Maintenance Manager: Farming

Fruitways; Grabouw; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,350,000; Full time

Job summary

Fruitways in Grabouw, South Africa, invites a hands-on Maintenance Manager to lead engineering maintenance across farming operations. You will drive preventive maintenance, oversee capital projects and ensure safety and governance standards.

You will manage budgets, lead technical and supervisory staff, and collaborate with service providers to optimize assets and performance across multiple farm units. The role requires a strong engineering background, 6+ years of leadership experience, and a

Qualifications

• N6/Trade Test or higher in mechanical or civil engineering.
• Minimum 6+ years in supervisory/management maintenance roles.
• Proven track record transitioning from specialist to generalist management.
• Strong mechanical knowledge with civil/electrical infra experience.
• Experience implementing asset management systems.
• Proficiency with maintenance dashboards and data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Maintenance of buildings, dams, roads, bulk water supply and security systems.
• Planning and execution of infrastructure-related capital projects.
• Management of water, wastewater and solid waste services across farming operations.
• Oversight and asset management of vehicles, fleet and farming equipment including tractors and spray carts.
• Development and implementation of preventative maintenance schedules and asset management systems.
• Leadership and development of technical and supervisory staff, contractors and service providers.
• Full accountability for maintenance and capital budgets.
• Ensuring legal compliance with safety, operational and governance standards.

Skills

Maintenance management

Asset management

People leadership

Technical drawings

Budget management

Safety compliance

Education

Engineering diploma

Tools

Maintenance dashboards

Job description

Fruitways is a leading agri-business in South Africa. We specialise in the growing, packing and marketing of apples and pears to retailers, traders and wholesalers around the globe.

MAINTENANCE MANAGER: FARMING

We have an exciting career opportunity for a hands‑on, experienced and strategically minded individual as a Maintenance Manager for our Farming business unit. You will play a critical leadership role in ensuring the effective management, maintenance and development of engineering infrastructure across the business unit. The vacancy is based in the Grabouw/Vyeboom areas, with operations across multiple farming units, and travel between farm units will be required.

Responsibilities

• Maintenance of buildings, dams, roads, bulk water supply and security systems
• Planning and execution of infrastructure‑related capital projects
• Management of water, wastewater and solid waste services across farming operations
• Oversight and asset management of vehicles, fleet and farming related equipment including tractors, trailers and spray carts
• Development and implementation of preventative maintenance schedules and asset management systems
• Leadership and development of technical and supervisory staff, contractors and service providers
• Full accountability for maintenance and capital budgets
• Ensuring legal compliance with safety, operational and governance standards

Requirements

• N6 with Trade Test, National Diploma, B.Tech or B.Eng in Mechanical / Civil Engineering with strong maintenance experience is essential
• Minimum 6+ years' experience in a supervisory or management role within maintenance, engineering or physical asset management
• Proven track record of transitioning from specialist technical expertise into a generalist management role
• Strong Mechanical working knowledge with civil and electrical infrastructure experience advantageous
• Ability to read, draft and interpret technical drawings, blueprints and schematics
• Asset management and maintenance system implementation experience
• Advance software skills for maintenance dashboards, analysis and predictions
• Strong people management, communication and practical problem‑solving skills
• Structured and disciplined with the ability to drive process improvements in a fast‑paced operational environment
• Valid driver's licence and own reliable transport required

The Fruitways Group’s employment equity requirements will be considered in evaluating candidates.