National Technical Services Director - Lubricants

Boardroom Appointments; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Boardroom Appointments in Johannesburg seeks an experienced SA Technical Services Manager to lead national technical strategy and enhance customer value through innovative service offerings. This executive role combines engineering excellence with business growth and requires leadership of a technical team across South Africa, plus collaboration with Sales to support value-based opportunities.

The role focuses on differentiating services such as lubrication programmes, oil analysis and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical/chemical/industrial engineering or related technical discipline.
• Postgraduate qualification in business/management is advantageous.
• Minimum 15 years in technical, product or application-focused roles.
• At least 10 years combining technical expertise with commercial leadership.
• Experience in industrial lubricants, petrochemical or industrial B2B sectors.
• Proven success leading technical teams and translating capability into growth.
• Strong knowledge of lubrication, condition monitoring, oil analysis and reliability engineering.
• Excellent stakeholder management, leadership and presentation skills.
• Willingness to travel extensively throughout South Africa.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the national technical services strategy aligned to business growth objectives.
• Lead and mentor a team of technical professionals across South Africa.
• Partner with Sales and Key Account teams to support customer acquisition, retention and value-based selling.
• Design and implement differentiated technical service offerings, including lubrication programmes, oil analysis, condition monitoring and reliability solutions.
• Provide expert technical support for major customer engagements, tenders and product conversions.
• Conduct root cause investigations and develop corrective actions to improve product performance and customer satisfaction.
• Deliver technical training to internal teams, distributors and customers.
• Build strong relationships with engineering, maintenance and operational stakeholders across key industries.
• Drive continuous improvement through innovation, data analysis and customer-focused technical solutions.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Commercial mindset

Stakeholder management

Presentation skills

Team mentoring

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical/Industrial/Chemical Engineering or related

Postgraduate qualification in Business/Management advantageous

Job description

A leading player in the industrial lubricants sector is seeking an experienced SA Technical Services Manager to lead its national technical strategy and drive customer value through innovative technical service offerings.

This is an executive-level opportunity for a commercially minded technical leader who can bridge engineering excellence with business growth. You will play a key role in strengthening customer relationships, supporting strategic sales initiatives, leading a high-performing technical team, and positioning technical services as a true competitive advantage.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the national technical services strategy aligned to business growth objectives.
• Lead and mentor a team of technical professionals across South Africa.
• Partner with Sales and Key Account teams to support customer acquisition, retention and value-based selling.
• Design and implement differentiated technical service offerings, including lubrication programmes, oil analysis, condition monitoring and reliability solutions.
• Provide expert technical support for major customer engagements, tenders and product conversions.
• Conduct root cause investigations and develop corrective actions to improve product performance and customer satisfaction.
• Deliver technical training to internal teams, distributors and customers.
• Build strong relationships with engineering, maintenance and operational stakeholders across key industries.
• Drive continuous improvement through innovation, data analysis and customer-focused technical solutions.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Chemistry, Tribology or a related technical discipline.
• A postgraduate qualification in Business or Management will be advantageous.
• Minimum of 15 years' experience in technical, product or application-focused roles.
• At least 10 years' experience combining technical expertise with commercial leadership.
• Proven experience within the industrial lubricants, petrochemical or industrial B2B sector.
• Demonstrated success leading technical teams and translating technical capability into measurable business growth.
• Strong knowledge of lubrication, condition monitoring, oil analysis, reliability engineering and industrial applications.
• Excellent stakeholder management, leadership and presentation skills.
• Willingness to travel extensively throughout South Africa.

We Are Looking For Someone Who

• Thinks commercially while maintaining strong technical credibility.
• Can influence senior engineering and operational stakeholders.
• Enjoys solving complex technical challenges.
• Has a passion for improving equipment reliability and customer performance.
• Can lead strategic technical initiatives while supporting business growth.
• Thrives in a customer-facing leadership environment.

If you are a seasoned technical leader with a passion for engineering excellence, customer success and commercial impact, we would like to hear from you.

Apply today by submitting your detailed CV. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.