Background

The company opened its first manufacturing facility in Mombasa, Kenya, in 1962, rapidly widening its reach to include further countries in East Africa, and then Southern Africa. In 2003, all operating companies were reversed into the current holding company called Safal Investments Mauritius Limited and conduct its business across Africa as the Safal Group.

Main purpose of the position:

To plan, supervise and execute mechanical maintenance activities for the ERW Plant, ensuring high equipment availability, improved plant reliability, effective spare parts management, timely technical reporting, and successful execution of CAPEX projects aimed at capacity enhancement, reliability improvement and operational efficiency.

Key responsibilities:

• Prepare and implement preventive, predictive and corrective mechanical maintenance plans for ERW mills and related plant equipment.
• Ensure high equipment availability and reliability by identifying recurring breakdowns, leading root cause analysis and implementing permanent corrective actions.
• Plan, assign, supervise and coordinate day-to-day mechanical maintenance works, shutdown jobs and breakdown interventions.
• Maintain effective spare parts management by reviewing consumption trends, defining minimum and maximum stock levels, raising timely purchase requisitions and preventing critical spares shortages.
• Prepare mechanical maintenance reports by collecting, analysing and summarising information on breakdowns, downtime, equipment availability, maintenance costs, spare usage and improvement actions.
• Use SAP PM or equivalent maintenance systems effectively for work orders, history tracking, preventive maintenance schedules and maintenance performance monitoring.
• Lead technical troubleshooting of mechanical systems including mill stands, forming and sizing sections, cut-off systems, hydraulics, pneumatics, conveyors, gearboxes, bearings and utility equipment.
• Identify plant reliability and capacity enhancement opportunities and convert them into practical engineering solutions.
• Prepare scopes, technical specifications, cost estimates and execution plans for mechanical CAPEX projects and reliability improvement initiatives.
• Supervise installation, commissioning and handover of approved mechanical projects while ensuring safety, quality, timelines and budget control.
• Ensure compliance with company safety standards, permit-to-work requirements, statutory requirements and good housekeeping practices during all maintenance activities.
• Train, guide and develop mechanical technicians to improve troubleshooting skills, maintenance discipline and autonomous maintenance practices.
• Liaise with production, quality, electrical maintenance, procurement and stores teams to ensure smooth plant operations and timely support.
• Monitor contractor work, verify technical quality and ensure completion of mechanical jobs as per agreed scope and safety standards.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives aimed at reducing downtime, improving mill performance, reducing maintenance cost and enhancing product quality.

Requirements

Qualifications required:

• Minimum academic qualification: Diploma or Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineering or equivalent technical qualification
• Qualifications as an added advantage: Training in maintenance planning, SAP PM/CMMS, reliability maintenance, hydraulics, pneumatics, welding systems or project management
• Professional registration: Relevant engineering or technician registration will be an added advantage

Experience required:

• General work experience (years): 7 - 10 years in mechanical maintenance within a manufacturing or heavy industrial environment
• Specific to the position (level/discipline/years): At least 3 - 5 years in ERW tube mill/mechanical maintenance supervision, maintenance planning, spare parts management and plant improvement projects
• Industry: Steel, tubes and pipes, metal processing, manufacturing or related heavy engineering industry

Key competencies and skills:

• Strong mechanical troubleshooting and problem-solving skills
• Maintenance planning and organising skills
• Spare parts planning and inventory control knowledge
• Technical reporting and data analysis skills
• CAPEX project coordination and execution skills
• Leadership, supervision and technician development skills
• Safety awareness and compliance orientation

• Prepare and implement preventive, predictive and corrective mechanical maintenance plans for ERW mills and related plant equipment.
• Ensure high equipment availability and reliability by identifying recurring breakdowns, leading root cause analysis and implementing permanent corrective actions.
• Plan, assign, supervise and coordinate day-to-day mechanical maintenance works, shutdown jobs and breakdown interventions.
• Maintain effective spare parts management by reviewing consumption trends, defining minimum and maximum stock levels, raising timely purchase requisitions and preventing critical spares shortages.
• Prepare mechanical maintenance reports by collecting, analysing and summarising information on breakdowns, downtime, equipment availability, maintenance costs, spare usage and improvement actions.
• Use SAP PM or equivalent maintenance systems effectively for work orders, history tracking, preventive maintenance schedules and maintenance performance monitoring.
• Lead technical troubleshooting of mechanical systems including mill stands, forming and sizing sections, cut-off systems, hydraulics, pneumatics, conveyors, gearboxes, bearings and utility equipment.
• Identify plant reliability and capacity enhancement opportunities and convert them into practical engineering solutions.
• Prepare scopes, technical specifications, cost estimates and execution plans for mechanical CAPEX projects and reliability improvement initiatives.
• Supervise installation, commissioning and handover of approved mechanical projects while ensuring safety, quality, timelines and budget control.
• Ensure compliance with company safety standards, permit-to-work requirements, statutory requirements and good housekeeping practices during all maintenance activities.
• Train, guide and develop mechanical technicians to improve troubleshooting skills, maintenance discipline and autonomous maintenance practices.
• Liaise with production, quality, electrical maintenance, procurement and stores teams to ensure smooth plant operations and timely support.
• Monitor contractor work, verify technical quality and ensure completion of mechanical jobs as per agreed scope and safety standards.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives aimed at reducing downtime, improving mill performance, reducing maintenance cost and enhancing product quality.

• Strong mechanical troubleshooting and problem-solving skills
• Maintenance planning and organising skills
• Spare parts planning and inventory control knowledge
• Technical reporting and data analysis skills
• CAPEX project coordination and execution skills
• Leadership, supervision and technician development skills
• Safety awareness and compliance orientation

• Minimum academic qualification: Diploma or Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineering or equivalent technical qualification
• Qualifications as an added advantage: Training in maintenance planning, SAP PM/CMMS, reliability maintenance, hydraulics, pneumatics, welding systems or project management
• Professional registration: Relevant engineering or technician registration will be an added advantage