About the position
A well-established manufacturing organisation in the FMCG sector is seeking an experienced and results-driven Maintenance Manager to lead its maintenance function across operations. This role offers both strategic and operational leadership, ensuring optimal equipment reliability, operational efficiency, and full compliance with health, safety, environmental, and food safety standards.
About the Role
You'll play a key part in driving continuous improvement, asset optimisation, and cost-effective maintenance strategies within a highly regulated manufacturing environment — leading the transformation of the maintenance function from reactive to proactive, predictive, and reliability-centred, while contributing directly to operational excellence and long-term business sustainability.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and execute a comprehensive long-term maintenance strategy aligned with business objectives, production targets, and growth plans
- Drive the shift to proactive, predictive, and reliability-centred maintenance practices, including Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) principles
- Oversee CapEx planning and execution, including plant upgrades, equipment replacement, and automation initiatives
- Ensure optimal performance, reliability, and availability of critical plant and equipment — including dairy processing systems (pasteurisers, homogenisers, separators), filling/packaging lines, and utility systems (refrigeration, boilers, compressed air)
- Monitor and improve key KPIs, including OEE, planned vs. unplanned downtime, MTBF, and MTTR
- Lead, manage, and develop a multidisciplinary maintenance and engineering team, including artisans, technicians, engineers, and contractors
- Build leadership capability through mentoring, succession planning, and structured skills development
- Ensure full compliance with the OHS Act, Machinery and Pressure Equipment Regulations, and food safety standards (HACCP, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000)
- Champion a zero-harm safety culture and lead internal/external audit readiness
- Support sustainability initiatives, including energy efficiency, water conservation, and reduced reliance on hazardous substances
- Manage the maintenance budget (OPEX & CAPEX), identifying cost-saving and optimisation opportunities
- Drive continuous improvement using Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and Root Cause Analysis methodologies
- Implement and optimise digital maintenance systems (CMMS) and predictive maintenance tools
- Collaborate with production, quality, supply chain, and procurement teams, and engage with external suppliers, contractors, and regulatory bodies
- Provide strategic reporting to senior leadership
Requirements
- Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field
- GCC (Government Certificate of Competency – Factories) highly advantageous
- Additional certifications in maintenance management, reliability engineering, or project management beneficial
- 10–15 years' experience in maintenance within manufacturing or FMCG environments
- At least 5 years in a senior or leadership role
- Proven track record managing large-scale plants or multi-site operations, and implementing maintenance best practices and transformation programmes
Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
Desired Skills:
- Maintenance Manager
- FMCG
- Large scale plants
