Maintenance Specialist

Company Overview

Nestlé, a global leader in food and beverages for over 150 years, is committed to excellence and innovation at its Harrismith Factory in Free State, South Africa.

Role Summary

We seek a Maintenance Specialist to ensure the upkeep of manufacturing and packaging machinery to meet production needs and performance goals. This role involves coordinating engineering efforts as the Packaging Subject Matter Expert (SME).

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure strict adherence to safety regulations (OHSACT), including managing Work Permits, Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO), and company safety protocols.
• Maintain machinery operation within specified tolerances, ensuring safe and efficient function.
• Supervise and maintain safe workplace conditions throughout the factory and fulfill all statutory plant requirements promptly.
• Lead and schedule planned maintenance activities for factory equipment, building services, and installations.
• Manage and report daily maintenance tasks, tracking progress and escalating issues as necessary.
• Direct hands-on installation, servicing, and repair of all factory equipment, ensuring timely and first-time-right repairs.
• Identify skill gaps in maintenance staff, providing coaching to enhance performance and execution.
• Ensure machinery reliability supports production targets and perform administrative duties related to maintenance, problem-solving, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), and safety.
• Actively engage in TPM initiatives.
• Lead troubleshooting and repairs for instrumentation, automation, electrical, and mechanical faults hands-on.
• Participate in fault finding and equipment breakdown resolution.
• Coordinate and lead maintenance shutdowns for equipment restoration.
• Review and update maintenance plans, schedules, and checklists to improve plant reliability.
• Handle spare parts management effectively.
• Conduct Loss Tree Analyses and implement root cause corrective actions.
• Drive continuous improvement by addressing recurring faults with lasting solutions and document outcomes from problem-solving efforts.
• Lead fault finding, problem-solving, and breakdown analysis on equipment.
• Improve asset performance through maintenance strategy implementation and operational loss analysis.
• Engage in procurement activities including obtaining and presenting OEM or vendor quotations and creating purchase requests for timely support.
• Develop and coach technicians and operators to independently manage maintenance routines, troubleshooting, repairs, and foster a culture of continuous improvement across teams.
• Utilize digital maintenance tools such as AMM Mobile and predictive analytics to optimize maintenance practices.
• Champion personal development plans and support onboarding and training of new team members.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• N6 Certificate or National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering.
• Apprenticeship with a Trade Test Certificate.
• Minimum 2 to 3 years of practical experience in mechanical maintenance.
• Computer proficiency in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SAP, and AMM systems.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• In-depth knowledge of maintenance practices.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work autonomously and manage pressure effectively.
• Supportive approach towards change management.
• Team-oriented mindset with coaching skills for mechanical equipment maintenance.