Site Engineering Manager

unilever; Durban; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Unilever in Durban is seeking a Site Engineering Manager to oversee engineering maintenance, projects, and assets across the Maydon Wharf Factory. You will lead technical and maintenance teams, manage spares and site services, and drive TPM and continuous improvement initiatives to achieve performance targets.

You will ensure safety, regulatory compliance, and effective lifecycle management of assets, while delivering capital projects within the UMS framework.

Qualifications

• BSC Engineering degree (Mechanical or Electrical).
• GCC is essential.
• 3–5 years in FMCG/manufacturing operations experience.
• Engineering in FMCG Supply Chain (Planning, Customer Service, Logistics, Process).
• Proficient leadership and management across large teams, stakeholders, and contractors.
• Led projects end-to-end: design, budget creation, control and execution.

Responsibilities

• Lead and deploy the Professional Maintenance pillar within the Unilever Manufacturing System (UMS).
• Manage technical and maintenance teams delivering projects, infrastructure, and site services.
• Support innovation by identifying optimal design solutions aligned with standards.
• Drive capital projects portfolio from post-approval to closure following UMS principles.
• Coordinate with Category and Engineering Excellence on upgrades and implementation.
• Ensure safe, compliant, and cost-efficient project execution.
• Improve maintenance metrics (MTBF, MTTR, OEE) and manage spare parts inventory.

Skills

Continuous improvement

Health & safety management

People & performance management

Project management

Risk management

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

Communication

Business acumen

Education

BSC Engineering (Mechanical or Electrical)

GCC – Government Certificate of Competency

Job description

Unilever is currently hiring for Site Engineering Manager (Durban)

Function: Supply Chain

Reports to: Sourcing Unit Director

Location: Maydon Wharf Factory (Durban), South Africa

Terms & Conditions: Full time, onsite

At Unilever, everything we do is driven by purpose. This is your opportunity to shape a better business and a better world through the work you do.

We are looking for a Site Engineering Manager who will have overall responsibility for engineering maintenance and projects, including utilities, production lines, processing plants, and buildings. The primary objective of this role is to implement improvements that contribute to the factory's performance targets while ensuring the effective maintenance of all operational and support elements within the sourcing unit.

This role will also manage engineering spares, assets, and site services to fully support manufacturing activities and drive operational excellence.

WHAT YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR

Engineering, Projects & Asset Management

• Lead and deploy the Professional Maintenance pillar within the Unilever Manufacturing System (UMS), driving asset reliability, maintainability, and cost efficiency with a zero-breakdown ambition.
• Manage technical and maintenance teams responsible for delivering projects, innovation, infrastructure, and site services.
• Support innovation implementation by identifying optimal design solutions aligned with USCC and category technology standards.
• Drive execution of the approved capital projects portfolio from post-approval through to closure, in line with UMS Early Equipment Management principles.
• Liaise with Category and Engineering Excellence teams on technology upgrades and implementation.
• Ensure high standards of work quality while maintaining cost efficiency.
• Manage engineering spares, asset reliability, and lifecycle performance.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Accountable for the safety of all maintenance and project-related activities within the factory.
• Lead and embed safe working practices, including full HSE compliance across engineering operations.
• Oversee safety throughout the project lifecycle (PHA, HAZOPs, MDSAS, design, commissioning, and handover).
• Ensure full statutory and legal compliance across contractors and engineering activities.

Operational Excellence & TPM

• Lead the Professional Maintenance and Early Equipment Management pillars, including SIMAS application.
• Drive continuous improvement and cross-pillar integration to eliminate losses and improve safety, quality, and productivity.
• Improve maintenance performance metrics such as MTBF, MTTR, and overall equipment efficiency.
• Optimize maintenance costs and manage spare parts inventory aligned with working capital targets.
• Implement controls to ensure accurate accounting and consumption of engineering spares.

Sustainability & Utilities

• Develop and implement plans to improve site infrastructure including energy, water, steam, and treatment systems.
• Lead energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives aligned with Unilever's goals.
• Manage utilities, contracts, and contractor performance to ensure reliability and efficiency.

People & Capability Leadership

• Coach and develop engineering and technical teams across the site.
• Build and embed product, process, and packaging expertise relevant to the asset base.
• Lead talent management, skills development, and performance management initiatives.
• Foster a high-performance, inclusive culture focused on safety, continuous improvement, and delivery.
• Influence and collaborate effectively across stakeholders at all levels to drive business priorities.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO SUCCEED

Experiences & Qualifications

• BSC Engineering degree (Mechanical or Electrical)
• Government Certificate of Competency (GCC) is *essential
• 3-5 years in FMCG/ Manufacturing operations experience
• Engineering in FMCG Supply Chain (Planning, Customer Service, Logistics, Process)
• Proficient leadership and management experience across large Teams, Stakeholders and Suppliers/ Third Parties/ Contractors
• Must have led projects from end to end looking at design, budget creation and control and project execution

Skills

• Continuous improvement/ lean manufacturing / TPM proficiency
• Health & safety management
• People & Performance management
• Project management
• Risk management
• Problem solving
• Stakeholder management
• Communication
• Business Acumen

Leadership

You have a high passion for developing people as well as an affinity for coaching. As the business partner to numerous leaders accountable for safety, you will have to train, coach and guide them to ensure that safety leadership is at the required level. In addition, direct talent management of your direct reports as well as skills development to deliver leading edge performance.

• You hold yourself, your peers, and leaders to a high standard of accountability, ensuring both objectives are met to the right quality of delivery.
• You are not just a Engineering leader, bu