Engineering Manager

AkzoNobel; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Onsite physio service

Health insurance benefits

Annual health and wellbeing programs

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Private health insurance discounts

Job summary

AkzoNobel is seeking an experienced Engineering Manager to lead the Engineering function at the Sunshine manufacturing site in Melbourne. You will shape engineering direction, governance and capital investment to support safe, reliable operations and sustainable improvements.

You will drive asset integrity, safety, budgeting and collaboration across Operations, Maintenance, HSE, Quality and Procurement to deliver value. A strong technical and commercial mindset is essential.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership of engineering teams in manufacturing or industrial settings.
• Strong knowledge of Australian standards and compliance.
• Experience with asset integrity and reliability programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead site Engineering function with clear priorities and performance expectations.
• Provide technical governance for plant, equipment, utilities and facilities.
• Develop engineering capability through coaching and knowledge sharing.
• Drive engineering standards, documentation and governance site-wide.
• Oversee CAPEX projects and multi-year investment portfolio.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Commercial awareness

Stakeholder management

People leadership

Decision making

Safety mentality

Education

Engineering degree (Mechanical/Electrical/Chemical)

Professional engineering membership desirable

Job description

About AkzoNobel

Since 1792, we’ve been supplying the innovative paints and coatings that help to color people’s lives and protect what matters most. Our world class portfolio of brands – including International, Sikkens and Interpon – is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and use our expertise to sustain and enhance the fabric of everyday life. Because we believe every surface is an opportunity. It’s what you’d expect from a pioneering and long-established paints company that’s dedicated to providing sustainable solutions and preserving the best of what we have today – while creating an even better tomorrow. Let’s paint the future together. For more information please visit www.akzonobel.com © 2026 Akzo Nobel N.V. All rights reserved.

About The Role

We are looking for an experienced and commercially minded Engineering Manager to lead the Engineering function at our Sunshine manufacturing site.

This is a key leadership role responsible for providing engineering direction, technical governance and strategic leadership across the site. You will play a critical role in ensuring our plant, equipment, utilities and facilities are safe, reliable, compliant and fit for the future, while supporting operational performance and business growth.

You will lead the site's engineering and capital investment strategy, drive asset integrity and reliability improvements, and work closely with Operations, Maintenance, HSE, Quality, Procurement and other functions to deliver sustainable improvements across the site.

Key Responsibilities

Engineering Leadership

• Lead and develop the site Engineering function, setting clear priorities, objectives and performance expectations.
• Provide technical leadership and engineering support to Operations, Maintenance and other site functions.
• Develop engineering capability through coaching, knowledge sharing and professional development.
• Establish and maintain engineering standards, procedures and governance across the site.
• Ensure engineering documentation, technical records and engineering processes are effectively maintained and controlled.

Asset Integrity & Reliability

• Provide engineering governance for the integrity, reliability and lifecycle management of plant, equipment, utilities and facilities.
• Identify engineering risks and opportunities and develop improvement plans to strengthen reliability, maintainability and operational performance.
• Ensure plant modifications and engineering changes are appropriately assessed, engineered, documented and controlled.
• Drive initiatives to improve asset reliability, productivity, energy efficiency and total cost of ownership.

Capital Investment & Projects

• Lead the development and execution of the site's capital investment strategy and multi-year CAPEX portfolio.
• Identify and prioritise capital projects based on business needs, asset strategy, risk and available funding.
• Provide governance and oversight to ensure projects are appropriately scoped, resourced and delivered safely, on time and within budget.
• Provide engineering leadership for major or complex capital projects, from concept and design through procurement, construction, commissioning and handover.
• Partner with Procurement to evaluate technical and commercial solutions based on overall value and total cost of ownership, rather than simply lowest initial cost.

Technical Governance & Compliance

• Act as the Site Responsible Engineer (SRE), where assigned, providing technical authority and engineering governance for the site.
• Ensure engineering activities comply with AkzoNobel requirements, Australian legislation, applicable standards and site procedures.
• Provide engineering leadership for HSE-critical activities, Process Safety Management, hazard studies, risk assessments and asset integrity requirements.
• Maintain effective communication and collaboration with regional and global engineering functions.

Contractor & Service Provider Management

• Manage engineering contractors, consultants and service providers to ensure safe, effective and commercially sound delivery.
• Establish clear scopes of work, technical requirements, performance expectations and HSE requirements.
• Monitor contractor performance against agreed safety, quality, cost, schedule and service requirements.
• Work closely with Procurement to develop appropriate contracting strategies and deliver sustainable value.

Continuous Improvement

• Develop and implement an engineering improvement roadmap aligned with site strategy.
• Identify opportunities to improve reliability, productivity, automation, sustainability, energy efficiency and maintainability.
• Promote engineering excellence, standardisation and the application of proven engineering solutions.
• Participate in relevant ANZ and global engineering initiatives and communities.

Budget & Commercial Management

• Own and manage engineering-related repair, maintenance and service budgets.
• Develop annual budgets and forecasts for engineering maintenance, services and capital expenditure.
• Ensure engineering work is appropriately scoped, costed and prioritised, balancing safety, reliability, risk and cost.
• Monitor expenditure, supplier performance and contractor performance against agreed budgets and commercial commitments.

About You

You are an experienced engineering leader with a strong background in a manufacturing, chemical, process or industrial environment. You combine strong technical expertise with commercial awareness and the ability to lead people, influence stakeholders and deliver results.

What You'll Bring

• A tertiary qualification in Engineering, preferably Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical or a related discipline.
• Significant engineering experience within a manufacturing, chemical, process or industrial environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading engineering activities across plant, equipment, utilities and facilities.
• Strong knowledge and practical application of Australian Standards, engineering codes and statutory requirements.
• Demonstrates strong engineering judgement and a practical, solutions-focused approach.
• Is commercially aware and focused on delivering sustainable value.
• Takes accountability and drives initiatives through to completion.
• Is comfortable challenging existing practices and identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Can effectively balance HSE, compliance, reliability, technical integrity, operational requirements, cost and business priorities.
• Leads with a strong commitment to safety and engineering excellence.
• Experience in asset integrity, reliability and engineering risk management.
• Experience with Process Safety Management, hazard studies and risk assessments.
• Proven experience developing and delivering capital projects, including scoping, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and handover.
• Experience managing engineering budgets, CAPEX, repair and maintenance expenditure and total cost of ownership.
• Demonstrated experience working with Procurement on tendering, technical evaluation, supplier selection and commercial negotiations.
• Strong experience managing contractors, consultants and engineering service providers.
• Proven people leadership, coaching and performance management capability.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, negotiation and influencing skills.
• The ability to make sound engineering decisions and provide clear technical direction.
• Professional membership of a relevant engineering or industry body is desirable.

Why Join Us?

• Career Pathway and Training:

As a Global company, we can offer career pathway and training to you to gain your next step in your career goals.

• Don’t settle for base salary increase:

Potential to earn more, on top each year!

• Let Akzo Nobel, help you meet your health goals:

With free utilization of onsite physio every Wednesday, free annual flu vaccination, and monetary assistance to cover your choice of health and wellbeing programs every year!

• Want to stretch your dollar further?

Enjoy our employee benefits on discounted private health insurance with Bupa and free access for you and your family on our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), that include discount on retail goods and services.

• Looking for more perks?

Join us to find out more…

At AkzoNobel we are highly committed to ensuring an inclusive and respectful workplace where all employees can be their best self. We strive to embrace diversity in a context of tolerance. Our talent acquisition process plays an integral part in this journey, as setting the foundations for a diverse environment. For this reason we train and educate on the implications of our Unconscious Bias in order for our TA and hiring managers to be mindful of them and take corrective actions when applicable. In our organization, all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age or disability.