Group Engineering Manager (MTO)

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Group Engineering Manager (MTO)

Location: Africa
Sector: General
Contract Type: Permanent

Group Engineering Manager

Company: MTO
Job Title: Engineering
Sector: General
Reporting To: Group Operations Executive
Job Type: Permanent
Date Posted: 6 October 2026
Closing date for applications: 23 October 2026

POSITION OBJECTIVE

About Us:
We are a leading sustainable forestry and manufacturing enterprise managing thousands of hectares of
commercial timber plantations. Our sawmilling operations play a key role in converting this resource into high-quality lumber and other value-added wood products. We are looking for an ambitious Group Engineering Manager to lead our technical and facilities teams within our manufacturing operations.

The Role:
The Group Engineering Manager & Responsible Engineer (GCC Factories) is responsible for the strategic leadership, governance, management, and continuous improvement of all engineering, maintenance, asset management, reliability, utilities, and capital project functions across the Company’s forestry and manufacturing operations.

The incumbent will provide engineering leadership across:

  • Pine plantation forestry operations
  • Forestry workshops and support facilities
  • Two sawmills
  • Pole processing plant
  • Utilities and associated infrastructure

The position is accountable for ensuring the safe, reliable, efficient, and cost-effective operation of all engineering assets while supporting the Company’s production, sustainability, and growth objectives.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Engineering Leadership and Strategy: Lead Group engineering strategy and standards.
  • Asset Management: Optimize assets across their lifecycle.
  • Maintenance Leadership: Implement the Group Maintenance Strategy.
  • Maintenance Planning and Scheduling: Coordinate maintenance resources and schedules.
  • Forestry Engineering Management: Support forestry operations and facilities.
  • Manufacturing Engineering Management: Lead manufacturing engineering services.
  • Capital Projects Management: Govern capital projects from feasibility and approval through commissioning and review.
  • Legal Appointment as Responsible Engineer: Fulfil all duties under the applicable GMR 2(1) and/or GMR 2(7) appointment.
  • Statutory and Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with legislation, regulations, standards, permits and Company requirements.
  • Electrical Engineering Governance: Govern electrical installations, protection, maintenance, competencies, inspections and safe work.
  • Health, Safety, Environmental and Risk Management: Embed safe systems, engineering risk controls and environmental compliance.
  • Financial Management: Manage engineering, maintenance and capital budgets, costs and investment returns.
  • Reliability and Continuous Improvement: Drive reliability, root-cause analysis, condition monitoring and improvement of uptime.
  • Leadership Responsibilities: Lead and develop teams, capabilities, succession, performance and accountability.
  • Biomass Value-Adding Projects: Develop biomass opportunities that improve resource use and sustainable value.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

  • BEng or BTech Engineering Degree (Mechanical, Electrical, Electromechanical, Mechatronic or Industrial Engineering).
  • Government Certificate of Competency (GCC Factories).

Advantageous

  • Postgraduate qualification in Engineering Management, Asset Management, Project Management or Business Management.
  • Formal Project Management qualification.

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Essential Experience:

  • Minimum 10 years’ engineering and maintenance experience within industrial operations, but preferably:
  • Forestry operations
  • Timber processing
  • Sawmilling
  • Pole treatment facilities
  • Wood products manufacturing
  • Minimum 5 years in a senior engineering management role.
  • Proven responsibility for multi-site engineering functions.
  • Experience managing multi-disciplinary engineering teams through subordinate managers.
  • Experience managing maintenance planning systems and CMMS platforms.
  • Experience in capital project execution.
  • Experience fulfilling statutory engineering responsibilities within a factory environment.
  • Knowledge and experience of fixed asset management such as buildings and infrastructure
  • Knowledge of biomass and biomass processing and beneficiation processes will be an advantage
  • Working knowledge of steam generation and applications
  • Knowledge and experience of power generation will be an advantage
  • Working knowledge of vehicle/construction vehicle/harvesting equipment maintenance.
  • Knowledge of engineering principles, practices, and methods.
  • Working knowledge of budgets and cost management
  • Experience of determining maintenance specifications, implementation of quality control of delivered services and Contractor/Supplier management.
  • Previous appointment as Responsible Engineer GMR 2.1
  • Legislation knowledge required:
  • General machinery regulations GMR 2.1
  • Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act).
  • National Environmental Management Act (NEMA).
  • Building Regulations

Travel & License
•      Valid Driver’s License
•      This position may require travel from time to time

This appointment will be made strictly in accordance with the Company’s Employment Equity Plan. MTO Forestry values diversity and aspires to reflect this in our workplace.  If you do not receive a response from us within 21 working days of the closing date, please be advised that your application was unsuccessful.

For more information about the MTO Group visit: www.mto.group