Engineering Manager

Boardroom Appointments; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Boardroom Appointments is seeking a Head of Engineering for a leading manufacturing organisation in Johannesburg. You will lead engineering operations, utilities management, maintenance strategy and capital projects in a highly regulated environment.

The role demands a strategic engineering leader with extensive experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing, FMCG, cGMP and SAHPRA compliance, and a track record of delivering safety, reliability and cost-effective capital projects.

Qualifications

• Degree or diploma in mechanical or electrical engineering.
• GCC – mandatory.
• Minimum 10 years' progressive engineering experience.
• Minimum 5 years in senior engineering or maintenance leadership.
• Experience in pharmaceutical manufacturing, FMCG, and highly regulated environments.
• Experience with utilities, reliability engineering, capital projects and budgets.

Responsibilities

• Ensure continuous, reliable, and compliant operation of all engineering systems and production equipment.
• Lead maintenance strategy, CMMS planning, and reliability initiatives.
• Oversee capital projects, upgrades, and equipment installations.
• Drive compliance with cGMP, SAHPRA, ISO quality standards and validation activities.
• Develop and mentor a multidisciplinary engineering team.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Maintenance management

Regulatory compliance

Education

Degree / Diploma in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering

GCC (Government Certificate of Competence)

Job description

Industry: Pharmaceutical / FMCG / Manufacturing

A leading manufacturing organisation is seeking an experienced Head of Engineering to lead engineering operations, utilities management, maintenance strategy, and capital projects within a highly regulated production environment.

This is a senior leadership role suited to a technically strong engineering professional with extensive experience in manufacturing operations, utilities, reliability engineering, and regulatory compliance.

THE ROLE

You will be responsible for ensuring the continuous, reliable, and compliant operation of all engineering systems, utilities, and production equipment across the site.

The role focuses on operational continuity, engineering excellence, equipment reliability, compliance, project delivery, and leadership of a high-performing engineering function.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational Continuity & Production Support

• Ensuring continuous availability and reliability of production equipment and utilities
• Supporting production efficiency, uptime, throughput, and OEE targets
• Providing engineering support during start-ups, line changes, and product introductions
• Managing critical breakdown escalation processes and engineering incident response

Utilities & Facilities Management

• Managing core site utilities, including:
  • Steam boilers
  • Compressed air systems
  • HVAC systems
  • Chilled water systems
  • Purified/pharmaceutical water systems
  • Wastewater treatment
  • Electrical distribution systems
• Driving optimisation initiatives around energy efficiency, water consumption, and utility performance
• Ensuring operational procedures and control philosophies are documented and maintained

Maintenance Strategy & Reliability Engineering

• Developing and managing preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programmes
• Driving CMMS-based maintenance planning and backlog control
• Implementing condition-based and predictive maintenance practices including:
  • Vibration analysis
  • Thermography
  • Oil analysis
• Leading shutdowns, maintenance turnarounds, and reliability improvement initiatives
• Driving root cause analysis and continuous improvement programmes

Capital Projects & Engineering Delivery

• Leading engineering input for capital projects, upgrades, and equipment installations
• Managing project scope, budgets, commissioning, and qualification activities
• Ensuring projects are delivered safely, on schedule, and within budget
• Managing contractor performance and engineering handovers

Compliance, Validation & Quality Systems

• Ensuring compliance with:
  • cGMP
  • SAHPRA
  • ISO quality standards
  • SHE requirements
• Supporting equipment qualification, calibration, and validation processes
• Collaborating with Quality Assurance on deviations, CAPAs, and change controls
• Maintaining audit readiness and supporting regulatory inspections
• Managing engineering Opex and Capex budgets
• Driving cost optimisation and lifecycle cost management
• Managing staffing, contractor resources, and engineering capacity planning
• Supporting procurement and critical spares management

Leadership & Team Development

• Leading and developing multidisciplinary engineering teams
• Driving performance management, coaching, and succession planning
• Developing technical training and competency programmes
• Building a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Key Requirements

• Degree / Diploma in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering
• GCC (Government Certificate of Competence) – Mandatory
• Minimum 10 years' progressive engineering experience
• Minimum 5 years' experience in a senior engineering or maintenance leadership role
• Strong experience within:
  • Pharmaceutical manufacturing
  • FMCG
  • Highly regulated manufacturing environments
• Utilities and facilities
• Reliability engineering
• Large engineering teams
• Capital projects and budgets
• Strong understanding of:
  • cGMP
  • SAHPRA
  • ISO quality systems
  • Engineering compliance and validation

Advantageous

• MBA or postgraduate qualification in Engineering Management or Business Management
• Professional registration with ECSA (Pr.Eng / Pr.Tech)

WHO YOU ARE

• A strategic engineering leader with strong operational capability
• Results-driven with a focus on reliability and continuous improvement
• A technically strong decision-maker with excellent problem-solving skills
• Strong people leadership and team development capability
• Highly organised with strong project and financial management skills
• Safety-focused with a strong governance and compliance mindset

WHY THIS ROLE

• Opportunity to lead engineering operations within a highly regulated manufacturing environment
• High-impact role driving operational reliability and production performance
• Exposure to large-scale utilities, facilities, and capital projects
• Strategic leadership role with strong business influence
• Opportunity to drive engineering excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement