Kempton Park: SHEQ Manager posted by Chainlink Recruitment

We are seeking a strategic, results oriented SHEQ Manager to lead our Quality and SHE functions. The successful candidate will design and implement an integrated Quality Management System, alongside a robust SHE framework, aligned with organizational goals to drive product excellence, compliance and a culture of quality and safety leadership throughout the business. The role will allocate approximately 60 % of focus to Quality and 40 % to Safety, Health & Environment (SHE).

KEY PERFOMANCE AREA:
Quality (Approx. 60% of role)

• Lead the development, implementation and continuous improvement of the Quality Management System (QMS) (e.g. ISO 9001) and associated quality assurance and quality control functions.
• Review customer requirements, ensure clarity of expectations and translate into internal quality standards and metrics.
• Collaborate with purchasing and operations teams to define and communicate quality requirements for external suppliers and internal workflows.
• Establish control systems and documented workflows, ensure procedures are regularly reviewed, updated and adhered to.
• Manage customer complaints, non-conformances and corrective action plans; lead root-cause investigations and continuous improvement efforts.
• Monitor quality performance via data collection (e.g., scrap/rework rates, return rates, complaint trends), statistical analysis and performance reporting.
• Conduct internal and external quality audits of product, process and supplier performance; ensure audit findings are closed in a timely manner.
• Support new product development (NPD) and production launch phases by ensuring quality standards are embedded from concept through to production.
• Lead training and competence development for quality personnel and build a culture of ownership and continuous improvement across the business.

SHE (Approx. 40% of role)

• Oversee and support the Safety, Health & Environment function: lead risk evaluation and mitigation across SHE domains.
• Ensure that all SHE incidents (near-misses, accidents, environmental events) are reported, investigated, corrected and lessons shared.
• Manage environmental authorisations and operating permits; ensure they are valid and monitored for compliance.
• Drive compliance with applicable SHE legislation and subscribed standards (e.g. ISO 45001, ISO 14001) and ensure alignment with quality systems.
• Provide SHE guidance across departments, support training, site risk assessments, audits, and corrective action processes.
• Champion sustainability initiatives including energy efficiency improvements, waste minimisation, carbon footprint reduction.
• Promote alignment of Quality and SHE objectives so that product/process quality and environmental/health/safety compliance complement each other.

Financial

• Collaborate with Finance and Supply Chain teams to support end-to-end operations and help the business meet revenue, cost and profit targets.
• Manage the quality and SHE budget; monitor cost-of-poor-quality, cost of incidents, returns and warranty claims.

Management & Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive Quality & SHE strategy aligned with the companys overall business direction and strategic goals.
• Define and communicate quality and SHE standards and objectives; ensure alignment across functions and departments.
• Lead the Quality & SHE teams: establish organisational structure, assign responsibilities, ensure appropriate resourcing, and monitor team performance.
• Mentor, coach and develop employees build individual and team competencies, drive performance reviews and development aligned with strategic goals.
• Monitor functional performance, review systems, and drive continuous improvement via structured reviews, audits, metrics, and action plans.

Competencies

• Leadership & Business Acumen: Understand the broader business context, make strategic decisions, and inspire teams to deliver results with integrity.
• Effective Decision Making & Judgement: Evaluate options, assess risks and benefits, make timely decisions aligned with business objectives.
• Planning, Organising & Prioritising: Structure workflows, manage competing priorities and effectively multitask to meet deadlines with accuracy.
• Attention to Detail & Professionalism: Maintain high standards of quality and consistency in deliverables; uphold confidentiality, ethical practices and professional conduct.
• Communication & Presentation Skills: Communicate clearly and persuasively across audiences (written, verbal, visual); deliver compelling presentations with confidence.
• Continuous Improvement Mindset: Proactively identify waste, defects or risks; drive root-cause analysis, corrective/preventive actions and embed best practices.
• Supplier & Customer Focus: Understand and meet external customer and supplier expectations; drive alignment of internal systems accordingly.

Minimum Job Requirements
Academic Qualification

• Bachelors degree in quality management, Engineering, Manufacturing Management, Occupational Health & Safety, Environmental Sciences, or a related discipline.

Experience

• At least 10 years of experience in defining and managing quality assurance systems in a manufacturing environment.
• Minimum of 5 years in a management role overseeing quality functions (and preferably exposure to SHE functions).

Legislative & Standard Knowledge

• Deep understanding of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), 1993 and its regulations.
• Familiarity with the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), 1998 and related environmental legislation
• Working knowledge of applicable SANS codes (e.g. SANS 11014 for chemical safety, SANS 10400 building regulations, SANS 14001 for environmental management systems, ISO 9000/9001/9004 quality management)
• Understanding of 5S methodology, best practice governance frameworks, and
  corporate compliance expectations within South African context.

Certification & Accreditation

• Experience with systems certified by SANAS-accredited bodies, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 or similar standards and familiar with certification readiness and audit processes.