Johannesburg North: Head of Engineering for Gauteng posted by Network Contracting

Key Responsibilities
Engineering Leadership
– Lead and develop a multidisciplinary engineering function consisting of Engineers, Artisans, Technicians, Maintenance Teams, and Engineering Support Staff.
– Establish and execute engineering strategies aligned with business objectives.
– Foster a culture of safety, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
– Mentor and develop engineering talent and succession pipelines.
Plant Reliability & Maintenance
– Drive world-class maintenance practices across multiple facilities.
– Ensure maximum equipment uptime and plant availability.
– Lead root cause analysis and problem-solving initiatives on critical plant failures.
– Develop and implement predictive, preventative, and reliability-centered maintenance program.
– Improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and manufacturing efficiencies.
Capital Projects & Engineering Improvements
– Lead major capital expenditure projects from concept through implementation.
– Manage machinery installations, commissioning, upgrades, and plant expansions.
– Oversee engineering design reviews, project execution, budgeting, and contractor management.
– Ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, and within budget.
Operational Excellence
– Identify opportunities to improve production throughput, product quality, and manufacturing efficiencies.
– Implement innovative engineering solutions to complex manufacturing challenges.
– Drive automation, digitization, and process optimization initiatives.
– Collaborate closely with Production, Quality, Supply Chain, and Executive Leadership teams.
Technical Problem Solving
– Provide expert technical leadership during critical breakdowns and operational challenges.
– Lead advanced fault-finding investigations on complex manufacturing equipment.
– Develop sustainable engineering solutions that deliver measurable business results.
– Present successful engineering case studies demonstrating innovation, cost savings, productivity improvements, or quality enhancements.
Compliance & Governance
– Ensure compliance with all engineering, safety, environmental, and statutory requirements.
– Drive engineering best practices and governance standards across all facilities.
– Manage engineering budgets, resources, and performance metrics.
Minimum Qualifications Needed:
– BEng or BSc Degree in Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering (Essential).
– Honours and Masters in Engineering is highly advantageous
– GCC Factories are an advantage
– Pr.Eng is an advantage
– MDP or PMP or MBA is highly advantageous
Experience
– Minimum 15 years’ engineering experience within:
o Food Manufacturing
o Beverage Manufacturing
o Packaging Manufacturing
o FMCG Manufacturing
o Or similar high-volume continuous manufacturing environments.
Technical Experience
– Extensive experience with high-speed, high-volume manufacturing machinery.
– Strong exposure to complex mechanical, electrical, automation, and process systems.
– Proven experience leading machinery installations, plant upgrades, and capital projects.
– Advanced fault-finding and root cause analysis capabilities.
– Experience managing multiple manufacturing sites would be advantageous.
Leadership Experience
– Demonstrated experience managing:
o Professional Engineers
o Maintenance Managers
o Artisans
o Technicians
o Engineering Support Teams
– Strong stakeholder management and executive communication skills.
– Managing outsourced suppliers and controlling their costs and their project deliveries