Engineering Manager / Head of Engineering

Introduction

A leading established manufacturer of pharmaceutical and FMCG products has an opportunity for an experienced (10 years) Engineering Manager / Head of Engineering to step into the retiring manager's position.

Large production facility, 500 staff.

Steam boilers, compressed air, chilled water, HVAC, purified/pharmaceutical water systems, wastewater treatment, site electrical distribution, and high-tech sterile manufacturing machinery.

Responsibilities

• The Head of Engineering / Engineering Manager is responsible for ensuring the continuous and reliable operation of all utilities, facilities, and production equipment at the site.
• This role ensures that engineering systems support optimal production efficiency, OEE, and product quality, while maintaining compliance with SAHPRA, GMP, and safety regulations.
• The incumbent provides strategic engineering leadership, drives innovation, manages CapEx projects, and develops a skilled engineering team through effective succession planning.
• Take ownership for the operation and reliability of core site utilities (steam boilers, compressed air, chilled water, HVAC, purified/pharmaceutical water systems, wastewater treatment, site electrical distribution).

Duties & Responsibilities

Operational Continuity & Production Support

• Ensure continuous availability and reliability of all production equipment and utilities to meet production schedules and OEE targets.
• Monitor daily operational performance (OEE, uptime, throughput) and intervene to resolve bottlenecks or resource constraints.
• Provide engineering support during start-ups, line changes and product introductions to minimize downtime and ensure smooth handover to Production.
• Maintain an on-call escalation framework for 24/7 response to critical breakdowns and major incidents.

Utilities & Systems Management

• Take ownership for the operation and reliability of core site utilities (steam boilers, compressed air, chilled water, HVAC, purified/pharmaceutical water systems, wastewater treatment, site electrical distribution).
• Ensure utility control philosophies, setpoints and operating procedures are documented, validated and followed.
• Drive optimization initiatives for energy use, water consumption and utility efficiency.

Maintenance Strategy & Execution

• Develop and oversee preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance programmes (CMMS-driven), ensuring ≥ planned PM adherence and effective backlog control.
• Implement and mature condition-based and predictive maintenance methods (vibration, thermography, oil analysis) to reduce unplanned downtime.
• Schedule and lead major shutdowns and turnarounds—plan scope, resource allocation, contractor engagement, safety, and handover.

Project Delivery & Capital Works

• Lead engineering input for capital projects, facility upgrades and equipment installations: define scope, prepare CAPEX justifications, manage vendors, and oversee commissioning/qualification activities.
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on budget and on schedule and that handover documentation, drawings and O&M manuals are completed.

Compliance, Validation & Quality Systems

• Ensure engineering activities support a SAHPRA/GMP-compliant manufacturing environment — maintain equipment qualification (IQ/OQ/PQ), calibration and validation documentation.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance to manage deviations, change controls, CAPAs and ensure engineering corrective actions are implemented and verified.
• Maintain audit readiness: prepare engineering responses for internal and external inspections and ensure timely closure of findings.

Financial & Resource Management

• Prepare and manage the Engineering Opex and Capex budgets, forecasting requirements, and reporting on spend vs budget.
• Implement cost control initiatives and evaluate lifecycle cost when approving repairs vs replace decisions.
• Determine and secure appropriate staffing and contractor resources to meet delivery commitments.

Team Leadership, Development & Organisation

• Build, lead and develop a high-performing engineering function: set objectives, conduct performance reviews, coach staff and establish succession plans.
• Create and deliver technical training plans to maintain competency across crafts (mechanical, electrical, instrumentation) and to introduce new technologies and safety standards.
• Foster a collaborative, continuous-improvement culture within the engineering team and across operations.

Contractor & Supplier Management

• Select, negotiate and manage third-party providers and service contracts (maintenance contracts, specialized services).
• Define SLAs/KPIs for contractors, conduct performance reviews and enforce contractual compliance.
• Ensure procurement of spares and long-lead items is aligned with criticality and risk mitigation plans.

Risk Management, Health & Safety

• Ensure all engineering works comply with OHS, environmental and internal SHE standards; approve high-risk work permits and ensure proper risk assessments and safe work procedures are in place.
• Lead incident investigations for engineering-related events and ensure robust corrective actions are implemented.
• Drive initiatives to eliminate safety risks in engineering tasks and to improve housekeeping and ergonomic conditions.

Documentation, Standards & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain accurate engineering documentation, as-built drawings and equipment files; ensure configuration control and change management for engineering records.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures, maintenance instructions and engineering policies.
• Lead continuous improvement and reliability engineering activities (RCA, FMEA, 5-Why) to drive reduction in MUV, yield loss and equipment failure rates.

Desired Experience & Qualification

• A tertiary qualification in BSc Engineering / BTech / National Diploma in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering.
• GCC (Government Certificate of Competence) – mandatory.
• Postgraduate qualification in Engineering Management, Business Administration (MBA), or equivalent would be advantageous.
• Professional registration (Pr.Eng/Pr.Tech) with ECSA preferred.
• Minimum 10 years’ progressive engineering experience, with at least 5 years in a senior engineering or facilities/maintenance management role within a pharmaceutical, FMCG, or highly regulated manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience in facilities management, utilities management, and equipment reliability.
• Demonstrated experience in cGMP, SAHPRA compliance, and ISO quality management systems.
• Proven ability to manage large engineering teams and implement succession planning.
• Track record in Capex planning, project execution, and financial control.

Package & Remuneration

Salary is negotiable to attract and secure the right candidate.

Salary will be influenced by specific years of experience, specific industry experience, specific qualifications, et cetera.

A salary of around R90k to R100k ctc p/m is envisaged for this role

(A total annual package of about R1,1 mil to R1,2 million)

Apply

Please apply on this PNet portal.

Please use reference P20 HOE