About the position
Our client, an established international agro-processing group, is building a new plant in Midvaal, Gauteng. They are looking for an experienced Maintenance Manager to establish and lead the maintenance function, from commissioning readiness through to stable, continuous 24/7 operation.
This is a site-based, immediate appointment, reporting directly to the Managing Director. You’ll shape the team, systems, workshop and spare-parts strategy that will keep the plant reliable for the long term.
Key Responsibilities:
- Prepare the plant for handover: take part in technical reviews, walkdowns, equipment testing and commissioning, and close out maintainability, safety and warranty issues
- Set up the CMMS, asset hierarchy, preventive maintenance plans, procedures and work standards
- Establish the maintenance workshop, tools, testing equipment, critical spares and consumables
- Develop and continuously improve preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance programmes across mechanical, electrical, automation and utility equipment
- Lead fault-finding and root-cause analysis, and track availability, reliability, backlog and breakdown KPIs
- Plan shutdowns and interventions with Production and Silo teams to limit disruption
- Manage contractors, OEMs and specialist service providers, define scopes of work and monitor technical quality
- Take part in annual maintenance budgets, forecasts and CAPEX planning, and monitor spend against budget
- Recruit, organise and develop the maintenance team, including call-out and standby cover for continuous operation
- Enforce Permit-to-Work, isolation, Lockout/Tagout, hot-work and other safe-working procedures, and take part in risk assessments and incident investigations
- Coordinate statutory inspections, calibration and verification, and support HACCP, audits and food safety, quality and environmental systems
- Support reliable and efficient operation of utilities (boilers, refrigeration, heat recovery, compressed air) and drive energy and water efficiency
The Technical Environment:
- Grain receiving, handling and storage: silos, conveyors and bucket elevators
- Malting and kilning equipment, industrial fans, pumps, motors and pneumatic systems
- Electrical distribution, VFDs, PLCs, industrial automation, instrumentation and process control
- CHP cogeneration, gas boilers, industrial refrigeration and cooling, heat recovery and dust extraction
- ATEX zones and confined spaces
What We’re Looking For:
- Qualification in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or Mechatronics, preferably NQF Level 7 or 8
- About 5–10 years’ industrial maintenance experience, including supervising or managing a technical team
- Experience in manufacturing, process or heavy industry, with strong mechanical and electrical maintenance knowledge and working knowledge of industrial automation
- Experience with CMMS and preventive maintenance systems, troubleshooting, fault-finding and root-cause analysis
- Strong practical knowledge of industrial health and safety, machinery safety, risk assessment and safe maintenance practices
- Strong planning, coordination and cost-control capability
- GCC Factories certification
- Good command of English and competent use of standard computer tools
Advantageous:
- Experience in food, beverage, brewing, malting, grain handling, milling, feed mill, agro-processing, sugar or another continuous-process industry
- Involvement in construction completion, commissioning or start-up of a new industrial plant, followed by operational maintenance responsibility
- SAP experience
The Person:
Hands-on and technically credible, dynamic and calm under pressure, with strong organisational and communication skills. You’re reliable, professional and a team builder who sets the standard for safety, ownership and discipline, and you’re willing to work extended hours and take part in on-call support when needed.
If you’re a maintenance leader who wants to build something from the start, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now!
Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted
Desired Skills:
- maintenance manager
- manufacturing
- CMMS
