SUMMARY:
Responsible for the safe, reliable, and efficient operation and maintenance of all plant utilities.
POSITION INFO:
Job Purpose
To proactively maintain, repair, optimise, and operate critical utility equipment so that production lines receive consistent, safe, and cost-effective utilities.
Key Accountabilities and Outputs
Site maintenance and optimization
- Maintenance: Perform planned, routine, and corrective maintenance on compressors & driers, generators, water treatment plants, pumps, valves, filters, and reticulation networks.
- Statutory inspections: Execute daily/weekly/monthly/annual statutory inspections, logbooks, dosing, blow-downs, descaling, filter cleaning, safety checks, and permit-to-work systems per OHS Act and manufacturer requirements.
- Repairs: Conduct rapid fault-finding, running repairs, and breakdowns support; verify repairs restore full functionality and document in systems.
- Monitor & Optimise: Start-up, shut-down, monitor, and optimise utility equipment during normal operation, change-overs, and emergencies; respond to alarms and ensure optimal steam delivery, air pressure, chilled water temps, etc.
- Planned maintenance: Participate in maintenance planning meetings, post-mortems, root-cause analysis (5-Why, fishbone, FFA), and continuous improvement initiatives; implement small CAPEX projects and coach operators on autonomous maintenance.
- Standard adherence: Ensure full adherence to VPO/SHEQ/GMP standards, issue permits, supervise contractors, and maintain zero lost-time incidents and environmental non-conformances.
100% statutory compliance and safety incidents.
- Continuous improvement: Support continuous improvement targets (e.g., MTBF improvement, MTTR reduction) and lower utility costs.
Contribute to energy, water and waste reduction targets
Adherence to the Quality, Food Safety, Health, Safety and Environmental Standards
- Protocols: Enforce health, safety, and environmental protocols in utility operations, including handling of hazardous materials like CO2. Conduct risk assessments, ensure compliance with local regulations (e.g., OSHA equivalents), and participate in audits.
- Adherence to Standards: Ensure strict adherence to Quality, Food, Health, Safety and Environmental policies and standards.
- Enforcement: Enforce all food safety and health regulations, policies, and requirements at all times to guarantee a secure work environment.
- Personal Hygiene: Maintain exceptional personal hygiene as per the organization’s code of conduct.
- Contamination Control: Raise awareness about potential physical product contamination and implement control measures to prevent it.
- Health and Safety Measures: Take reasonable precautions to prevent health and safety hazards. Follow the prescribed incident reporting procedure in case of accidents.
- Knowledge and Compliance: Stay updated with relevant business information, policies, processes, and procedures. Enforce compliance with legislative and statutory requirements, as well as GMP’s (Good Manufacturing Practices).
- Training: Attend and enforce the implementation of learnings from training sessions related to Quality, Food Safety, and Health and Safety.
- Housekeeping: Maintain high levels of cleanliness and orderliness within the work environment.
Qualifications and Experience
- Recognised Trade Test Certificate (Red Seal preferred) as Millwright, Mechanical Fitter or Electrical Artisan.
- N3 / N4 / N6 Certificate or National Diploma in Engineering Studies advantageous
- 3–5 years’ post-trade experience as a Utilities Artisan in an FMCG manufacturing environment
- Hands-on proven experience with: high-pressure compressors, water treatment (RO/softeners), generators, pumps & steam systems
- Statutory inspections, permits, and OHS Act compliance with pressure equipment
- Experience in high-speed bottling utilities advantageous
Key Qualities & Behavioural Competencies
- Technical Excellence & Problem-Solving:
Strong analytical mind with the ability to diagnose complex faults quickly under pressure and implement permanent solutions.
Strong diagnostic skills under pressure; uses structured tools (5-Why, VPO) to deliver permanent fixes and optimise performance.
Anticipates failures, drives energy-efficiency and reliability improvements, and takes full responsibility for shift utilities performance.
Drives continuous improvement with a “fix it right the first time” mindset.
Work effectively with multi-disciplinary- and multicultural teams.
Finds ways to fast-adapt improvement ideas to work processes, collaborates with production, engineering, and contractors and transfer knowledge.
- Detail-Oriented & Cost-Conscious:
Meticulous with documentation, logbooks, inspections, and spares; focused on reducing waste and utility costs.
• Safety & Compliance Champion: Zero-compromise attitude towards SHEQ, food safety, and GMP; leads by example and always identifies and corrects unsafe acts.
