Engineering Manager

In brief

**Overview** This role is for an Engineering Manager at NBL Westmead Biscuits in Pinetown, KwaZulu Natal, a company under AVI Limited. The position is designed to drive success by taking responsibility for the outputs of an engineering team of over 40 people. This team encompasses various functions including the maintenance manager and related structures, engineering stores, maintenance planning, software specialists, artisans, electricians, instrumentation technicians, and facility handymen. The Engineering Manager reports to the Operations Executive and has 4 direct reports. **What you will do** The Engineering Manager will be responsible for several key areas, including: * **SHE (Safety, Health, and Environment):** * Acting as the GMR 21 site appointment. * Collaborating with the site risk department on all risk compliance matters. * Implementing improvement opportunities identified through hygiene surveys (e.g., asbestos, illumination, ergonomics, lighting, thermal stress, noise, airborne pollutants, air quality, hazardous chemical agents, vibration, ventilation). * Managing site risk, including risk audits, site security, and supporting ISO 14000 & 45000 accreditation. * Ensuring fire systems compliance with ASIB regulations and relevant SANS standards. * Ensuring municipal and legal site compliance. * Ensuring compliance for electrical installations in hazardous locations, gas installations, asbestos abatement, and pressure equipment. * **People Management:** * Ensuring an appropriate team structure aligned with site engineering and maintenance strategy and manufacturing support. * Developing and maintaining artisan competencies. * Managing the morale of the engineering team. * Setting team goals, performing appraisals, and managing performance. * **Maintenance Budget:** * Compiling and managing annual maintenance budgets. * Compiling a five-year site strategic maintenance budget, including facilities and utilities upgrades for CAPEX. * Conducting monthly maintenance cost control and reporting. * Implementing cost reduction and productivity initiatives. * Identifying, managing, and controlling critical spares. * **Plant and Services Availability:** * Managing equipment availability. * Improving equipment MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) and MTTR (Mean Time To Repair). * Managing equipment shutdowns and PM (Preventive Maintenance) schedules. * Co-ordinating OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) support on critical equipment. * Managing breakdown, condition monitoring, corrective, and preventive maintenance. * Understanding key operational KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) such as OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness), ATP (Availability, Throughput, Performance), GA (General Availability), B&R (Breakdowns and Repairs), and customer complaints, and the impact of equipment reliability on them. * **Maintenance Department Performance:** * Tracking and reporting KPIs. * Managing and controlling employees. * Improving maintenance systems and strategy. * Developing maintenance strategy and tactical approach. * Providing foreman and artisan leadership, training, and development. * Improving the ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system. * Improving the CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) system. * Ensuring maintenance practices support food safety and adhere to AIB and FSSC standard requirements. * **Maintenance Systems Improvement and Strategy:** * Developing maintenance strategy and tactical approach. * Conducting Root Cause Analysis. * Supporting the World Class Manufacturing strategy. * Ensuring team structure matches strategy. * Implementing and maintaining appropriate engineering standards. * **Site Services Management:** * Reporting on water and energy usage and driving sustainability improvements. * Maintaining compressed air, natural gas, refrigeration, solar systems, borehole water, effluent, electricity, generators, and infrastructure. * Managing buildings and facilities in line with relevant standards. **Requirements (from the original advert)** * **Experience:** * 5 years’ experience as an Engineering Manager within the Manufacturing industry. * Ideally 3 years within an FMCG environment as an Engineering Manager and/or Maintenance Manager. * 5 years’ people management experience. * Experience working with Packaging Machinery advantageous. * Previous experience in food manufacturing highly advantageous. * **Qualifications & Certifications:** * Completed Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Electrical or Mechanical. * Post-graduate degree advantageous. * Certificated Engineer GCC Factories Non-Negotiable. * **Additional Requirements:** * Maintenance systems and measures. * OHS Act knowledge and experience. * Equipment technical support mechanical, electrical, process and control and automation. * Utilities compressed air, electrical, refrigeration, water, effluent, fire systems. * Food safety requirements, such as HACCP and AIB would be ideal. * Initiating and leading projects. **Who should apply** This role is ideal for an experienced Engineering Manager with a strong background in the manufacturing industry, preferably FMCG or food manufacturing, who possesses a proven track record in managing large and diverse engineering teams. The candidate must hold a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering and a Certificated Engineer GCC Factories (which is non-negotiable). They should demonstrate expertise in OHS Act, maintenance systems, technical equipment support, utilities management, food safety standards (HACCP, AIB), and project initiation and leadership. The ideal candidate will be driven to make an impact, ensure compliance, manage budgets effectively, improve plant availability, and strategically lead engineering initiatives. **Deadline** 15 October 2026 **Reference** Original posting: https://www.myjobmag.co.za/job/engineering-manager-avi-limited-11 Source: myjobmag

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At a glance

• At least 5 years of experience.

• Health and safety (OHS)

Extracted automatically from the advert; confirm requirements on the original listing.

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