General Supervisor, Skilled Trades (Utilities, HVAC & Plant Services)
Work Mode: Onsite
Location: Onsite – Kohler, WI
Opportunity
The General Supervisor, Skilled Trades (Utilities, HVAC & Plant Services) is a critical leadership opportunity to oversee union‑represented skilled trades supporting essential utility, HVAC, and fire protection systems across the Kohler, WI campus. This role provides hands‑on leadership for 24x7 operations, ensuring the safe, reliable, compliant, and cost‑effective performance of infrastructure that directly enables manufacturing and campus operations. The General Supervisor drives Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost outcomes by leading preventive and predictive maintenance, responding to emergencies, managing regulatory compliance (OSHA, NFPA, EPA, pressure vessels), stewarding labor and departmental budgets, and partnering closely with production, engineering, EHS, and external vendors. This position is ideal for a technically strong, people‑focused leader with experience in utilities or industrial HVAC who thrives in a unionized environment and is motivated to reduce downtime risk, improve asset reliability, and contribute to long‑term infrastructure and energy efficiency initiatives.
Responsibilities:
- Lead, coach, and directly supervise union‑represented skilled trades employees in accordance with the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement.
- Assign work, set priorities, and manage staffing and schedules to support 24x7 operations.
- Facilitate clear and effective communication between management and bargaining unit employees.
- Address performance, attendance, and conduct issues consistent with labor agreements and company policy.
- Support employee skill development, training, certification, and progression within the skilled trades.
- Champion a safety‑first culture across all utilities, HVAC, and skilled trades activities.
- Ensure compliance with OSHA, NFPA, HVAC standards, electrical codes, pressure vessel regulations, refrigerant handling requirements, and plant safety standards.
- Enforce safe work practices including lockout/tagout, confined space, hot work, and permit systems.
- Lead incident investigations, near‑miss reporting, root cause analysis, and corrective actions.
- Ensure all maintenance and repair work meets quality, reliability, and workmanship standards.
- Lead preventive and predictive maintenance programs (PM/PdM) to improve system reliability.
- Support standard work, documentation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Ensure maintenance records, work orders, compliance documentation, and inspections are accurate and complete.
- Plan and execute maintenance, repair, and project work to meet production, facilities, and campus operational requirements.
- Balance planned and reactive maintenance to ensure responsiveness while improving schedule stability.
- Coordinate maintenance activities with production, engineering, EHS, facilities, and external contractors.
- Lead emergency response and decision‑making related to utility, HVAC, or fire protection system failures.
- Demonstrate strong financial stewardship of maintenance labor, overtime, contractors, materials, and services.
- Manage departmental budgets, forecasts, and spending in alignment with financial targets.
- Support cost reduction initiatives through preventive maintenance, energy efficiency, and reduced unplanned downtime.
- Oversee the operation and maintenance of utility production and distribution systems including Steam, Compressed Air, Chilled Water, Natural Gas, Propane, Propylene, Condensate, Fire Protection, and Water systems (well, potable, waste, RO, cooling, and soft water).
- Oversee maintenance of campus HVAC systems including air conditioning, refrigeration, makeup air units, and unit heaters (excluding Hospitality where applicable).
- Manage fire protection and loss prevention systems including sprinklers, suppression systems, extinguishers, hydrants, inspections, and NFPA compliance.
- Serve as Campus Fire Marshal and/or leader of the Incipient Fire Brigade, including records management, inspections, audits, and insurer coordination.
- Ensure compliance with Wisconsin Pressure Vessel/Safety Relief Valve programs and refrigerant handling regulations (EPA Section 608).
- Implement, manage, and audit vendor contracts for utilities, HVAC DDC controls, fire suppression systems, and regulatory services.
- Lead predictive maintenance efforts including vibration analysis, oil analysis, and alignment technologies.
- Plan and manage small capital projects, equipment upgrades, and infrastructure improvements.
- Support commissioning, audits, and technical reviews of new and existing utility and building systems.
- Other duties as assigned by Kohler Leadership
Skills/Requirements
- Associate degree required
- Bachelor’s degree preferred
- In the absence of a bachelor's degree, the equivalent experience in HVAC, Mechanical, Electrical, or a related technical field.
- 5+ years of experience in utilities, HVAC, industrial maintenance, or plant services.
- Prior experience supervising or leading employees in a unionized environment preferred.
- Working knowledge of utility systems, HVAC, fire protection, maintenance practices, and regulatory compliance.
- Ability to apply company policies, labor agreements, and safety standards consistently.
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Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.
We believe in supporting you from the moment you join us, which is why Kohler offers day 1 benefits. This means you’ll have access to your applicable benefit programs from your first day on the job, with no waiting period.
The salary range for this position is $87,500 - $133,600. The specific salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors including the candidate’s experience, their education, and the work location. In addition, this position is eligible for a performance bonus/variable incentive compensation.
Why Choose Kohler?
We empower each associate to #BecomeMoreAtKohler with a competitive total rewards package to support your health and wellbeing, access to career growth and development opportunities, a diverse and inclusive workplace, and a strong culture of innovation. With more than 30,000 bold leaders across the globe, we’re driving meaningful change in our mission to help people live gracious, healthy, and sustainable lives.
About Us
It is Kohler’s policy to recruit, hire, and promote qualified applicants without regard to race, creed, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran. If, as an individual with a disability, you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact kohlerjobs@kohler.com. Kohler Co. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
