Maintenance Operations & Continuous Improvement Manager (m/f/d)
Picnic B.V.
Salary undisclosed
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Description
In a nutshell
Our Fulfilment Centers are among the most advanced of their kind, delivering fresh groceries to thousands of households every day. Next, we are planning to open our brand-new hybrid Fulfilment Center in the Berlin/Brandenburg area (Falkensee). Falkensee will be one of the first sites where we build our internal maintenance function for automated equipment. As Maintenance Operations & Continuous Improvement Manager (m/f/d), you will take strategic ownership of the performance and continuous development of our material handling equipment and maintenance processes on site.
You will act as the key interface between the automated and manual processes within the Fulfilment Center, the operational teams, your Maintenance team, our Engineering and Analytics teams, and external partners. You will translate overarching site goals into concrete improvement initiatives, use data to identify optimization opportunities, and ensure that equipment availability, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement remain at a high level in the long term.
What you’ll do
- Hands-on leadership: Lead the Maintenance value stream day-by-day, coaching Maintenance Engineers and Supervisors to effectively lead their teams and ensuring equipment availability targets are met with indirect leadership.
- Strategic Value Stream Ownership: Define and execute the long-term performance roadmap, taking full ownership of structural strategy and high-level KPIs across safety, quality, throughput, and operational efficiency.
- Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence: Lead site-wide Kaizen initiatives, Lean methodologies, and root-cause analyses to drive structural process enhancements and embed a culture of continuous improvement.
- Data-Driven Process & Automation Optimization: Analyze complex operational and maintenance workflows using data to eliminate bottlenecks, boost system reliability, and improve equipment availability alongside technical teams.
- Cross-Functional Strategic Alignment: Act as the strategic bridge between maintenance, our suppliers, planning, analysts, and operations to ensure seamless, end-to-end operational flow.
- Operational Standards & Governance: Oversee site-wide adherence to safety standards, 5S principles, and operational best practices without getting bogged down in daily engineering management.
What you bring
- Master’s degree (MSc) in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or a related technical field
- 8+ years of experience focused on maintenance, operational strategy, continuous improvement, or process engineering
- Min. 2+ years of direct managerial/people management experience
- Strong interest in, or exposure to, automation, robotics, and facility maintenance systems
- Proven track record in applying Lean, Six Sigma, or Kaizen frameworks in high-volume, automated environments
- High analytical proficiency, with strong capability in data analysis tools (e.g., Tableau, Excel, SQL)
- Strategic mindset with the ability to influence cross-functional teams and drive high-level initiatives
- Fluency in English (German is a strong plus)
What you can look forward to
- Smart Commute: Choose the way you move. You will get a company car (with private use) and can make use of our “Lease-a-Bike” program.
- Time to recharge: With 30 days of vacation per year (based on a 40-hour workweek in a shift system), you can strike the perfect balance between work and leisure.
- Fuel for Winners: Enjoy fresh, free breakfasts and lunches every day in our Fulfilment Center, along with all the snacks and fruit you need to stay fueled.
- Kickstart your career: Join our international team in an environment that fosters real growth and an “Act like an Owner” mentality. Here, you’ll have the chance to drive projects independently, test new ideas, and level up through specialized trainings to see firsthand how your work makes an impact.
- Sustainability at Core: Be part of the revolution. You’ll contribute to a greener future through our 100% electric fleet and a business model designed to drastically reduce food waste.
- The Essentials: We provide the tools for success, including a laptop and phone, and access to exclusive Corporate Benefits discounts for travel, tech and more.
- Unforgettable Moments: From our legendary annual ski trip, our massive Christmas parties, to parties featuring our very own Picnic band, we make sure our milestones are celebrated in style.
- Well-being & Balance: Professional mental health support via OpenUp.
About this role
Picnic is building its first in-house maintenance function at a new hybrid fulfillment center near Berlin, and this role sits at the heart of that operation. You'll lead the maintenance value stream for one of Europe's most advanced automated grocery facilities, managing both the day-to-day performance of your maintenance team and the long-term strategic roadmap for equipment reliability and operational efficiency. This is a hands-on leadership position that requires you to coach maintenance engineers and supervisors while simultaneously driving site-wide continuous improvement initiatives and acting as the critical bridge between automated systems, operations, engineering, and external partners.
The role demands someone with a technical foundation—a master's degree in engineering, supply chain, or a related field and at least five years in maintenance, operational strategy, or process engineering. You'll need strong analytical skills (Tableau, Excel, SQL proficiency expected) and proven experience applying Lean, Six Sigma, or Kaizen methodologies in high-volume automated environments. Your ability to translate operational data into concrete improvement initiatives, identify bottlenecks, and influence cross-functional teams will be essential to success.
This suits someone who thrives at the intersection of hands-on operations and strategic planning—someone who wants to build something from the ground up rather than optimize an existing system. You'll work hybrid from Berlin, with benefits including a company car, 30 days vacation, free meals on site, and access to professional development and mental health support. English fluency is required; German is a strong advantage.
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Pay for this role
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