Senior Manager Rail, Electrical & Instrumentation

Sasol Limited; Secunda; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Sasol is seeking a Senior Manager Rail, Electrical & Instrumentation for Secunda Tank Farm Operations. You will provide strategic leadership, governance and technical direction for Rail, Electrical and Instrumentation assets to ensure safe, reliable and compliant operations.

You will oversee asset lifecycle, maintenance strategy, regulatory compliance and cost management, lead safety and continuous improvement, and partner with Operations, Projects and Regulatory Authorities to deliver value.

Qualifications

• BSc Eng/BEng/BTech Electrical/Instrumentation & Control Engineering is required.
• 12+ years of relevant working experience in Rail, Electrical & Instrumentation.
• Ability to lead maintenance, governance and regulatory compliance in a complex asset portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership, governance and technical direction for Railway, Electrical and Instrumentation maintenance functions.
• Lead asset lifecycle management, maintenance strategy and reliability improvements.
• Ensure compliance with Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) permit conditions, directives and safety standards.
• Drive continuous improvement, digital transformation and Industry 4.0 initiatives across Rail & E&I assets.
• Oversee capital projects, asset renewal programs and long-term investment planning.

Skills

Commercial Agility

Business Ownership

External Focus

Customer Centricity

Inspirational

Builds Talent

Developing Self

Partnerships

Delivery Excellence

Operational Safety

Education

BSc Eng/BEng/BTech Electrical/Instrumentation & Control Engineering

Job description

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Senior Manager Rail, Electrical & Instrumentation

Posting Date: Sep 15, 2026

Company: Sasol

Sasol is a global integrated chemicals and energy company with a 75-year heritage. Through our talented people, we use our expertise and selected technologies to safely and sustainably source, manufacture and market chemical and energy products globally. When you join Team Sasol, you are joining a company that puts people at the center of everything we do.

Sasol invests in its employees along every stage of the career path and offers development opportunities to help you cultivate your career in a culture that embraces diversity and inclusion.

Purpose of Job

The Senior Manager: Rail, Electrical & Instrumentation is accountable for providing strategic leadership, governance, technical direction and regulatory oversight of all Railway, Electrical and Instrumentation assets within Secunda Tank Farm Operations. The role ensures the safe, reliable, compliant and cost-effective operation of rail infrastructure, locomotives, signaling systems, telecommunications, weighbridges, electrical distribution networks, instrumentation, automation and control systems to support sustainable business performance and maintain Sasol's license to operate.

• Accountable for asset lifecycle management, maintenance strategy, engineering governance, operational risk management, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement across Rail and E&I assets.
• Ensure the availability, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of Rail, Electrical, and Instrumentation assets to support safe and uninterrupted production.
• Lead the effective maintenance of plant Electrical and Instrumentation equipment and rail infrastructure to achieve world-class asset performance, reliability, and operational excellence.
• Provide strategic leadership, governance, and technical direction for the Railway, Electrical, and Instrumentation maintenance functions to ensure safe, sustainable, and compliant operations.
• Ensure compliance with Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) permit conditions, directives, statutory requirements, engineering standards, and all applicable Electrical and Instrumentation governance requirements.

Key Accountabilities

Asset Management, Reliability and Lifecycle Planning

• Accountable for asset lifecycle management, maintenance strategy, operational reliability, engineering governance and continuous improvement of Railway, Electrical and Instrumentation assets.
• Ensure the availability, reliability and cost effectiveness of Railway, Electrical and Instrumentation assets to support safe and uninterrupted production.
• Ensure effective maintenance of plant Electrical and Instrumentation equipment and rail infrastructure.
• Maintain assets within agreed operating envelope conditions and approved engineering standards.
• Maintain assets to established performance, reliability and safety standards.
• Develop lifecycle management plans for railway, electrical and instrumentation assets.
• Develop long-term renewal plans and asset replacement strategies.
• Improve asset reliability through predictive, preventative and condition-based maintenance strategies.
• Improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), asset availability and operational performance.
• Support digitalization initiatives, predictive maintenance technologies and Industry 4.0 implementation.

Maintenance Excellence and Continuous Improvement

• Lead the development and continuous improvement of maintenance systems, maintenance standards and best practices.
• Establish and continuously improve maintenance methodologies, maintenance systems and work management processes.
• Align the right skills and technical resources to the right challenges and asset performance priorities.
• Identify technical problems, operational constraints and improvement opportunities.
• Benchmark best practices, technologies and optimal maintenance solutions against industry leaders.
• Implement sustainable improvement solutions that enhance safety, reliability, asset performance, cost efficiency and operational effectiveness.
• Continuously improve products, services, systems and business processes

Regulatory Compliance, Governance and Railway Safety

• Ensure full compliance with Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) permit conditions, directives, Safety Management System requirements, engineering standards, legal requirements and Sasol governance frameworks.
• Accountable for maintaining railway safety compliance and safeguarding Sasol's railway operating licence.
• Lead the implementation, monitoring and continuous improvement of governance systems, engineering controls and compliance programs for Rail and E&I assets.
• Manage standards, governance requirements and legal compliance applicable to Railway, Electrical and Instrumentation systems.
• Ensure continuous improvement of safety performance and key SHE metrics to achieve Zero Harm and maintain licence to operate.
• Manage operational, engineering and maintenance risks by ensuring risks are proactively identified, assessed, mitigated and monitored to acceptable levels.

Strategic Leadership and Technical Stewardship

• Provide strategic leadership, governance and technical direction for the Railway, Electrical and Instrumentation maintenance functions.
• Provide overall leadership of electrical distribution systems, instrumentation, process control systems, automation systems and associated technologies.
• Provide overall leadership of railway infrastructure, permanent way, locomotives, signaling and interlocking systems, telecommunications, weighbridge systems and associated railway operational assets.
• Lead the development and execution of long-term asset management strategies aligned to business objectives.
• Drive operational excellence through continuous improvement, innovation, digital transformation and modernisation initiatives across the Rail and E&I portfolio.
• Provide technical leadership and governance for major capital projects, infrastructure upgrades, asset renewal programs and strategic investment initiatives.

Capital Planning and Project Leadership

• Participate in and lead engineering design decisions to ensure optimal asset functionality, reliability and maintainability.
• Manage implementation of strategic projects, shutdown activities and infrastructure upgrades.
• Lead asset modernisation initiatives and infrastructure renewal programmes.
• Input into the 5-year rolling capital investment plan and long-term asset strategy.
• Ensure capital projects deliver targeted business value, operational improvements and risk reduction.

Maintenance Planning, Budget and Cost Management

• Compile and manage annual maintenance budgets and long-term expenditure forecasts.
• Control costs and ensure maintenance activities are executed within approved budgets while achieving business performance targets.
• Oversee maintenance planning, scheduling and execution to optimise asset reliability and resource utilisation.
• Manage shutdown planning and execution to ensure safe, effective and efficient delivery.
• Manage maintenance spares, materials and inventory strategies to support operational continuity and optimise working capital.

Stakeholder Integration and Value Chain Alignment

• Demonstrate One Sasol behaviour by ensuring decisions and priorities support the broader Sasol Value Chain.
• Manage complex internal and external stakeholder interfaces effectively.
• Build strong partnerships with Operations, Engineering, Projects & Engineering, Supply Chain, Regulatory Authorities and external service providers.
• Integrate maintenance, operations and project activities to maximise business value.
• Report to the Head: Secunda Tank Farm Operations on system availability, asset performance, maintenance execution, shutdown performance, budget utilisation, maintenance requirements and the overall state of railway safety.

Knowledge Management and Organisational Capability

• Manage operational and maintenance knowledge through the effective transformation, packaging, transfer and preservation of critical knowledge.
• Establish a culture of technical excellence, continuous learning and knowledge sharing.
• Lead the development of organisational capability in Railway, Electrical and Instrumentation disciplines.
• Ensure critical technical and operational skills are developed and sustained.
• Plan, source and develop people capability aligned to current and future business requirements.
• Provide succession plans for direct reports and critical strategic positions.

People Leadership and Contractor Management

• Lead, coach and develop employees to achieve high levels of performance, engagement and accountability.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on safety, reliability, operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Ensure effective management and governance of contractors and service providers.
• Drive contractor performance against safety, quality, cost, delivery and compliance requirements.
• Ensure service providers consistently deliver value and support business objectives.

Formal Education

BSc Eng/BEng/BTech Electrical/Instrumentation & Control Engineering

Working Experience

Experience: 12+ relevant years

Required Personal and Professional Skills

LC_Commercial Agility

LC_Business Ownership

LC_External Focus

LC_Customer Centricity

LC_Inspirational

LC_Builds Talent

LC_Developing Self

LC_Partnerships

LC_Delivery Excellence

TC_Operational and Safety Factors

TC_Analyse Alternatives and Recommend Solutions

TC_Review and Reporting

TC_Compliance Management

Sasol is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Inspired by our Purpose of "Innovating for a better world", Sasol acknowledges that diversity is intrinsic to the fabric of our organisation and is the key to our growth and success. Sasol is committed to the full inclusion of all suitably qualified individuals. Preference will be given to applicants from designated groups and people with disabilities according to Sasol’s Employment Equity Plan. This includes reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Our automated process is designed to efficiently assess a large volume of applications. Should you not hear from us within 60 days of the advert closing then kindly consider your application unsuccessful. Thank you once-more for your interest in Sasol as your employer of choice, and we wish you all the best with your career aspirations and future applications with us.