Unilever is currently hiring for Site Engineering Manager (Durban)
Function: Supply Chain
Reports to: Sourcing Unit Director
Location: Maydon Wharf Factory (Durban), South Africa
Terms & Conditions: Full time, onsite
At Unilever, everything we do is driven by purpose. This is your opportunity to shape a better business and a better world through the work you do.
We are looking for a Site Engineering Manager who will have overall responsibility for engineering maintenance and projects, including utilities, production lines, processing plants, and buildings. The primary objective of this role is to implement improvements that contribute to the factory’s performance targets while ensuring the effective maintenance of all operational and support elements within the sourcing unit.
This role will also manage engineering spares, assets, and site services to fully support manufacturing activities and drive operational excellence.
WHAT YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
Engineering, Projects & Asset Management
- Lead and deploy the Professional Maintenance pillar within the Unilever Manufacturing System (UMS), driving asset reliability, maintainability, and cost efficiency with a zero-breakdown ambition.
- Manage technical and maintenance teams responsible for delivering projects, innovation, infrastructure, and site services.
- Support innovation implementation by identifying optimal design solutions aligned with USCC and category technology standards.
- Drive execution of the approved capital projects portfolio from post-approval through to closure, in line with UMS Early Equipment Management principles.
- Liaise with Category and Engineering Excellence teams on technology upgrades and implementation.
- Ensure high standards of work quality while maintaining cost efficiency.
- Manage engineering spares, asset reliability, and lifecycle performance.
Safety, Quality & Compliance
- Accountable for the safety of all maintenance and project-related activities within the factory.
- Lead and embed safe working practices, including full HSE compliance across engineering operations.
- Oversee safety throughout the project lifecycle (PHA, HAZOPs, MDSAS, design, commissioning, and handover).
- Ensure full statutory and legal compliance across contractors and engineering activities.
Operational Excellence & TPM
- Lead the Professional Maintenance and Early Equipment Management pillars, including SIMAS application.
- Drive continuous improvement and cross-pillar integration to eliminate losses and improve safety, quality, and productivity.
- Improve maintenance performance metrics such as MTBF, MTTR, and overall equipment efficiency.
- Optimize maintenance costs and manage spare parts inventory aligned with working capital targets.
- Implement controls to ensure accurate accounting and consumption of engineering spares.
Sustainability & Utilities
- Develop and implement plans to improve site infrastructure including energy, water, steam, and treatment systems.
- Lead energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives aligned with Unilever’s goals.
- Manage utilities, contracts, and contractor performance to ensure reliability and efficiency.
People & Capability Leadership
- Coach and develop engineering and technical teams across the site.
- Build and embed product, process, and packaging expertise relevant to the asset base.
- Lead talent management, skills development, and performance management initiatives.
- Foster a high-performance, inclusive culture focused on safety, continuous improvement, and delivery.
- Influence and collaborate effectively across stakeholders at all levels to drive business priorities.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO SUCCEED
Experiences & Qualifications
• BSC Engineering degree (Mechanical or Electrical)
• Government Certificate of Competency (GCC) is *essential
• 3-5 years in FMCG/ Manufacturing operations experience
• Engineering in FMCG Supply Chain (Planning, Customer Service, Logistics, Process)
• Proficient leadership and management experience across large Teams, Stakeholders and Suppliers/ Third Parties/ Contractors
• Must have led projects from end to end looking at design, budget creation and control and project execution
Skills
• Continuous improvement/ lean manufacturing / TPM proficiency
• Health & safety management
• People & Performance management
• Project management
• Risk management
• Problem solving
• Stakeholder management
• Communication
• Business Acumen
Leadership
You have a high passion for developing people as well as an affinity for coaching. As the business partner to numerous leaders accountable for safety, you will have to train, coach and guide them to ensure that safety leadership is at the required level. In addition, direct talent management of your direct reports as well as skills development to deliver leading edge performance.
• You hold yourself, your peers, and leaders to a high standard of accountability, ensuring both objectives are met to the right quality of delivery.
• You are not just a Engineering leader, but a business leader, able to see and contextualize the bigger picture, assisting the business to drive business priorities.
• You are good at managing stakeholders across various functions and at all levels, able to communicate effectively. You have the ability to influence across the organization impactfully to drive change.
• You are energized by delivering fantastic results. You are an example to others – both your results and your resilience. You are constantly on the lookout for better ways to do things, engaging and collaborating with others along the way.
• You are an inclusive motivator of people. Your team delivers with real passion, growing and learning from each other whilst delivering quick wins.
• You are still responsible for your own results and as a manager, you also need to motivate others to deliver with passion, creating an inclusive and engaging climate around you. You can balance challenges with support and coaching. You understand the wider business context, and you are emotionally intelligent enough to motivate people to deliver what is needed.
Why Join Unilever?
• Work for one of the world’s most purpose-led and trusted brands.
• Drive meaningful impact on business capability and performance.
• Be part of a supportive, culture driven environment that values people and growth.
• Enjoy opportunities for regional exposure and professional development.
Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus, if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.
Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.
Skills Required
- BSC Engineering degree (Mechanical or Electrical)
- Government Certificate of Competency (GCC)
- 3-5 years in FMCG/Manufacturing operations experience
- Proficient leadership and management experience across large Teams, Stakeholders and Suppliers/ Third Parties/ Contractors
- Must have led projects from end to end looking at design, budget creation and control and project execution
Unilever Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Unilever and has not been reviewed or approved by Unilever.
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is described as comprehensive, spanning medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and occupational health support alongside a 24/7 employee assistance program. Wellbeing offerings such as health checks, resilience tools, and counseling support the perceived depth of health-related benefits.
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Retirement Support — Retirement support includes a 401(k) match that reaches up to 5% of base salary, strengthening the overall value of the package. Share and savings options are also referenced as part of longer-term financial support beyond salary.
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Flexible Benefits — Benefits customization is enabled through tools such as a “My Reward” system and a “Benefits Envelope” that allows employees to personalize selections. Flexible working approaches are also associated with improved overall satisfaction, reinforcing perceived choice and adaptability in the total rewards offering.
Unilever Insights
What We Do
Be part of the world’s most successful, purpose-led business. Work with brands that are well-loved around the world, that improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We promote innovation, big and small, to make our business win and grow; and we believe in business as a force for good. Unleash your curiosity, challenge ideas and disrupt processes; use your energy to make this happen. Our brilliant business leaders and colleagues provide mentorship and inspiration, so you can be at your best. Our portfolio ranges from nutritionally balanced foods to indulgent ice creams, affordable soaps, luxurious shampoos and everyday household care products. We produce world-leading brands including Lipton, Knorr, Dove, Axe, Hellmann’s and Omo, alongside trusted local names and innovative-forward thinking brands like Ben & Jerry’s, The Dollar Shave Club and Dermalogica. Every individual here can bring their purpose to life through their work. Join us and you’ll be surrounded by inspiring leaders and supportive peers. Among them, you’ll channel your purpose, bring fresh ideas to the table, and simply be you. As you work to make a real impact on the business and the world, we’ll work to help you become a better you.
