The position reports to the Factory Engineering Manager. The successful candidate will work closely with the Factory team to develop and embed Operational Excellence in: ways of working, processes, clarify and operationalize decision rights, role clarity and interfaces, for improved safety standards, productivity and production at the Nakambala Factory.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

• Ensure optimal performance of all mechanical equipment.
• Provide engineering support to the Factory team in terms of equipment settings for the season (e.g., Boilers, Mill Settings, Centrifugal cycle optimisation, etc.).
• Provide Mechanical Engineering support to the Maintenance head in terms of repairs to critical equipment / Abnormal projects, etc.
• Provide Mechanical Engineering support to the Projects and Optimisation team, including management / overseeing of onsite projects.
• Manage / oversee all mechanical work on Abnormal Projects during Off-crop.
• Develop Season and Off-Crop Mechanical budgets with Maintenance Head, finance business partner, optimisation team, and manage the budgets.
• Audit and analyse maintenance systems & processes with the aim of uncovering engineering-related inefficiencies.
• Address production losses caused by inefficient engineering systems by critically analysing and maximising the systems performance.
• Collaborate with Reliability Engineer to identify reliability improvements through design modifications and reliability improvement strategies.
• Drive Maintenance improvements to optimise efficiency and output of all mechanical equipment.
• Provide expertise on day-to-day Mechanical Engineering-related issues, support, and advise on solutions.
• Provide technical and overall leadership to personnel under mechanical maintenance.
• Provide engineering support for specifications and plant modifications.
• Drive synergies with the Group, effectively partnering with Group counterparts to identify, share, and embed opportunities for engineering optimisation / best practice.
• Set direction, implement, and monitor continuous improvement by driving work practices, and ensuring that tools and techniques are being applied to deliver high-quality products made in a safe and sustainable manner.
• Conduct regular internal and external benchmarking exercises to identify and develop Maintenance best practices and improvement opportunities.
• Manage and coordinate sharing of identified best practices, frameworks, and minimum standards within the function across entities and through the Head Office platform and provide additional opportunities for problem identification and knowledge sharing.
• Maintain effective engagement with key maintenance & engineering service level providers.
• Management of technical standards, specifications, and group risk mitigation policies and the governance thereof.
• Responsible for Statutory Requirements as delegated by Factory Engineering Manager.
• Identify and monitor KPIs to track performance and flag any issues.
• Promote and adhere to Illovo’s procedures, policies, and guidelines, including, without limitation, those relating to SHERQ, Competition Law, and Anti-Bribery and Corruption (ABC).

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• 3+ years’ experience in a manufacturing environment – heavy industry would be an advantage.
• Continuous improvement knowledge and experience.
• Familiarity with SAP system would be an advantage.
• Membership of EIZ is a must.
• All qualifications should be certified by ZAQA.