Mechanical Superintendent - Foreman

Pronel Consultants; Durban; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

A reputable chemical manufacturing company in Durban is seeking a Mechanical Superintendent / Foreman to lead the mechanical maintenance team and ensure that all maintenance activities are completed safely, efficiently, on time and within budget.

The successful candidate will be responsible for maintenance planning, shutdowns, breakdowns, equipment reliability, legal compliance and the supervision and development of mechanical artisans.

Qualifications

• N6 Mechanical Engineering Diploma is required.
• Fitting Trade Test Certificate is required.
• Supervisory Leadership Certificate will be an advantage.
• Minimum 8 years' hands-on mechanical maintenance experience in manufacturing or heavy industry.
• At least 3 years' supervisory experience over mechanical artisans.
• Experience in maintenance planning, scheduling and CMMS usage.

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate and supervise preventive, predictive, corrective and breakdown maintenance, including shutdowns, to improve equipment reliability and plant availability.
• Ensure compliance with safety and statutory requirements, conduct risk assessments and enforce safety policies.
• Lead, coach and develop mechanical artisans for quality workmanship and safety adherence.
• Perform fault-finding, root cause analysis and drive continuous improvement in maintenance performance.
• Manage maintenance work orders, scheduling, feedback and close-out using the CMMS and coordinate with other teams.
• Oversee small projects, provide input on capital projects and supervise contractors.
• Control maintenance costs and ensure availability of spare parts and tools.
• Maintain mechanical work instructions, standards and quality-control procedures.
• Provide standby support and participate in emergency response as needed.

Skills

Fault finding

Leadership

Planning

Communication

CMMS

Continuous improvement

Project management

Independent work

Education

N6 Mechanical Engineering Diploma

Fitting Trade Test Certificate

Supervisory Leadership Certificate

Tools

CMMS

Microsoft Office

Job description

A reputable chemical manufacturing company in Durban is seeking a Mechanical Superintendent / Foreman to lead the mechanical maintenance team and ensure that all maintenance activities are completed safely, efficiently, on time and within budget.

The successful candidate will be responsible for maintenance planning, shutdowns, breakdowns, equipment reliability, legal compliance and the supervision and development of mechanical artisans.

Minimum Qualifications

• N6 Mechanical Engineering Diploma.
• Fitting Trade Test Certificate.
• Supervisory Leadership Certificate will be an advantage.

Experience Required

• Minimum of 8 years' hands-on mechanical maintenance experience in manufacturing, continuous-process or heavy industrial operations.
• At least 3 years' direct experience supervising mechanical artisans.
• Proven experience in daily maintenance work control, weekly scheduling, shutdown planning and execution, breakdown coordination and maintenance quality.
• Practical experience with rotating equipment, including pumps, bearings, couplings, gearboxes, fans and motors.
• Experience with grain-handling equipment, including chain conveyors and bucket elevators.
• Practical experience using a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) for work orders, planning, scheduling, feedback, close-out and backlog reporting.
• Experience as a GMR 2.7 appointee in an environment involving pressure vessels and driven machinery.
• Working knowledge of Operational Excellence programmes and ISO management systems, including ISO 9001.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintenance and Reliability: Plan, coordinate and supervise preventive, predictive, corrective and breakdown maintenance, including shutdowns, to improve equipment reliability and plant availability.
• Safety and Compliance: Ensure compliance with the OHS Act, GMR 2.7 requirements, statutory inspections, SHEQ procedures, ISO standards and company safety policies. Conduct risk assessments, stop unsafe work and elevate risks where necessary.
• Team Leadership: Supervise, coach and develop mechanical artisans, ensuring quality workmanship, productivity, discipline, accountability and adherence to safety standards.
• Fault-Finding and Continuous Improvement: Lead mechanical troubleshooting, root cause analysis and proactive inspections to prevent recurring failures and improve maintenance performance.
• Work Planning and Control: Manage maintenance work orders, scheduling, feedback and close-out using the CMMS. Coordinate maintenance activities with Production, Planning and other Engineering teams.
• Projects and Contractors: Manage small mechanical projects, provide technical input into capital projects and equipment selection, supervise contractors, and participate in Management of Change (MOC) processes.
• Cost and Spare Parts Management: Control maintenance expenditure within budget and ensure critical spare parts, tools and workshop equipment are available and properly maintained.
• Engineering Standards: Maintain mechanical work instructions, repair standards, specifications and quality-control procedures.
• Operational Support: Provide standby support when required, participate in emergency response as a designated Fire Team member, and perform other reasonable and lawful duties as required.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong mechanical fault-finding and analytical problem-solving skills.
• Proven leadership, team supervision and coaching abilities.
• Good planning, organisational and coordination skills.
• Strong communication, collaboration and conflict-resolution skills.
• Computer literacy, including CMMS and Microsoft Office.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented and accountable.
• Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities in a fast-paced industrial environment.
• Project management skills will be an advantage.

Additional Requirements

• Must be physically capable of performing the duties of the position.
• Must be comfortable working at heights and in confined spaces.
• Must be able to work under pressure and manage short shutdown windows.
• Must be willing to provide standby support when required.