Maintenance Engineer Leader

Essity Australasia is a leading consumer care and hygiene solutions company, manufacturing and marketing a number of market leading brands including Sorbent, Purex, Handee Ultra, Libra, Tork and TENA.  Essity’s purpose is to make it easier for hygiene, health and well-being to be part of everyday life. 

Join Essity’s Kawerau team as our new Maintenance Lead – Converting, where you’ll play a key role in driving equipment reliability, continuous improvement, and a positive team culture. As a global leader in hygiene and health, Essity is committed to breaking barriers to well‑being and creating workplaces where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to grow.

About the role   

You will lead our Converting maintenance team to deliver safe, high‑quality, cost‑effective, and reliable performance across key manufacturing assets. You’ll shape a practical, long‑term maintenance strategy, embed world‑class engineering practices, build team capability, and help us consistently meet production and improvement goals.

What you will Do  

• Lead and continuously improve proactive maintenance strategies that increase equipment availability, reliability, and performance.
• Implement TPM Zero to 100 and Asset Maintenance Management approaches to reduce repeat failures and enhance asset care.
• Model and reinforce a zero‑harm safety culture, including effective risk assessment, permits, and LOTO processes.
• Apply sound engineering standards, root‑cause analysis, and accurate documentation aligned with OEM and site procedures.
• Plan and control maintenance costs through efficient scheduling, smart resource use, and improved spare‑parts management.
• Use CMMS and data insights to prioritise work, improve MTBF, reduce MTTR, and prevent recurrence of issues.
• Coach, mentor, and support a diverse team of maintenance professionals in an equitable, collaborative environment.
• Partner with Production, Engineering, RST, and external vendors to align priorities and uplift asset reliability.
• Contribute to delivery of the annual production plan and OEE targets while driving continuous improvement.  

About You

You’re an experienced maintenance leader who is passionate about equipment reliability, continuous improvement, and developing high-performing teams. You bring:

• Qualifications in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or equivalent knowledge and skills gained through experience in high‑volume production (FMCG and/or 24/7 operations welcomed).
• Demonstrated experience leading maintenance functions and embedding best‑practice asset care through change.
• Skill in both planned and responsive maintenance and confident using CMMS (e.g., SAP/IFS/Maximo/Infor).
• Proficient with root‑cause tools (e.g., 5‑Why, Fishbone) and comfortable making decisions using data and evidence.
• Clear, respectful communicator who collaborates effectively across teams and with external partners.
• Growth mindset with a passion for coaching and developing others, and for continuous improvement and safety leadership.

Nice to have: Familiarity with SAP enterprise programs, HSE&R ISO standards, paper manufacturing, condition monitoring, CMRP certification, or CI/Lean methodologies.

What We Offer  

Our purpose, Breaking Barriers to Well-Being, provides meaning to everything we do. Join us to improve well-being for people and drive positive change for society and the environment. At Essity, you'll feel valued, empowered to grow, and challenged to achieve business results in a collaborative and open atmosphere.

• A dynamic team environment built on the foundations of authenticity, respect, and a passion for what we do 
• A competitive salary package - $100,000 – $130,000 per year (experience based)
• Fully funded Wellbeing One Southern Cross medical insurance, with free annual health checks and doctor's appointments
• Free income protection, permanent disability, and life insurance
• Free Annual Flu Vaccinations, Annual Wellness Day and free onsite parking

Applications Close: 30 April 2026.

Ready for your next move? Apply now! Early applications encouraged.

Application End Date:

Job Requisition ID:

Essity260206