Utilities and Services Engineering Manager at RCL Foods

• RCL FOODS is seeking an experienced Utilities and Services Engineering Manager to join our Culinary & Pet Business Units based in Randfontein.

Purpose:

• To ensure the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of all site utility and distribution systems including steam, refrigeration, water, compressed air, electrical, control and instrumentation, boiler making, mechanical services, effluent treatment facilities, and building infrastructure. The incumbent will provide engineering leadership to optimise asset performance, improve plant availability through reliability and maintenance best practices, and execute utilities and facilities improvement maintenance projects.
• The role is responsible for ensuring statutory compliance, environmental sustainability, and the effective management of utility assets, engineering services assets, personnel, service providers and building assets.

Minimum Requirements    

• Diploma or degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• GCC Factories essential.
• Category B Ammonia Competency Certificate advantageous.
• 5 years plus experience post-GCC in a plant with complex Utilities and Services, as a Plant Engineer or as an Engineering Manager, in an FMCG environment.
• Hands-on knowledge of maintaining and managing the plant and equipment and reticulation systems for steam, ammonia and general refrigeration, water, compressed air, electrical, control and instrumentation and building infrastructure.
• Experience leading and developing teams and working with a very flat leadership structure, i.e. Engineering Manager has foreman as direct reports with no Plant Engineer position.
• Strong problem-solving, leadership, communication, and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrated ability to coach and build team capability.

Duties & Responsibilities    
Safety, Health & Compliance

• Drive compliance with SHERQ, food safety, OHSA, and process safety requirements.
• Lead ammonia and steam process safety management initiatives.
• Identify and resolve unsafe conditions and behaviours.
• Drive sustainability and governance standards.
• Manage risk assessments with avoidance, mitigation and control standards in place.

Reliability & Maintenance

• Ensure optimal availability of all utilities and services.
• Drive execution of routine preventative and predictive maintenance and lead root-cause analysis and problem solving.
• Lead the development of maintenance standard maintenance procedures.
• Ensure problem solving tools are used by the team and take part in problem solving sessions.
• Lead the development of the reliability plan for utilities plant and services and ensure maintenance team has the required competencies.
• Determine material, equipment and supplies requirements and ensure that these are ordered and available, in conjunction with the input of the planner.
• Use planned maintenance schedules and general work schedules to co-ordinates daily, weekly and monthly activities of foreman, artisans, machine operators and assistants.
• Supervise and assign maintenance work to contractors daily, ensuring clear allocation of responsibility and accountability.
• Control daily job cards, by issuing to employees, receive back completed ones and verify work is done satisfactorily.

Optimisation

• Analyse performance data and develop road maps to identify medium- and long-range capex requirements and improvement plans.
• Identify and implement best in class cost saving initiatives and in-fiscal performance improvement and capex plans.
• Evaluate and sign off new equipment and all modifications.

Leadership & Operations

• Lead with demonstrated delivery of the RCL Foods Values and Leadership Standards.
• Lead and manage the boiler house, mechanical and boiler making, electrical, control and instrumentation, refrigeration, building infrastructure and effluent teams.
• Provide afterhours and weekend support on site.
• Manage training, development, leave planning and employee relations. Monitor performance of team. Measure and attain KPI’s and institute corrective action when performance is below par.
• Perform work inspections and check for completeness of tasks and compliance with legislative, SHERQ and business procedures.
• Partner with HR to recruit and develop high-performing teams and drive employee morale.
• Ensure effective utility and services stakeholder communication.
• Supports and advises engineering staff / contractors and operators on the execution of their tasks.
• Maintain discipline and standards in area of responsibility.

Deadline:16th November,2026