East London: GREENHOUSE FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE MANAGER posted by Farm Manager SA

About the Role

Farm Manager SA is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Greenhouse Facilities & Equipment Maintenance Manager to join our team in East London. As the heartbeat of our greenhouse operations, you will be responsible for overseeing the preventive and reactive maintenance of all structures and equipment. If you have a passion for horticulture, technical expertise, and leadership skills, we want to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee preventive and reactive maintenance of all greenhouse structures, including frames (often polyethylene-covered or net houses), cladding, vents, screening systems, and shading mechanisms to withstand Eastern Cape winds and UV exposure.
• Manage maintenance and repairs of climate control systems: ventilation, shading nets, and automated environmental controllers/computers. (with Growers help-computer)
• Maintain irrigation and fertigation systems: drip lines (e.g., pressure-compensated non-leakage drippers), pumps, filters, valves, nutrients; dosing/mixing units, water storage tanks, and recirculation systems when upgraded.
• Service and repair mechanical and electrical equipment: dosing equipment, lighting, boom irrigators, and automation sensors (temperature, humidity, EC/pH)
• Coordinate maintenance of support infrastructure: drainage systems, pathways, packing/processing areas, water treatment (filtration, UV/ozone when implemented), backup generators/power systems (critical due to load shedding risks in EC, SA.
• Develop and implement long-term maintenance plans, schedules, and budgets; track spare parts inventory and order supplies to minimize downtime.
• Supervise and train a team of maintenance technicians, general workers, or contractors; assign tasks, ensure safety compliance (e.g., working at heights, electrical safety, PPE), and conduct performance monitoring.
• Ensure compliance with South African regulations (e.g., Occupational Health and Safety Act, environmental standards for water/chemical use).
• Troubleshoot issues quickly to avoid crop losses (e.g., pump failure affecting irrigation during critical growth stages or vent malfunction causing overheating.)
• Collaborate with production/growing teams to schedule maintenance during low-impact periods and report on system performance impacting yields.
• Maintain accurate records of maintenance activities, repairs, costs, and equipment history.
• Inspect facility in the areas of safety and maintenance requirements

Requirements

• Diploma or degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, agricultural engineering, horticulture technology or related field (or equivalent vocational training/certification).
• 5+ years of hands-on maintenance experience, preferably in greenhouses, protected agriculture, hydroponics, or intensive farming (tomato/vegetable experience highly advantageous).
• Proven knowledge of greenhouse climate control drip irrigation/fertigation systems, and automated controls (familiarity with brands common in SA like Netafim, Richel, or similar).
• Strong understanding of electrical, plumbing, welding/fabrication and basic HVAC principles.
• Experience with preventive maintenance software or record-keeping systems.
• Valid driver’s license; forklift or similar certification advantageous.

Qualifications

• Completed Diploma or degree in a relevant field (if specified)
• Relevant certifications (e.g., mechanical, electrical, plumbing)

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