Maintenance Lead

Philip Morris International; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Philip Morris International in Gauteng seeks a Maintenance Lead to drive maintenance excellence across production lines, improving uptime, reliability and cost efficiency. The role demands strong leadership and hands-on technical skills to elevate equipment performance in a high‑speed FMCG environment.

You will lead preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance, manage planning and spares, coach teams, and partner with operations to deliver safety, quality and productivity improvements

Qualifications

• Engineering or technical qualification required.
• Experience in manufacturing/FMCG environment.
• Strong knowledge of preventive and predictive maintenance.
• Experience with maintenance planning, reliability improvement, and troubleshooting.
• Working knowledge of SAP or similar maintenance management tools.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; able to make decisions.
• Ability to influence and coach technical teams; strong communication in English.

Responsibilities

• Lead preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance activities to maximize equipment reliability and performance.
• Drive breakdown elimination, troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Plan, prioritize, and schedule maintenance activities to minimize downtime and support production targets.
• Monitor maintenance performance, analyze losses, and implement solutions to improve equipment efficiency.
• Manage maintenance backlogs, work notifications, spare parts, and technical documentation.
• Support maintenance budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and repair & maintenance performance analysis.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory requirements.
• Participate in Daily Direction Setting (DDS) and contribute to operational performance improvement plans.
• Coach and develop teams in maintenance best practices, troubleshooting methodologies, and technical problem-solving.
• Support Kaizen, continuous improvement, and OPEN+/IOS initiatives to strengthen operational excellence.

Skills

Manufacturing environment experience

Preventive and predictive maintenance

Maintenance planning and reliability

Troubleshooting

Analytical and problem-solving

Leadership/ability to influence

English proficiency

Education

Engineering or technical qualification

Tools

SAP maintenance systems

Maintenance management platforms

Job description

At Philip Morris International (PMI), we're transforming our business to build a smoke-free future. To achieve this, we need talented professionals who are ready to make a meaningful impact. As a Maintenance Lead, you will drive maintenance excellence across assigned production lines, ensuring equipment reliability, efficiency, and cost optimization. You will lead maintenance planning and execution, eliminate equipment losses, support continuous improvement initiatives, and build technical capability within operational teams.

Your Responsibilities

• Lead preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance activities to maximize equipment reliability and performance.
• Drive breakdown elimination, troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Plan, prioritize, and schedule maintenance activities to minimize downtime and support production targets.
• Monitor maintenance performance, analyze losses, and implement solutions to improve equipment efficiency.
• Manage maintenance backlogs, work notifications, spare parts, and technical documentation.
• Support maintenance budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and repair & maintenance performance analysis.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, quality, and regulatory requirements.
• Participate in Daily Direction Setting (DDS) and contribute to operational performance improvement plans.
• Coach and develop teams in maintenance best practices, troubleshooting methodologies, and technical problem-solving.
• Support Kaizen, continuous improvement, and OPEN+/IOS initiatives to strengthen operational excellence.

Who We're Looking For

• Relevant Engineering or Technical qualification.
• Experience in a manufacturing, FMCG, production, or industrial environment.
• Strong knowledge of preventive and predictive maintenance practices.
• Experience with maintenance planning, reliability improvement, and equipment troubleshooting.
• Working knowledge of SAP maintenance systems or similar maintenance management platforms.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to influence, coach, and develop technical teams.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.

What We Offer

• The opportunity to contribute to a global transformation toward a smoke-free future.
• A collaborative and inclusive work environment where diverse perspectives are valued.
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities to support your career growth.
• Exposure to advanced manufacturing technologies and operational excellence practices.
• The chance to work alongside talented professionals and make a lasting impact.