Sr Lead, Reliability Engineering

Sr Lead, Reliability Engineering

Newell Brands is a leading consumer products company with a portfolio of iconic brands like Graco®, Coleman®, Oster®, Rubbermaid®, Sharpie® and Yankee Candle® - and 24,000 talented teammates around the world. Our culture is built on values in action: Integrity, Teamwork, Passion for Winning, Ownership, and Leadership. We work together to win, grow, and make a real impact—supported by a high-performing, inclusive, and collaborative environment where you can be your best, every day.

Reports To

Director, Global Reliability

Department

Engineering, Reliability & Automation (ERA)

Organization

Global Supply Chain and Procurement (GPSN)

POSITION SUMMARY

The Sr. Manager, Reliability is a senior technical contributor and program manager within the ERA Global Reliability team, responsible for executing reliability improvement programs across a portfolio of Newell Brands manufacturing sites and distribution centers within the global network of 40+ manufacturing facilities, 60 DCs, and markets in 140 countries. Reporting to the Director, Global Reliability, this role is a field-level executor of the Newell Brands Strategic Equipment Management Policy (SEMP) — the company's governing framework for how assets are planned, acquired, operated, maintained, and retired across the global supply chain network. The Sr. Manager translates SEMP requirements into site-level programs, assessments, and improvement plans, ensuring policy intent is operationalized consistently across assigned sites. This role owns hands-on reliability engineering deliverables: asset criticality assessments, fleet management analysis, condition monitoring program builds, PM optimization, failure mode investigations, and reliability KPI reporting. The Sr. Manager acts as a working technical lead, supporting the fleet management strategy by executing site-level programs that feed network-wide asset intelligence — guiding site-level reliability engineers and maintenance teams through structured improvement initiatives while managing multiple concurrent workstreams and site engagements. This role is a key execution engine for the Global Reliability Program within the ERA Strategic Master Plan.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Reliability Program Execution

• Execute site-level reliability assessments using the ERA reliability framework: asset registry validation, criticality ranking (FMECA-based), PM plan audit, and condition monitoring gap analysis across manufacturing sites and DC facilities.

• Develop and implement PM optimization plans using RCM principles, condition-based triggers, and failure mode data; establish PM intervals grounded in equipment OEM data and operational history.

• Lead condition monitoring program deployment at assigned sites, including vibration analysis routes, oil sampling schedules, thermographic inspection programs, and ultrasound surveys.

• Execute the Tribo Program at assigned sites: conduct Tribo Scorecard assessments, develop site-level lubrication improvement plans, support development of on-site tribology SMEs, and track progress against network Tribo standards defined by the Director, Global Reliability.

• Conduct and lead root cause failure analysis (RCFA) investigations for chronic failures and high-impact asset events; own corrective action tracking through closure.

• Build and maintain failure mode libraries and asset-specific maintenance task lists within MicroMain CMMS.

• Fleet Management Execution

• Execute fleet management assessments within assigned site portfolios: document asset populations by class (motors, drives, compressors, conveyors, automation equipment, etc.), validate fleet criticality ratings, and identify fleet-level PM standardization gaps.

• Contribute fleet performance data to network-level benchmarking; identify poor-performing assets within a fleet class and recommend lifecycle interventions (condition-based replacement, refurbishment, or standardization).

• Support the Director in developing capital replacement schedules for critical fleet segments; provide site-level asset condition inputs to long-range capital planning.

• Implement fleet-based spare parts strategies at assigned sites, including kitting standards and critical spare identification aligned to fleet criticality tiers.

• CMMS & Data Management

• Drive asset data quality within MicroMain: asset hierarchy integrity, PM plan completeness, labor hour capture, and work order classification accuracy.

• Generate reliability KPI reports including PMR, MTBF, MTTR, planned vs. unplanned maintenance ratio, and backlog analysis at site and regional levels.

• Support development of reliability analytics dashboards in coordination with the ERA AI & Digital Enablement team.

• Identify data gaps in CMMS cost fields and labor actuals; develop site-specific data governance improvement plans.

• Site Engagement & Coaching

• Partner with site Engineering Managers and Maintenance Supervisors to build local reliability ownership and PM discipline at the front line.

• Execute PEAK EFO pillar assessments at assigned sites, evaluating AM and PM pillar maturity against global standards; document gaps, develop site-level improvement plans, and track progression through defined maturity stages in alignment with the Director's network-wide EFO program.

• Facilitate reliability-focused kaizen events, PM standardization workshops, and condition monitoring training at assigned sites.

• Support development of site Reliability Engineers through on-site coaching, structured work plans, and technical mentorship.

• Travel to assigned manufacturing sites (domestic and international) on a regular cadence to assess program execution and drive improvement.

• Program Management & Reporting

• Manage concurrent reliability improvement projects across a portfolio of 4-8 manufacturing sites; maintain project plans, milestone tracking, and risk logs.

• Report site-level PMR, OEE, and condition monitoring adoption metrics to the Director, Global Reliability on a regular cadence.

• Participate in PEAK operating reviews, contributing reliability KPIs and site action plans to the monthly/quarterly cadence.

• Support development of reliability investment business cases, cost avoidance analyses, and capital justification documentation.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Coordinate with ERA Automation and OT teams to integrate condition monitoring sensors and edge devices into the site OT network architecture.

• Partner with Operations to align reliability program priorities with production scheduling, planned outage windows, and capital projects.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Required
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 7+ years of experience in reliability engineering, maintenance engineering, or asset management in a manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on experience with condition monitoring technologies: vibration analysis, oil analysis, thermography, or equivalent.
• Experience with CMMS platforms for asset management, PM planning, and work order execution.
• Working knowledge of RCM, FMECA, PM optimization, and root cause failure analysis methodologies.
• Demonstrated ability to manag