Electrical Engineer

Sappi Papier Holding; Mpumalanga; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Learning and development programmes

Opportunities to travel

Market leading leave benefits

Employee wellbeing benefits

Job summary

Sappi Papier Holding in South Africa seeks an Electrical Engineer to provide competent and cost‑effective maintenance and engineering support to maximise plant production and availability, while ensuring safety and compliance with legislation.

You will lead maintenance planning, drive Root Cause Analysis on plant failures, oversee SAP Maintenance reporting and contractor management, guide plant modifications, and coach a technical team to build predictive maintenance and problem‑solving skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level degree in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• 2–8 years of maintenance experience in a heavy industrial environment.
• SAP knowledge is highly advantageous.
• Experience leading or supervising a technical/maintenance team is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Enforce SHEQ policies, maintain safety records, and ensure compliance with ISO standards.
• Lead maintenance planning and RCA on plant failures to maximize uptime.
• Oversee SAP Maintenance reporting, vendor contracts, and plant modifications.
• Provide regular feedback on plant performance and cost management.
• Coach the maintenance team to build predictive maintenance and problem-solving skills.

Skills

Maintenance planning

Root Cause Analysis

Safety compliance

Team leadership

Budget awareness

Education

BSc/BEng/BTech in Electrical Engineering

Tools

SAP

Job description

We are hiring!

At Sappi, we are a leading global provider with a reputation for delivering high-quality sustainable Woodfibre products and solutions for the global markets. We lead through our values centred around safety, integrity, courage, making smart decisions which we execute with speed. We are seeking unique people who believe in fostering a diverse and inclusive and safe environment.

We are on the lookout for an Electrical Engineer to supply competent and cost-effective maintenance and engineering support, service, advice, solutions, and techniques to maximize plant production and plant availability in a safe and legally compliant manner.

As an Electrical Engineer, you will be responsible for:

Health, Safety, Environmental and Quality

• Enforce technical team compliance with SHEQ policies, work permits, ISO standards (9000, 14001, 50001, 45001), Safe Work Procedures, and Critical Task Analyses.

• Provide continuous SHEQ guidance, conduct routine inspections, maintain safety records, and educate the team on operational standards.

Operational Excellence

• Implement maintenance standards, drive legal compliance for electrical installations, conduct audits, and enforce adherence to Maintenance Business Processes.
• Manage shutdown/long-term maintenance planning, lead Root Cause Analysis (RCA) on plant failures, and execute fast-response breakdown repairs to maximize uptime.
• Oversee SAP Maintenance reporting and data integrity, manage maintenance contracts and vendors, guide plant modifications, and fulfill standby/overtime duties.

Budget and Cost Control

• Monitor weekly expenses against budget, approve requisitions within mandate, and explain variances to the Maintenance Manager Electrical.

• Participate in 5-year capital planning, develop business cases for cost-effective plant changes, and manage equipment renewal/capex projects on time and budget.

Reporting

• Provide regular feedback to the Maintenance Manager Electrical on overall plant performance, unresolved engineering issues, and cost management.

Lean a Technical/Maintenance Team

• Manage team recruitment, performance, development, and discipline, providing direct on-the-job coaching to build predictive maintenance and problem-solving skills.

Build Customer Relations

• Maintain effective communication with internal/external suppliers and customers, actively responding to feedback and initiating corrective action.

What are we looking for?

• BSc, BEng, BTech, BEng Tech, or Advanced Diploma in Electrical Engineering.
• Completion of the Internal Leadership Program (Lead Smart) or a relevant Management qualification is advantageous.
• 2 to 8 years’ maintenance experience within a heavy industrial environment.
• Proven SAP knowledge is highly advantageous.
• Prior experience leading or supervising a technical/maintenance team is advantageous.

What’s in it for you?

• Opportunity to work within a global organisation that continues to thrive in a rapidly changing world even after 80 years of existence.
• Learning and development programmes to fast-track your career within Sappi.
• Opportunities to travel.
• Market leading leave benefits.
• Employee wellbeing benefits.