Plant Manager

Part of nGAGE Talent Limited; Worcester; On-site; ZAR 500,000 - 850,000; Full time

Job summary

Part of nGAGE Talent Limited seeks an experienced Plant Manager to oversee a large industrial water treatment facility in Worcester. You will lead Production and Maintenance, ensure safety, drive KPIs, and manage budgets while delivering reliable plant performance.

The ideal candidate has 3–5 years in advanced water treatment operations, with leadership experience and a strong understanding of RO/MBR/UF technologies. A chemical engineering background is preferred.

Qualifications

• Degree or Diploma in Chemical Engineering (preferred).
• Experience in operating or managing advanced water treatment facilities.
• Experience with MBR, RO, UF and related water treatment technologies.
• Proven people management and leadership ability.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage Production and Maintenance teams.
• Drive operational performance and optimise plant availability.
• Ensure KPIs for production, quality and performance are met.
• Maintain health, safety, environmental and legal compliance.
• Own site safety performance and statutory appointments where applicable.
• Oversee budgeting, procurement, inventory and profit & loss.
• Drive continuous improvement and process optimisation.
• Monitor plant performance and implement corrective actions.
• Prepare reports and analyses for management and clients.
• Plan workforce, performance, and resource allocation.
• Foster strong client relationships via regular reporting.
• Participate in standby duties as required.

Skills

Leadership

Operations management

Water treatment

Budgeting

Stakeholder management

Problem-solving

Communication

Safety-focused leadership

MS Office

Education

Degree in Chemical Engineering

Diploma in Chemical/Mechanical/Civil Eng (relevant water experience)

Tools

MBR

Reverse Osmosis

Ultrafiltration

Media Filtration

Job description

Title: Plant Manager - Advanced Water Treatment

Location: Worcester, Western Cape, South Africa

Role Overview

An established engineering and water treatment organisation is seeking an experienced Plant Manager to take responsibility for the overall management, operation, and maintenance of a large industrial water treatment facility. The successful candidate will ensure safe, efficient plant performance while delivering production targets, contractual KPIs, and customer service excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Production and Maintenance teams.
• Drive operational performance and optimise plant availability.
• Ensure contractual production, quality, and performance KPIs are consistently achieved.
• Maintain compliance with all health, safety, environmental, and legal requirements.
• Take accountability for site safety performance and statutory appointments where applicable.
• Manage financial performance, including budgeting, cost control, procurement, inventory, and profit & loss responsibility.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives and process optimisation.
• Monitor plant performance, identify operational risks, and implement corrective actions.
• Prepare operational reports and performance analyses for management and clients.
• Manage workforce planning, performance, and resource allocation.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships through regular reporting and review meetings.
• Participate in operational standby duties as required.

Requirements

• Degree or Diploma in Chemical Engineering (preferred). Candidates with Mechanical or Civil Engineering qualifications will be considered where supported by relevant water treatment experience.
• Minimum 3-5 years' experience operating or managing advanced water treatment facilities.
• Experience with technologies such as: Anaerobic Digestion; Membrane Bioreactors (MBR); Reverse Osmosis (RO); Ultrafiltration (UF); Media Filtration
• Previous people management experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing industrial plant operations and maintenance.
• Strong understanding of water treatment assets and plant reliability.
• Financial management and budget control experience.
• Strong planning, problem-solving, and process troubleshooting skills.Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications.
• A proactive, accountable, and safety-focused leadership style.