Mechanical Engineer

Sappi; Ngodwana; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Sappi in Ngodwana, Mpumalanga, is seeking a Mechanical Engineer to maximise equipment performance while ensuring safety, compliance, and cost efficiency. You will lead maintenance strategies, supervise teams, analyze SAP data, and drive continuous improvement in a heavy industry setting.

The role requires a relevant engineering degree and 2–8 years’ experience, with advantageous professional registration and SAP familiarity.

Qualifications

• BSc/ BEng / BEng Tech / Advanced Diploma in Mechanical Engineering.
• Minimum of 2 to 8 years’ maintenance experience in heavy industry.
• Registration as a professional engineer would be advantageous.
• Government Certificate of Competence (Factories) would be advantageous.
• SAP experience would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Enforce statutory compliance, SHEQ policies, ISO standards (9000/14001/50001/45001), permit-to-work rules, and hazardous waste protocols.
• Educate and guide the technical team via regular inspections, detailed record-keeping, Safe Work Procedures, and Critical Task Analyses.
• Develop, implement, and audit maintenance standards and business processes to maintain equipment integrity and legal compliance.
• Lead root-cause failure analyses, coordinate corrective repairs, and execute both long-term and incidental shutdown planning.
• Analyze SAP maintenance data, manage external contractor alliances, and perform required standby and overtime duties.
• Oversee maintenance expenditure, track weekly variances against budget, and handle purchase approvals within delegated authority.
• Propose cost-effective plant changes/business cases, support 5-year capital planning, and manage capital renewal projects on budget.
• Provide weekly reports to the Maintenance Manager Mechanical covering overall plant performance, engineering issues, and costs.
• Maintain proactive communication with internal and external customers/suppliers, responding promptly to feedback with corrective action.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Leadership

Analytical thinking

Education

BSc/BEng/BEng Tech/Advanced Diploma in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SAP

Job description

At Sappi, we are a leading global provider with a reputation for delivering high-quality sustainable Woodfibre products and solutions for the global markets. We lead through our values centred around safety, integrity, courage, making smart decisions which we execute with speed. We are seeking unique people who believe in fostering a diverse and inclusive and safe environment.

We are on the lookout for a Mechanical Engineer to maximize equipment performance in a safe, legal, and cost-effective manner.

As aMechanical Engineer, you will be responsible for:

Health, Safety, Environmental and Quality

• Enforce statutory compliance, SHEQ policies, ISO standards (9000/14001/50001/45001), permit-to-work rules, and hazardous waste protocols.
• Educate and guide the technical team via regular inspections, detailed record-keeping, Safe Work Procedures, and Critical Task Analyses.

Operational Excellence

• Develop, implement, and audit maintenance standards and business processes to maintain equipment integrity and legal compliance.
• Lead root-cause failure analyses, coordinate corrective repairs, and execute both long-term and incidental shutdown planning.
• Analyze SAP maintenance data, manage external contractor alliances, and perform required standby and overtime duties.

Budget and Cost Control

• Oversee maintenance expenditure, track weekly variances against budget, and handle purchase approvals within delegated authority.
• Propose cost-effective plant changes/business cases, support 5-year capital planning, and manage capital renewal projects on budget.

Reporting

• Provide weekly reports to the Maintenance Manager Mechanical covering overall plant performance, engineering issues, and costs.

Build Customer Relations

• Maintain proactive communication with internal and external customers/suppliers, responding promptly to feedback with corrective action.

What are we looking for?

• BSc / BEng / BEng Tech / Advanced Diploma in Mechanical Engineering.
• Minimum of 2 to 8 years’ maintenance experience in heavy industry.
• Supervisory experience and relevant management qualifications are advantageous.
• SAP experience would be advantageous.
• Government Certificate of Competence (Factories) would be advantageous.
• Registration as a professional engineer would be advantageous.

What’s in it for you?

• Opportunity to work within a global organisation that continues to thrive in a rapidly changing world even after 80 years of existence.
• Learning and development programmes to fast-track your career within Sappi.
• Opportunities to travel.
• Market leading leave benefits.

Sappi is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. At Sappi, we encourage and support vaccination.

ABOUT SAPPI

Sappi isa leading global provider of everyday materials made from woodfibre-based renewable resources. As a diversified, innovative and trusted leader focused on sustainable processes and products, we are building a more circular economy by making what we should, not just what we can.