Maintenance Manager

University of Fort Hare; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 960,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Fort Hare in South Africa seeks an experienced Maintenance Manager to lead its maintenance function across FMCG-like operations. You will drive reliability, safety, and continuous improvement within a regulated environment, transforming reactive maintenance to proactive, predictive, and TPM-based practices.

You will manage CapEx and OpEx budgets, oversee a multi-disciplinary team, and report to senior leadership on performance metrics such as OEE, MTBF, MTTR, and energy

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering.
• GCC (Factories) advantageous.
• 10–15 years in maintenance within manufacturing or FMCG.
• At least 5 years in a senior or leadership role.
• Proven track record managing large-scale plants or multi-site operations.
• Experience implementing maintenance transformation programmes.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute long-term maintenance strategy aligned with production targets and growth plans.
• Shift maintenance toward proactive, predictive, and TPM-based practices.
• Oversee CapEx planning, upgrades, and automation initiatives.
• Ensure reliability of dairy processing systems, filling/packaging lines, and utilities.
• Monitor KPIs: OEE, downtime, MTBF, MTTR; drive continuous improvement.
• Lead a multidisciplinary maintenance and engineering team; mentor and develop staff.
• Ensure compliance with OHS Act, equipment regulations and food safety standards.
• Lead safety, audit readiness, and sustainability initiatives.
• Provide strategic reporting to senior leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Maintenance management

Process improvement

Lean Six Sigma

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering

Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering

Tools

CMMS

Predictive maintenance tools

Job description

R 900000 - R 960000 Annually Cost To Company

A well-established manufacturing organisation in the FMCG sector is seeking an experienced and results-driven Maintenance Manager to lead its maintenance function across operations. This role offers both strategic and operational leadership, ensuring optimal equipment reliability, operational efficiency, and full compliance with health, safety, environmental, and food safety standards.

About the Role

You'll play a key part in driving continuous improvement, asset optimisation, and cost-effective maintenance strategies within a highly regulated manufacturing environment — leading the transformation of the maintenance function from reactive to proactive, predictive, and reliability-centred, while contributing directly to operational excellence and long-term business sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive long-term maintenance strategy aligned with business objectives, production targets, and growth plans
• Drive the shift to proactive, predictive, and reliability-centred maintenance practices, including Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) principles
• Oversee CapEx planning and execution, including plant upgrades, equipment replacement, and automation initiatives
• Ensure optimal performance, reliability, and availability of critical plant and equipment — including dairy processing systems (pasteurisers, homogenisers, separators), filling/packaging lines, and utility systems (refrigeration, boilers, compressed air)
• Monitor and improve key KPIs, including OEE, planned vs. unplanned downtime, MTBF, and MTTR
• Lead, manage, and develop a multidisciplinary maintenance and engineering team, including artisans, technicians, engineers, and contractors
• Build leadership capability through mentoring, succession planning, and structured skills development
• Ensure full compliance with the OHS Act, Machinery and Pressure Equipment Regulations, and food safety standards (HACCP, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000)
• Champion a zero-harm safety culture and lead internal/external audit readiness
• Support sustainability initiatives, including energy efficiency, water conservation, and reduced reliance on hazardous substances
• Manage the maintenance budget (OPEX & CAPEX), identifying cost‑saving and optimisation opportunities
• Drive continuous improvement using Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and Root Cause Analysis methodologies
• Implement and optimise digital maintenance systems (CMMS) and predictive maintenance tools
• Collaborate with production, quality, supply chain, and procurement teams, and engage with external suppliers, contractors, and regulatory bodies
• Provide strategic reporting to senior leadership

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field
• GCC (Government Certificate of Competency – Factories) highly advantageous
• Additional certifications in maintenance management, reliability engineering, or project management beneficial
• 10–15 years' experience in maintenance within manufacturing or FMCG environments
• At least 5 years in a senior or leadership role
• Proven track record managing large-scale plants or multi-site operations, and implementing maintenance best practices and transformation programmes

Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted