Maintenance Manager

Manpower Group; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Manpower Group in South Africa seeks a Senior Maintenance leader to transform the maintenance function from reactive to proactive, predictive, and reliability-centred within a highly regulated manufacturing environment.

You will lead a multidisciplinary team across dairy processing plants, manage CapEx and automation initiatives, ensure OHS and HACCP compliance, and drive continuous improvement and cost efficiencies in maintenance operations.

Qualifications

• 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.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive long-term maintenance strategy.
• Drive proactive, predictive, and reliability-centred maintenance practices (TPM).
• Oversee CapEx planning and execution for plant upgrades and automation initiatives.
• Ensure reliability and availability of dairy processing systems and utilities.
• Monitor KPIs such as OEE, downtime, MTBF, MTTR.
• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary maintenance and engineering team.
• Ensure compliance with OHS Act and food safety standards (HACCP, ISO 22000).
• Champion zero-harm safety culture and audit readiness.
• Support sustainability and energy/water efficiency initiatives.
• Provide strategic reporting to senior leadership.

Skills

Maintenance leadership

Lean Six Sigma

Stakeholder management

CMMS

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical/Electrical/Industrial Engineering

GCC Factories advantageous

Maintenance management certification

Job description

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