Senior Manager – Asset Management / Maintenance & Reliability Lead
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing & Asset Management Leadership
Role Summary
As Senior Manager – Asset Management / Maintenance & Reliability Lead, you will be responsible for leading the site's maintenance and reliability function, ensuring full operational ownership of manufacturing assets across production installations.
The role focuses on maximizing equipment performance through effective maintenance strategies, reliability improvements, and strong team leadership. You will oversee multiple maintenance teams, ensuring alignment with production priorities, managing budgets, mitigating risks, and driving continuous improvement across maintenance operations.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead and manage multiple maintenance and reliability teams across the site
* Ensure execution of reactive, preventive, and proactive maintenance activities
* Own end-to-end asset management for manufacturing equipment and automation systems
* Drive improvements in safety, quality, efficiency, and equipment reliability
* Align maintenance activities with commercial production plans and operational priorities
* Manage and track maintenance budgets and performance targets
* Collaborate closely with Operations, Engineering, and Planning stakeholders
* Identify, assess, and mitigate technical and operational risks
* Ensure availability of critical spare parts and optimize maintenance strategies
* Onboard, coach, and develop technicians to ensure readiness for planned work
* Promote a strong culture of technical ownership and accountability
* Lead and support continuous improvement and reliability initiatives
* Drive implementation of digital maintenance solutions (e.g., sensors, monitoring, dashboards)
* Support operational excellence and ensure compliance within a GMP environment
Required Qualifications (Non-Negotiable)
* Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Science, or related technical field
* Minimum 5+ years of experience in maintenance, reliability, or asset management
* Proven experience in a people leadership role managing technical teams
* Experience in pharmaceutical, chemical, or regulated manufacturing environments (GMP)
* Strong knowledge of maintenance strategies (reactive, preventive, predictive)
* Experience with manufacturing equipment and/or automation systems
* Fluent in English and Dutch (written and spoken)
* Belgium-based candidates
Essential Experience & Skills
* Strong leadership and team management capabilities across multiple teams
* Experience managing maintenance operations in a live production environment
* Solid stakeholder management across Operations, Engineering, and Planning
* Experience managing budgets and aligning with business objectives
* Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
* Ability to anticipate risks and take proactive decision-making actions
* Experience onboarding and developing technical teams
* Strong communication skills across all organizational levels
* Project management experience, including leading change initiatives
Desirable Experience & Skills
* Experience in reliability engineering and asset performance optimization
* Experience with digital maintenance tools, predictive maintenance, or condition monitoring
* Experience with EAM systems (e.g., SAP PM, Maximo)
* Experience building or using maintenance performance dashboards
* Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies
* Experience in complex or multi-site manufacturing environments
Practical Details
Location: Geel, Belgium
Work Model: Primarily On-site (5 days/week, limited flexibility depending on tasks)
Start Date: ASAP
Contract Type: ~6 months (extension possible)
FTE: 100% preferred (80% negotiable for strong candidates)
Travel: 0–10% (occasional visits to other sites such as Beerse or Switzerland)
Interested? Send your CV to to discuss further!