Maintenance Manager

Ashley Kruth; Emfuleni Local Municipality; On-site; ZAR 750,000 - 810,000; Full time

Job summary

Ashley Kruth is sourcing a Maintenance Manager for a new plant in Midvaal, Gauteng. The role leads the maintenance function from commissioning to 24/7 operation, reporting to the Managing Director.

Qualifications include mechanical/electrical/mechatronics engineering with GCC Factory certification, 5–10 years in industrial maintenance, CMMS experience, and strong safety knowledge. The position requires hands-on leadership and on-call availability.

Qualifications

• Engineering degree in mechanical, electrical or mechatronics with NQF 7/8.
• 5-10 years in industrial maintenance with supervisory experience.
• Experience in manufacturing/heavy industry with automation knowledge.
• Familiar with CMMS and preventive maintenance; fault-finding and RCA.
• Strong health and safety knowledge and risk assessment.
• GCC Factory certification.
• Proficient in English and standard computer tools.

Responsibilities

• Prepare the plant for handover: technical reviews, walkdowns, testing and commissioning; close out maintainability, safety and warranty issues.
• Set up CMMS, asset hierarchy, preventive maintenance plans and work standards.
• Establish the maintenance workshop, tools, testing equipment, spares and consumables.
• Develop and improve preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance programs across mechanical, electrical, automation and utilities.
• Lead fault-finding and root-cause analysis; track availability, reliability, backlog and KPIs.
• Plan shutdowns and interventions with Production and Silo teams to limit disruption.
• Manage contractors, OEMs and service providers; define scopes and monitor quality.
• Participate in annual maintenance budgets, forecasts and CAPEX; monitor spend.
• Recruit, organise and develop the maintenance team; on-call cover for continuous operation.
• Enforce safety procedures; participate in risk assessments and incident investigations.
• Coordinate statutory inspections, calibration and verification; support HACCP, audits and food safety & environmental systems.
• Support utilities operation and drive energy and water efficiency.

Skills

CMMS experience

Preventive maintenance

Root cause analysis

Health and safety

Leadership and team management

Education

Mech/Elect/Mechatronics degree

Tools

SAP

Job description

R 750000 - R 810000 Annually Cost To Company

Our client, an established international agro-processing group, is building a new plant in Midvaal, Gauteng. They are looking for an experienced Maintenance Manager to establish and lead the maintenance function, from commissioning readiness through to stable, continuous 24/7 operation. This is a site-based, immediate appointment, reporting directly to the Managing Director. You’ll shape the team, systems, workshop and spare-parts strategy that will keep the plant reliable for the long term.

Key Responsibilities:

• Prepare the plant for handover: take part in technical reviews, walkdowns, equipment testing and commissioning, and close out maintainability, safety and warranty issues
• Set up the CMMS, asset hierarchy, preventive maintenance plans, procedures and work standards
• Establish the maintenance workshop, tools, testing equipment, critical spares and consumables
• Develop and continuously improve preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance programmes across mechanical, electrical, automation and utility equipment
• Lead fault-finding and root-cause analysis, and track availability, reliability, backlog and breakdown KPIs
• Plan shutdowns and interventions with Production and Silo teams to limit disruption
• Manage contractors, OEMs and specialist service providers, define scopes of work and monitor technical quality
• Take part in annual maintenance budgets, forecasts and CAPEX planning, and monitor spend against budget
• Recruit, organise and develop the maintenance team, including call-out and standby cover for continuous operation
• Enforce Permit-to-Work, isolation, Lockout/Tagout, hot-work and other safe-working procedures, and take part in risk assessments and incident investigations
• Coordinate statutory inspections, calibration and verification, and support HACCP, audits and food safety, quality and environmental systems
• Support reliable and efficient operation of utilities (boilers, refrigeration, heat recovery, compressed air) and drive energy and water efficiency

The Technical Environment:

• Grain receiving, handling and storage: silos, conveyors and bucket elevators
• Malting and kilning equipment, industrial fans, pumps, motors and pneumatic systems
• Electrical distribution, VFDs, PLCs, industrial automation, instrumentation and process control
• CHP cogeneration, gas boilers, industrial refrigeration and cooling, heat recovery and dust extraction
• ATEX zones and confined spaces

What We're Looking For:

• Qualification in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or Mechatronics, preferably NQF Level 7 or 8
• About 5-10 years' industrial maintenance experience, including supervising or managing a technical team
• Experience in manufacturing, process or heavy industry, with strong mechanical and electrical maintenance knowledge and working knowledge of industrial automation
• Experience with CMMS and preventive maintenance systems, troubleshooting, fault-finding and root-cause analysis
• Strong practical knowledge of industrial health and safety, machinery safety, risk assessment and safe maintenance practices
• Strong planning, coordination and cost-control capability
• GCC Factories certification
• Good command of English and competent use of standard computer tools

Advantageous:

• Experience in food, beverage, brewing, malting, grain handling, milling, feed mill, agro-processing, sugar or another continuous-process industry
• Involvement in construction completion, commissioning or start-up of a new industrial plant, followed by operational maintenance responsibility
• SAP experience

The Person:

Hands-on and technically credible, dynamic and calm under pressure, with strong organisational and communication skills. You’re reliable, professional and a team builder who sets the standard for safety, ownership and discipline, and you’re willing to work extended hours and take part in on-call support when needed.

If you’re a maintenance leader who wants to build something from the start, we’d love to hear from you.

Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted