify your recruiter via phone/email/text so they can work to reschedule your time.

Dress to Impress
Dress appropriately for the role you want. Different work environments may be more casual, but you always want to look your best for an interview. Consider this for a video interview as well. Most of us have better posture and body language when we look and feel our best. While no one may know you are wearing pajamas, your casual demeanor may not make a great first impression. Make sure you are free of as many distractions as possible. With many of us having to work from home while taking care of our families, we understand that quiet space can be challenging to find for you as well as for the interviewers. While we encourage you to find an area where you can focus and not be interrupted, we understand that life happens and might just happen during your interview, so don’t stress too much about it.

What to Bring
Even if you have provided a resume, always bring one additional copy for each person interviewing you. And for any interview, it’s always good to bring a pen and paper if you want to take notes. Stay engaged in the conversation; no one wants to see the top of your head while you write notes for the entire interview.

There may be a chance one or more of your interviews will be conducted virtually. Here are our tips to prepare;

Check Your Tech
Confirm what platform you will use and make sure that you have it properly installed and launched on your system.
If you use a device like a tablet or a laptop, ensure it is fully charged. Try not to use a phone if possible.
Confirm that your webcam and microphone are allowed and work correctly in your chosen browser.
Test your internet connection to ensure it is strong and working.
If using headphones, make sure they are connected and selected prior.
At the beginning of the interview, verify that the interviewer can hear and see you.
Close other programs on your computer. Getting notifications during your interview is distracting and unprofessional. Before your interview, ensure all other computer windows are closed, and notifications are silenced or turned off.
Switch your other devices onto silent mode; however, have your phone handy if your interviewer is having technical difficulties or trying to reach out via phone or email.
If you need any accessibility accommodations or are concerned about the required virtual platform not being fully accessible for you, please let the recruiter at Bridgestone know. We will reach out to discuss how to best support you.

Prepare Your Space
Conduct your interview in a quiet, well-lit environment, without a backlight or window that may put you in a shadow.
Find a place with a simple backdrop or blank wall to eliminate distractions and put the focus on you.
Avoid taking an interview from your vehicle. If it is the only quiet place you can find, DO NOT attempt to interview while driving or in a moving vehicle; our recruiters will end the call. After all, at Bridgestone, we make safety a business value.

Smile for the Camera
Look at the camera. Looking directly at the video camera (not the screen) is the only way to maintain direct eye contact with your interviewer.
Try to focus on sitting up straight and making eye contact. At the beginning of the interview, verify that the interviewer can hear and see you.
Be mindful of your body language. Not all physical cues translate from in-person interviews to video interviews. Be sure to have good posture and stay engaged.
Silence any other technology, i.e. smart watches; you don’t want to be distracted or appear disinterested during your interview."

When the interview ends, whether virtual or in person, you can ask what to expect as the next step in the process. The person conducting the interview can let you know if there are additional interviews to expect or if you will hear from HR with a decision as to whether you have been chosen for the role.

We ask that you be patient as we may have several candidates to interview, but we value your time and will offer the professional courtesy of a response either way. Also, if you are no longer interested in the role or have accepted another role, please notify your recruiter so they can remove you from the interview process.

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