Senior Maintenance Engineer: Strategic Maintenance & Projects: Solar PV

VACANCY

1. POSITION DETAILS

Position Title:

Senior Maintenance Engineer: Strategic Maintenance & Projects: Solar PV

Reports to:

• Head of O&M: Solar PV
• Head of O&M: Wind & BESS

Department:

Operations: R&F South Africa

Period:

Full Time: Local Employment Contract

Location:

• Bryanston Office, Johannesburg, South Africa
• Regular travel within South Africa and occasional travel to Engie HQ/other sites

CLOSING DATE:

30 November 2026

2. BACKGROUND

The Engie group is a global reference in low-carbon energy and services. Together with our 90 000 employees, customers, partners and stakeholders, we are committed to accelerate the transition towards a carbon-neutral world, through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally friendly solutions. Present in 30 countries, the Group covers the entire energy value chain. For more information please visit: www.engie.com  or www.engie-africa.com  

The role is based in the Engie Bryanston Office, with regular travel to sites within the assigned cluster and periodic travel to other Engie offices/sites. The clusters are currently based on technology groupings and will be evaluated and adjusted periodically based on number/type of additional projects coming into operation, location, technology, complexity and business needs at the time.

3. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure that the plant meets safety, quality, availability, reliability, efficiency, generation and budget targets;
• Develop and periodically review the short-term and long-term maintenance strategy and budget for each plant.
• Prepare/control/analyse/report on the yearly and LT budget and business plan for the assigned group of assets;
• Oversee the day-to-day planning for all maintenance activities in coordination with the relevant O&M Head and Plant Manager, according to dispatch instructions, company procedures, OEM guidelines and contractual requirements
• Drive the use of the SAP system for all procurement, spares management and maintenance management;
• Liaise with OEMs and Engie experts to provide support to site-based teams to execute and close out maintenance actions or conduct investigations and RCAs.
• Develop, achieve and report maintenance KPI’s and objectives; including the frequency and ratio of preventative to corrective maintenance, MTBF, MTTR, spares availability and outage readiness.
• Establish, implement and monitor the adherence to maintenance procedures, routines and KPIs;
• Efficient management of resources, supplies and consumables while controlling the risks through risk assessments;
• Periodically review and manage plant maintenance contracts,
• Coordinate maintenance activities with Administration, Operation, Finance, and SHEQ
• Establish training programs for team development and competence;
• Suggest/Lead/Review plant upgrade/modification proposals and renewal of LTSAs and manage the implementation
• Produce, evaluate, analyse and transmit to relevant functions pertinent reports, relating to performance, cost, HSE and progress on maintenance activities on the plant.

In Addition, the Senior Maintenance Engineer shall support the O&M Heads to:

• Drive the ESA strategy and business plan for performance and growth through management of people, financial & technical performance, business administration, governance, risk & opportunity.
• Contribute to and drive the deployment of any strategic programmes emanating from the ESA, AMEA and R&F GBU business plan and target operating model.
• Drive performance for each site through short term and long-term actions that ensure that production, availability, reliability, efficiency, LT plant health, HSE, Finance, ESG and HR annual targets are met consistently.
• Investigate and promote synergies and knowledge transfer between assets and across technologies/sites to enable performance improvements, optimal resource allocation, cost efficiencies and career path development. 
• Implement or extrapolate best practices and mature processes from the Engie Group (IMS, Operational Excellence Framework etc) and between the sites.
• Proactively monitoring and challenge performance while driving objectives and operational excellence together with the site management team. Put corrective action and performance improvement plans in place where necessary.
• Optimise revenue and expenses, while maximising production, plant availability and health on a long-term basis.
• Together with the Head of OMS, optimising the financial performance of the OpCos, within limits of the agreements, and protecting the long-term value of the asset;
• Ensuring proper implementation of governance and reporting requirements, including preparation and organisation of the Board of Directors and Engie reporting processes;
• Engaging with all relevant asset stakeholders to maintain the ‘license to operate’ and represent the Operating Companies towards the stakeholders.
• Implementing consistent systems, processes and policies aligned with the target operating model, ESA growth strategy and annual business plan
• Consistently demonstrating the Engie leadership model (The Ways We Lead) and ESA values
• Leading, coaching, mentoring and influencing towards a positive, pro-active high-performance culture

 Stakeholder Relations

• Coordinating internal stakeholders and ensuring departmental interfaces and services are well managed.
• Maintaining smooth relationships with all stakeholders while devoting best efforts to minimise and solve possible disputes in the best interest of the assets
• Identifying, analyzing and managing risks and opportunities

 Finance

• Managing operations within approved budgetary limits;
• Prepare medium and long-term budget forecasts for management and board approval
• Monitoring and reporting variances and deviations on a regular basis;
• Controlling and approving procurement and all expenditures as per the DOA.

 Operations Management

• Managing the Environmental, Health and Safety performance of the assets including emergency preparedness;
• Improving collaboration, overall performance, and process/resource/cost synergies between the assets
• Ensuring that a culture of excellence in HSE standards is applied and consistently maintained;
• Ensuring and maintaining compliance with the key agreements and all South African laws;
• Formulation of business plans, which will include long term and annual operating plans and budgets, as well as the implementation of appropriate maintenance, operation, outage and spares management strategies and master plans.
• Coordinating annual outage plans, scheduling the outages for minor and major overhauls and coordinating in accordance with the requirements of the O&M Agreement and the LTMC/LTSA.  Ensuring the required parts, tools & fixtures and manpower are available well in time to start the outage.
• Responsible for ensuring ethical governance and practices enacted by the team.
• Creating processes, systems and SOPs, and maintaining and updating related documents and procedures.

Reporting

• Reporting on the status of the assets to the ESA management team
• Creating relevant monitoring tools and dashboards and implementing key programs (ROADI, IMS etc).

4. COMMUNICATION AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Internal

• • Engie South Africa Management Team
  • Engie South Africa Transversal & Support Functions and Asset Managers
  • Engie AMEA, R&F GBU and Other Group BUs/Functions

External

• • Client / Off-Taker (ESKOM);
  • Government and local authorities as required
  • Owner/Project Company
  • Contractual Counterparties: Suppliers, OEM, Contractors, Advisors, Vendors
  • Lenders/banks
  • Communities
  • Peer Groups
  • Industry Bodies

External

5. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Education

• • B Tech or University Degree in Engineering. MBA or similar would be advantageous.
  • Solid base in energy, operations or maintenance functions
  • Relevant Certifications and Professional Registrations will be advantageous

Language 

• • Excellent English communication skills are mandatory (verbal and written).

 Experience 

• • Minimum of 8 years of experience, preferably within the power/energy sector, and in power generation with key experience in maintenance planning and strategy
  • Strong team leadership experience including implementation of systems and processes  
  • Good contractual and finance management experience

Specific Knowledge/Skills

• • Strong ability to analyse and think strategically
  • Strong interpersonal skills.
  • Strong negotiation, leadership and management skills.
  • Good technical background/understanding.
  • Ability to work flexibly (independently and with teams), under complexity, ambiguity and with change.
  • Ability to work efficiently in a broad cultural spectrum.
  • Process driven and maintains high ethical standard.

ENGIE Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd is committed to equality, employment equity, and diversity. In accordance with the employment equity plan of ENGIE Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd and its employment equity goals and targets, preference may be given, but is not limited, to candidates from under-represented designated groups. ENGIE Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd reserves the right not to make an appointment to the posts as advertised. Candidates with disabilities are encouraged to apply for position