About RCL Foods

RCL Foods is one of South Africa’s largest consumer goods and milling companies, producing a wide range of branded and private-label food products. The company was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Westville, KwaZulu-Natal. The company uses its subsidiary, Vector Logistics, to distribute both its own products and those of other food manufacturers across Southern Africa.

RCL FOODS is seeking a Plant Engineer to join our Speciality Division. The role will be based in Centurion and report to the Engineering Manager. RCL FOODS is looking for a dedicated and focused leader to join the team and manage the day-to-day maintenance of the plant. This identified leader will understand the full implications of potential problems and minimize their impact.

• The Plant Engineer must have an excellent understanding of Mechanical /Electrical engineering together with general factory engineering principles, and the aptitude to exchange information in a clear and concise manner (both written and verbal) to senior staff and subordinates.
• RCL FOODS entrusts the Plant Engineer to constantly seek ways to improve plant efficiency and effectiveness, conduct regular reviews and monitor progress, and act. This action requires great research and solutions.

Minimum Requirements

• A Degree or Diploma in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, with 5 years trade experience of which least 3 years in a supervisory category
• GCC factories is compulsory.
• Thorough understanding of the Labor Relations Act
• Understand project management governance

Duties & Responsibilities

Operational Engineering Management:

• Drive the daily / weekly maintenance planning process for the plant – prioritizing, scheduling, and allocation of tasks to different discipline of the engineering department, with the assistance of the planner.
• Responsible for health and safety with regards to all equipment and plant 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
• Management of the day-to-day activities and out puts of each discipline of the engineering department

Maintenance:

• Drive sustainable maintenance practices throughout the plant
• Manage maintenance team and ensure that planned maintenance programs are implemented to enable optimal asset utilization.
• Ensure that maintenance practices and procurement processes are aligned to business standards
• Management of all planned maintenance, preventative schedules, work requests and break downs, with support from Maintenance Planner
• Ensure that all are working according to safety regulations and ensure the enforcement of food safety requirements.
• Be available on call out and work on weekends or when necessary to ensure optimal performance of team and effective maintenance of equipment
• Ensure that the Planner develops a work schedule for all activities to be performed
• Plan and manage weekend maintenance tasks and projects against budget
• Co-ordinates daily activities of engineering personnel

Project management:

• Identify and scope projects according to the business needs.
• Oversee the implementation and management of site projects.
• Work closely with the NPD team to ensure new products are launched.
• Drive capitalizing of projects

Repairs and Renovations:

• Coordinates renovations of existing facilities and the construction of new facilities
• Coordinates and inspects major contract work on the mechanical/electrical and plumbing, and other related systems
• Ensures that the building has adequate heating, lighting, and ventilation and that it is properly cleaned, maintained and in good working condition
• Ensure food safety cultures are maintained in the maintenance team

Provide Leadership:

• Leads a team of artisans towards meeting the plant engineering strategy and targets – through regular communication and utilization of full organizational talent management tool set.
• Deliver on agreed succession plans and development of the generation of leaders and specialists, overseeing engineering development programs and on the job training
• Manage to employee relations and team climate to ensure optimal turnover and retention levels are maintained
• Drives Employment Equity within the plant engineering team to ensure that diversity is achieved at all levels and that statutory targets and requirements are met
• Maintain the integrity of the engineering team and carry out corrective action when required
• Management of the artisan and labour force with regards to HR and IR issues
• Train and mentor his team to improve performance and reduce down time.

Management of Safety Health Environment and Quality (SHEQ):

• Manage day to day GMR2.1 responsibilities
• Guides the engineering team to ensure that all legislative standards are achieved and timeous action is taken where required to ensure that there are no areas of noncompliance
• Follows up on requirements for compliance ensuring that it is continuously maintained and adhered to
• Measure and manage sustainability practices within area of responsibility
• Suggest amendments to policies and practices within operational area of responsibility with the processing engineering manager to ensure that these are kept up to date and are aligned with company objectives and standards
• Ensure that and documentation required within the Total Quality Management system, is maintained and applied consistently throughout the area of responsibility and any policy and procedure training required highlighted in the training needs analysis and action appropriately

Safety and Security:

• Reporting theft and dangers on the premises
• Ensures safety equipment is in good working and ensure safety registers are complete and signed off.
• Maintain safety audits credibility
• Ensure that security is maintained and escalate any security concerns to the processing engineering and security manager

Financial Management:

• Manage costs to ensure lowest cost production and the optimal utilization of assets.
• Authorizes plant engineering expenses within level of authority and monitor spending activity within teams to ensure compliance to financial and ethical standards
• Implements and encourages cost cutting initiatives within the team where these do not impact on long term business sustainability
• Work with the processing Engineering manager to allocating spend to areas of high priority within the plant
• 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 Engineering Manager where necessary
• Manage contractors in collaboration with Project Engineer on a daily basis through engineering foremen to ensure that correct standards of work are delivered, and agreed delivery timelines maintained