Engineering Manager at Vector Logistics

Job Purpose                                                                                              

• VECTOR LOGISTICS is seeking an experienced Engineering Manager to join our Coastal Logistics Division, based at Bellville South, Cape Town, reporting to the Engineering Executive.  The Engineering Manager will provide strategic and operational leadership for the engineering function across the region, ensuring the effective operation, maintenance, availability and efficiency of refrigeration plants, facilities, plant and equipment. The role will oversee engineering projects, maintenance planning, resource allocation and the effective management of maintenance and capital expenditure budgets. The position will also lead the regional Engineering Operations team and ensure that adequate resources are available to support maintenance and project requirements. A key focus of the role will be to monitor and optimise maintenance costs, refrigeration plant availability and efficiency, project expenditure and utilities utilisation, while ensuring the reliable and efficient operation of engineering assets across the region.

Key Responsibilities

Project Management:

• Develop and execute annual capex budget with a focus on reducing plant down time and improving efficiencies of the refrigeration plant.
• Drive the preparation of the conceptual design and preliminary costing estimates for capex preparation.
• Manage all building and construction projects in the region or work with nominated project management specialist company.
• Plan and schedule the projects execution in line with operations requirements, deadlines and set milestones.
• Drive the risk management process and ensure health and safety requirements are adhered to with regards to facilities and equipment.
• Manage and control the fixed asset register and ensure that it is updated as per policy and depreciation is in line with group standards.
• Ensure that all project work on site is carried out and completed to the highest level of trade-man ship quality and to safe food requirements.
• Manage outside contractors to ensure the integrity of the engineering team and carry out corrective action when required.
• Conduct weekly project meetings to ensure all disciplines are aligned and that capex targets dates met in view of the year planner.
• Preparation of all capitalized major maintenance and capital request motivations and supporting documentation.
• Complete project reports and effectively communicate changes to the year planner.

Maintenance Management:

• Develop and implement an effective maintenance program for the facilities and refrigeration plants across the region.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives on asset care and resources utilization to optimize R&M costs in the region.
• Drive the maintenance planning, execution and reliability engineering to deliver required plant availability and refrigeration plant performance across the sites.
• Drive and ensure key maintenance metrics (planned maintenance compliance, backlog, artisan utilisation etc.) meet set targets.
• Ensure the plant, buildings and accessories are maintained in line with risk, security, safety, health, HACCP AND ISO22000, 14000, 18000 and food safety requirements.
• Ensure all electrical equipment and installations are maintained or installed in accordance with statutory requirements and business needs.
• Manage maintenance team and ensure that planned maintenance is effectively executed to enable optimal asset utilisation.
• Ensure that maintenance practices and procurement processes are aligned to business standards.
• Effective management of outsourced services, service level agreements and contracts.
• Effectively manage the breakdown, call-out and escalation process to ensure facilities temperatures are maintained.
• Lead the engineering team across the region and ensure the required tools, support, performance reviews and development plans are in place.
• Performs work inspections and sign off major maintenance, overhauls and statutory inspections/checks to ensure completeness of tasks.
• Management of utilities operation, monitoring usages and implementation of savings initiatives.
• Reporting on maintenance metrics, utilities usages and facilities risk mitigation plan.

Risk Management:

• In terms of design, use and maintenance, ensure all facilities comply with health, safety, security and other legal requirements.
• Management of risk-based inspections and maintenance on fire detection and fire protection systems.
• Ensure refrigeration plant compliance with SANS 10147 and other relevant legislation.
• Ensure that all legislative and industry standards are met.
• Responsible for health and safety with regards to all equipment and plants to ensure a safe environment to operate and work on for all staff.
• Ensure that the required focus is given to all audit requirements and findings.

Leadership:

• Lead the maintenance team towards meeting targets through regular communication and utilisation of the full organizational talent management tool set.
• Contribute to the development of new training solutions in collaboration with other regional engineer/s.
• Train and mentor teams to improve performance.
• Ensure alignment of teams on action plan/s and key objectives.

Financial Management:

• Manage costs to ensure lowest cost maintenance and the optimal utilisation of assets.
• Report to EE/ROE on a weekly basis on actual KPI’s versus budget and work with team to address and areas of nonconformance or concern proactively and timeously.
• Report on and manage all input costs and manage any over or underspend appropriately to ensure that issues are escalated before significant financial loss occurs.
• Manage engineering expenses within level of authority and monitor spending activity within teams to ensure compliance with financial and ethical standards.
• Implements and encourages cost cutting initiatives within the team where these do not impact on long term business sustainability.
• Provide input into CAPEX documentation considering return on investment, resourcing, and sustainability requirements.
• Manage suppliers and contracts in collaboration with the procurement team to ensure agreed service levels are met, escalate areas of concern to the ROE where necessary.
• Manage contractors daily to ensure that correct standards of work and agreed timelines are achieved.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience Required for the Job:

• Relevant engineering degree (Essential).
• 8 years’ trade experience of which at least 5 years in a management category.
• Experience working with refrigeration systems (Essential).
• Experience in Plant maintenance within medium to large scale facilities.
• Excellent understanding of mechanical, refrigeration and electrical engineering.
• An additional Refrigeration Qualification (advantageous).
• GCC factories (Advantageous).