Utility & Facility Lead

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

This role leads the planning, operation, and maintenance of all utility systems and facility services required to support normal plant operations, including steam, chilled water, compressed air, electrical power, water and wastewater systems, HVAC, lighting, fire protection, effluent treatment, and general facilities. The position ensures a continuous, safe, and compliant utility supply while optimizing energy usage and maintenance costs, collaborates closely with production, quality, EH&S, and engineering teams to support new product introductions, capital projects, and continuous improvement initiatives, oversees maintenance programs, contractor management, and spare parts inventory for all facility and utility equipment, and ensures compliance with food safety standards such as GMP, HACCP, sanitation requirements, and all applicable regulatory standards.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and execute preventive and predictive maintenance plans for all utility and facility equipment.
• Monitor energy usage, water consumption, and waste streams; drive energy efficiency and reduction of utility costs.
• Manage utility systems commissioning, start-up/shutdown procedures, and emergency response plans.
• Lead safety programs, risk assessments, incident investigations, and near-miss reporting related to facilities.
• Manage budgets, CAPEX justifications, contractor selection, and vendor performance.
• Maintain up-to-date documentation: SOPs, work instructions, PM schedules, calibration records, and asset registers.
• Ensure facility readiness for audits (GFSI, local regulations) and support internal/external audits.
• Strong knowledge of utility systems (steam, condensate, boiler operations, chilled water, glycol loops, compressed air, HVAC, water treatment, effluent systems, electrical distribution basics).
• Facilities management including building management systems , fire protection, and welfare facilities.
• Preventive and predictive maintenance planning; root-cause problem solving.
• Project management and capital project execution.
• Data-driven decision making: ability to analyze energy, water, and maintenance metrics; familiarity with SAP-PM
• Leadership and team coordination; contractor management.
• Knowledge of food safety requirements (GMP, HACCP, allergen handling, sanitation) and regulatory compliance.
• Change management, risk assessment, incident investigation, and corrective actions.
• Strong communication, planning, and cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications and skills

• Typically 7-12 years in facilities, maintenance, or utility operations within manufacturing, preferably food, beverage, or pharma.
• Experience overseeing large-scale utility plants (boilers, chillers, compressed air systems) and building services in a production environment.
• Track record of leading maintenance programs, energy efficiency projects, and small to medium capital projects.
• Demonstrated experience with GMP/HACCP compliance, sanitation programs, and regulatory audits.
• Experience managing a team and supervising contractors/third-party vendor
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Electrical/Industrial Engineering, Facilities Management, Plant Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Master’s degree or professional certifications are a plus.