Senior Draughtsperson/Lead Project Engineer

Ntsumi HR Partners; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Our Client in Gauteng seeks an experienced Technical Project Engineer to lead medium to large engineering projects, providing technical guidance and supervision across design, implementation, and commissioning phases.

You will manage technical scope, drive engineering standards, and collaborate with customers, suppliers, and internal teams to ensure on-time delivery and quality. English proficiency is required, with 3+ years in a leadership role in engineering.

Qualifications

• Higher Technical Education qualification (Technical College or equivalent).
• MDDOP qualification.
• Proficiency in English (written and verbal).

Responsibilities

• Lead project teams on medium to large engineering projects, providing technical guidance within your area of expertise.
• Support Project Managers and Senior Project Engineers on complex multidisciplinary projects.
• Manage the technical scope of allocated projects to ensure successful achievement of objectives, timelines, and quality standards.
• Proactively identify, escape, and resolve technical challenges and project risks.
• Ensure adherence to engineering processes, standards, and best practices throughout project execution.
• Lead and facilitate internal and external concept, design, and technical review meetings.
• Supervise project design activities, ensuring quality, traceability, and installation readiness.
• Review and approve technical designs, drawings, specifications, and engineering documentation.
• Prepare technical specifications and documentation for procurement activities, including third-party suppliers and subcontractors.
• Apply sound engineering principles to resolve technical issues arising during design, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning phases.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with customers, suppliers, subcontractors, and internal stakeholders.
• Participate in project meetings and provide technical expertise to cross-functional teams.
• Clarify technical requirements and ensure alignment between all project stakeholders.
• Support Project Managers in managing claims, variations, deviations, and technical change requests.
• Provide technical supervision, coaching, and support to team members.
• Guide engineering and draughting teams to ensure high-quality deliverables.
• Contribute to team performance evaluations and development planning.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Develop installation documentation, commissioning notes, and technical handover packages.
• Capture lessons learned and implement best practices across projects.
• Drive improvements in engineering processes, project execution, and technical standards.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Planning & Problem Solving

Business Acumen

Education

Higher Technical Education

MDDOP qualification

Tools

MS Office Suite

2D/3D CAD software

AutoCAD Plant 3D

Architectural & Piping Design Systems

Job description

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Project Delivery

• Lead project teams on medium to large engineering projects, providing technical guidance within your area of expertise.
• Support Project Managers and Senior Project Engineers on complex multidisciplinary projects.
• Manage the technical scope of allocated projects to ensure successful achievement of objectives, timelines, and quality standards.
• Proactively identify, escape, and resolve technical challenges and project risks.
• Ensure adherence to engineering processes, standards, and best practices throughout project execution.

Design & Engineering Management

• Lead and facilitate internal and external concept, design, and technical review meetings.
• Supervise project design activities, ensuring quality, traceability, and installation readiness.
• Review and approve technical designs, drawings, specifications, and engineering documentation.
• Prepare technical specifications and documentation for procurement activities, including third-party suppliers and subcontractors.
• Apply sound engineering principles to resolve technical issues arising during design, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning phases.

Stakeholder & Customer Engagement

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with customers, suppliers, subcontractors, and internal stakeholders.
• Participate in project meetings and provide technical expertise to cross-functional teams.
• Clarify technical requirements and ensure alignment between all project stakeholders.
• Support Project Managers in managing claims, variations, deviations, and technical change requests.

Team Leadership & Development

• Provide technical supervision, coaching, and support to team members.
• Guide engineering and draughting teams to ensure high-quality deliverables.
• Contribute to team performance evaluations and development planning.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Continuous Improvement

• Develop installation documentation, commissioning notes, and technical handover packages.
• Capture lessons learned and implement best practices across projects.
• Drive improvements in engineering processes, project execution, and technical standards.

  Minimum Requirements

  Qualifications

  • Higher Technical Education qualification (Technical College or equivalent).
  • MDDOP qualification.
  • Proficiency in English (written and verbal).

  Technical Skills

  • Strong proficiency in:
    • MS Office Suite
    • 2D and 3D CAD software
    • AutoCAD Plant 3D
    • Architectural and Piping Design Systems
  • Plant design experience will be highly advantageous.
  • Sound understanding of manufacturing and engineering principles.
  • Strong risk identification and risk management capability.

  Experience

  • Minimum of 3 years' experience as a Technical Project Engineer or in a comparable engineering leadership role.
  • Proven experience leading technical project activities and engineering teams.

    Key Competencies:

    Leadership & Collaboration

    • Strong leadership and team management capabilities.
    • Ability to lead and collaborate within international and multidisciplinary engineering teams.
    • Capability to work effectively within a matrix organisational structure.

    Communication & Relationship Management

    • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
    • Strong stakeholder engagement and customer relationship management abilities.
    • Confidence in communicating with clients, suppliers, subcontractors, and internal teams.

    Planning & Problem Solving

    • Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills.
    • Strong decision-making and sound professional judgement.
    • Excellent planning, prioritisation, and time management skills.
    • Ability to deliver under pressure and meet demanding project deadlines.

    Business Acumen

    • Good understanding of engineering business processes and financial principles.
    • Industry knowledge and awareness of current engineering practices.
    • Adaptability and resilience in a changing business environment.

    Why Join Our Client?

    This is an exciting opportunity to join a respected engineering environment where you will:

    • Lead technically challenging and impactful projects.
    • Work alongside highly skilled multidisciplinary teams.
    • Influence engineering excellence and project success.
    • Contribute to innovation, continuous improvement, and best practice development.
    • Further develop your leadership and technical expertise within a dynamic organisation.