Leading Hand - On Highway

Penske Australia; Mackay Regional; On-site; AUD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work arrangements

Onsite parking

Training & Development Programs

Competitive remuneration

Employee referral program

Employee assistance program

Paid parental leave

Penske Perks

Job summary

Penske Australia is seeking a seasoned Leading Hand for our On Highway workshop in Mackay. You will stay hands-on while leading a team of technicians, coordinating daily tasks and ensuring work meets customer schedules and quality standards.

You bring 5+ years in heavy vehicles, strong engine knowledge, and proven leadership potential. This role offers hands-on service, coaching, and development opportunities within a supportive, safety‑driven environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in heavy vehicle or engine industry.
• Strong knowledge of heavy vehicle engines, servicing and repairs.
• Experience with Detroit, Allison, and MTU products.
• Knowledge of Series 60 engines.
• Previous leadership or supervisory experience or potential.
• Strong organisational and time management skills.
• Ability to motivate, coach and support a team.
• Understanding of workshop productivity, labour costs and gross margin.
• Confident with computer-based systems.
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Coordinating daily workshop activities and helping manage workflow to meet customer requirements.
• Allocating repair jobs to technicians based on workload and capability.
• Providing hands-on technical support and guidance to the workshop team.
• Carrying out servicing, repairs and overhaul work in the workshop.
• Coaching technicians and promoting high standards of safety, quality and workmanship.
• Identifying opportunities to improve workshop productivity and efficiency.
• Communicating with Service Advisors regarding additional work, job progress and potential delays.
• Working closely with Service and Parts teams to ensure parts are available when required.
• Supporting technician training and development.
• Contributing to a safe, productive and customer-focused workshop environment.

Skills

Leadership

Hands-on technician

Workshop coordination

Problem solving

Time management

Communication

Tools

Detroit engines

Allison transmissions

MTU engines

Job description

Ready to take the lead while staying hands-on?

We're looking for a Leading Hand to join our On Highway team in Mackay. This is a great opportunity for a qualified heavy vehicle professional with strong technical knowledge and natural leadership skills to step into a key workshop role.

Working closely with the On Highway Supervisor and Service team, you'll help coordinate daily workshop activities, allocate work across the team and provide technical guidance to technicians, all while remaining hands-on with servicing, repairs and overhaul work.

About the Role

As Leading Hand, you'll play an important part in ensuring workshop jobs are completed safely, efficiently and to a high standard, with a strong focus on meeting customer schedules.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Coordinating daily workshop activities and helping manage workflow to meet customer requirements
• Allocating repair jobs to technicians based on workload and capability
• Providing hands-on technical support and guidance to the workshop team
• Carrying out servicing, repairs and overhaul work in the workshop
• Coaching technicians and promoting high standards of safety, quality and workmanship
• Identifying opportunities to improve workshop productivity and efficiency
• Communicating with Service Advisors regarding additional work, job progress and potential delays
• Working closely with Service and Parts teams to ensure parts are available when required
• Supporting technician training and development
• Contributing to a safe, productive and customer-focused workshop environment.

About You

You're an experienced technician who enjoys being on the tools but is equally comfortable providing direction, solving technical problems and helping others perform at their best.

To be successful, you'll ideally bring:

• At least 5 years' experience within the heavy vehicle or engine industry
• Strong technical knowledge of heavy vehicle engines, servicing and repairs
• Experience with Detroit, Allison and/or MTU products will be highly regarded
• Sound knowledge of Series 60 engines
• Previous leadership, supervisory or Leading Hand experience, or the capability to step into a leadership position
• Strong organisational and time management skills
• The ability to motivate, coach and support a team
• An understanding of workshop productivity, labour costs, labour sales and gross margin
• Confidence using computer-based systems
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Why choose Team Penske?

At Penske, we know that it is our people at the heart of our success, and we want to make sure you have everything you need to do a great job. That is why as well as a great work environment, we offer the following benefits:

• Flexible work arrangements that work for the individual and the business
• Onsite parking
• Accredited Training & Development Programs
• Commitment to providing the highest levels of safety, technical and leadership training
• Competitive Remuneration
• Reward and Recognition Programs
• Employee Referral Program - generous employee referral fees.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Family Friendly Benefits including Paid Parental Leave
• Penske Perks: save $1000's with access to discounts from your favourite retailers

About Penske in Australia & New Zealand

Iconic in motorsport and in business, the Penske brand is proudly represented in Australia and New Zealand through businesses, including Penske Australia & New Zealand, Penske Truck Leasing, Penske Automotive Australia.

Penske Australia & New Zealand is a leading supplier of the world's finest heavy-duty trucks, diesel engines, gas engines, and power systems. We proudly distributes the Western Star Trucks, MAN Truck & Bus, Dennis Eagle, mtu, Bergen Engines, Detroit, Allison Transmission, and Sauer Compressors brands. And we operate across the most dynamic markets, including commercial vehicles, mining, energy solutions, defence, rail, marine, construction and industrial, oil and gas, and agriculture.

And through Penske Truck Leasing, we offer convenient and professional truck rental and leasing services.

We value and embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion in everything we do. If you're passionate about working for us, we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the selection criteria. We also encourage applications from those who are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, veterans, with disability, and those who are culturally and linguistically diverse. Require reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process? Please let us know.

Penske Australia and Penske New Zealand are 100% subsidiaries of Penske Automotive Group, a Fortune 500 company that is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Penske Truck Leasing forms part of Penske Transportation Solutions. Both Penske Automotive Group and Penske Transportation Solutions form part of the global Penske Corporation.

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