HEAD OF ENGINEERING (DAIRY PROCESSING PLANT)

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 Engineering & Plant Operations

• Lead all engineering and maintenance activities across dairy processing, packaging, cold chain, and utilities operations.
• Ensure optimal performance and uptime of Tetra Pak processing and aseptic filling lines.
• Drive equipment reliability and operational excellence through preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
• Develop and implement engineering strategies aligned with production and business objectives.
• Oversee troubleshooting and resolution of critical equipment failures to minimize downtime.
• Ensure efficient operation of utilities including boilers, chillers, compressors, refrigeration systems, water treatment, steam, and power systems.
• Monitor and improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), plant efficiency, and energy utilization.

Maintenance Management

• Establish robust preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance systems.
• Develop maintenance schedules and ensure adherence to maintenance KPIs.
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) and continuous improvement initiatives for recurring breakdowns.
• Ensure proper spare parts planning, inventory optimization, and maintenance cost control.
• Implement CMMS-driven maintenance management practices where applicable.
• Ensure engineering documentation, SOPs, manuals, and maintenance records are properly maintained.

 Projects & Capital Expenditure (CAPEX)

• Lead engineering projects from concept through commissioning and handover.
• Manage plant expansion, equipment upgrades, automation initiatives, and process optimization projects.
• Prepare and manage CAPEX budgets, project timelines, and contractor performance.
• Coordinate installation and commissioning of new processing and packaging equipment.
• Ensure all projects comply with safety, food safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.

 Food Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Ensure engineering operations comply with HACCP, GMP, ISO 22000/FSSC 22000, and dairy industry regulatory standards.
• Support internal and external audits related to engineering, maintenance, utilities, and plant infrastructure.
• Ensure hygienic engineering practices are maintained across all production systems.
• Drive compliance with occupational health and safety standards and environmental regulations.
• Collaborate with Quality Assurance and Production teams to maintain product integrity and food safety standards.

 Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop engineering and maintenance teams to achieve high performance.
• Build strong succession planning and technical capability within the department.
• Manage departmental budgets and optimize engineering expenditure.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, safety, and operational discipline.
• Coordinate effectively with Production, Supply Chain, Quality, Procurement, and EHS departments.

KEY REQUIREMENT SKILLS AND QUALIFICATION

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Process Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
• Registration with the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) is mandatory.
• Minimum 7 years’ engineering experience within dairy manufacturing or FMCG processing environments.
• At least 3 years in a senior engineering leadership or management role.
• Direct dairy industry experience is mandatory.
• Proven hands-on experience with Tetra Pak processing and aseptic filling systems is essential.
• Strong experience managing utilities, maintenance systems, and capital projects in a processing plant environment.

HOW TO APPLY

• If you meet the above qualifications, skills and experience share CV on recruitment@britesmanagement.com
• Interviews will be carried out on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
• Only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted.