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Maintenance Manager

Zekelman Industries · Rochelle, IL · $110,000–$160,000 a year · Full time

Posted Sep 10, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you moved a maintenance team from reactive to planned work. What changed?

What they are checking: Whether they've led real change in how a department works, with results to show for it.

Tell me about a continuous improvement initiative you led in maintenance.

What they are checking: Whether they've driven measurable improvements in reliability or cost, not just kept things running.

How do you handle hiring and keeping skilled maintenance people in a tight labor market?

What they are checking: Whether they think about staffing and training as part of keeping the plant reliable.

What would you do

A technician skipped lockout on a quick job and nobody got hurt. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they treat a near miss as serious and enforce safety without making it purely punitive.

How do you coach a skilled technician who has bad habits with documentation or communication?

What they are checking: Whether they can develop strong technical people in the soft skills the team depends on.

Production and maintenance disagree about whether to take a mill down for repair. How do you resolve it?

What they are checking: Whether they can weigh risk and cost with production and reach a decision both sides respect.

How do you keep three shifts of maintenance working to the same standard?

What they are checking: Whether they can set and hold standards across shifts they can't always see.

About the work

How do you build a maintenance schedule that balances preventive work against production's need for uptime?

What they are checking: Whether they can plan PM windows with production instead of letting breakdowns set the schedule.

What maintenance metrics do you track, and which one tells you the most?

What they are checking: Whether they manage by data like downtime, MTBF, PM completion and backlog, and know what each means.

How do you decide what spare parts to keep on hand for tube mills, welders and cutoffs?

What they are checking: Whether they understand critical spares and how to balance inventory cost with downtime risk.

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The full job description

As published by Zekelman Industries.

You may not know our name, but you know our products. What we make is part the places where we live, work and play – all day, everyday. Zekelman is a family of companies — 100% domestic manufacturers — with a legacy dating back to 1877. We’re proud to be the largest independent steel pipe and tube manufacturer in North America and the leading innovator in multi-family housing development. We believe in what we build and what we build, builds the world around us. Hospitals, hotels, schools, bridges, airports and more. Come build a career you believe in. About the Role As a Maintenance Manager at Wheatland Tube , a division of Zekelman Industries , you will oversee and coordinate the daily activities of the maintenance team to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient plant operations. You will lead maintenance planning, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and support operational uptime through effective supervision, technical guidance, and adherence to safety and quality standards. This role requires strong leadership, problem-solving capabilities, and the ability to manage both people and processes in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This position is located onsite in Rochelle, IL. What You’ll Do • Supervise and direct daily maintenance staff activities through scheduling, planning, and coaching. • Ensure a safe work environment by enforcing, promoting, and participating in plant safety programs and initiatives. • Develop, implement, and administer maintenance programs while ensuring compliance with safety, quality, trade, and management procedures, as well as state and federal regulations. • Ensure all maintenance work is performed in accordance with established safety regulations, legal requirements, and quality standards. • Collaborate with Maintenance and Operations teams to identify and implement continuous improvement initiatives to minimize downtime and improve production. • Ensure preventative, predictive, and corrective maintenance practices focus on increasing equipment reliability and reducing overall costs. • Assign work to appropriate personnel by providing clear, accurate, and timely instructions with defined expectations. • Manage repair & maintenance (R&M) and manpower costs to budget and identify opportunities for improvement. • Lead in identifying capital investment needs and ensuring timely project completion. • Provide guidance and technical assistance during equipment breakdowns to safely and efficiently resume production. • Determine required materials for jobs, initiate requisitions, and work with Purchasing to ensure materials are available. • Monitor team performance through workmanship audits and constructive feedback. • Identify required spare parts and assist in setting appropriate inventory levels to maximize equipment uptime. • Supervise onsite storeroom teammates to ensure procedures are followed and parts are available when needed. • Conduct performance evaluations, goal-setting, and corrective action when necessary. • Lead and promote health and safe work practices as required by regulatory agencies and company policy. • Maintain regular, full-time, predictable onsite attendance per the posted schedule. • Perform special projects as assigned. Who You Are • Bachelor’s degree preferred. • Minimum of five years of mechanical/electrical supervisory experience in heavy industry. • Demonstrated leadership, team-building, organizational, and interpersonal skills. • Strong analytical, motivational, and communication skills. • Ability to coordinate, multitask, and set and achieve goals. • Effective time management, judgment, troubleshooting, and problem-solving abilities. • Ability to understand complex maintenance issues. • Knowledge of safety regulations, scheduling, and maintenance management systems. • Ability to supervise complex maintenance and repair tasks. • Skilled in reading technical drawings and schematics. • Knowledge of SAP and MS Office programs. What You’ll Get • Competitive compensation. • Bonus plan and profit-sharing opportunities. • 401(k) plan with a generous company match. • Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance with low-cost, high-quality options. • Tuition assistance program to support continued education and professional development. • Paid vacation and holidays to support work–life balance. • Employee loyalty awards and recognition programs. Compensation & Benefits Below is the expected base salary range for this position. This is a good-faith estimate, and offers will be determined based on experience, education, skill set, and interview performance. Base Salary Range: [$110,000 - $160,000] Zekelman Industries offers competitive compensation and excellent benefits, including low-cost, high-quality medical and dental benefits.  In addition, we have an amazing tuition assistance program, a bonus plan, a 401(k) plan with a generous company match, immediate vesting, and much more. M/F/D/V We are Zekelman Industries. We manufacture superior quality tubular and related products, and provide outstanding service for our valued customers. We seek to continuously advance the skills and opportunities of our employees, utilizing the latest technology and management tools available to consistently increase profitability and the enterprise value of Zekelman Industries and of our customers.

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