Machine Specialist - Mbeya

Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) presents an exciting opportunity for a Machine Specialist in Mbeya, to join the Manufacturing team at CCBA. The role will report to the Machine Controller.

About CCBA

CCBA is the 8th largest Coca-Cola authorised bottler in the world by revenue, and the largest on the continent. It accounts for over 40% of all Coca-Cola ready-to-drink beverages sold in Africa by volume. With over 14 000 employees in Africa, CCBA group services more than 800 000 customers with a host of international and local brands. CCBA group operates in 14 countries: South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi and the islands of Comoros and Mayotte.

Job Summary

The primary role of the machine specialist is to maintain, repair, and optimise plant and associated devices to ensure that plant availability and product quality are achieved at minimum cost, without sacrificing standards. The role also entails providing specialised machine skill and knowledge to the shift team, and to support the operations, maintenance, and problem-solving activities of the shift teams.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Operational Support

• Provide specialist support to the shift-based teams during operations. This will include standby and day shift support.
• Where requested, assist as a functional expert in problem-solving. This must be undertaken in support of the process artisan.
• Provide guidance and advice to the shift-based teams on machine operation, machine fault finding, and correct responses to machine failure modes.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and knowledge transfer of machine operation to shift-based teams.
• Review SICs and address deviations regularly.
• Take part, as a functional expert, in regional and central plant optimisation trials.
• Development of work instructions related to equipment.
• Monitor and manage the performance of equipment.
• Ability to work shifts and be available on call-out where necessary.
• Verify and ensure that machines are running at rated speed.

Planned Maintenance

• Take part in maintenance planning meetings, contributing suggestions and clarifying work required.
• Carry out work during the planned maintenance window in accordance with the planned maintenance schedule issued by the Planner.
• Where scheduled work cannot be completed, feed back to the Maintenance Planner for direction. This may involve rescheduling the work or prioritising outstanding work.
• Assist fellow team members in the execution of their tasks during planned maintenance windows.
• Complete any administration and SAP tasks in support of planned maintenance periods.
• Partake in maintenance post-mortems to feedback problems, opportunities, and learnings from maintenance activities.
• Optimisation of maintenance schedules.
• Coach / train Operators on autonomous maintenance tasks.

Routine Maintenance

• Partake in cleaning, lubrication, and inspection in accordance with the maintenance schedule issued by the Maintenance Planner.
• Carry out routine maintenance activities in accordance with the maintenance schedule.
• Where problems have been uncovered during routine maintenance, these must be resolved using the appropriate problem-solving techniques.
• Where problems have been uncovered, and it is required to include the work in the planned maintenance schedule, this must be communicated to the maintenance planner.
• Carry out condition monitoring activities where these have been allocated to the technician in accordance with the CM schedule.

Running Repairs

• Partake in carrying out running repairs on plant and equipment, or support the shift artisans in carrying out repairs.
• When carrying out repairs, assess the problem and determine a course of action.
• Solicits external specialist assistance where required; e.g. OEM’s (as agreed with the Packaging Engineer).
• Verify that running repairs carried out address the problems.
• Complete the administration tasks relating to any running repairs that the technician has carried out. This includes all SAP inputs.
• Where running repairs cannot be carried out, communicates this to the Maintenance Planner to ensure the work is planned into the next planned maintenance window.

Problem Solving

• Apply the correct problem-solving methodologies to resolve problems.
• Solicit additional resources to assist in problem-solving or escalate to the Maintenance Planner or Packaging Engineer for direction.
• Assist / coach fellow team members to resolve problems.
• Take part, as a functional expert, in situational and systemic problem solving.

Housekeeping and Safety

• Operate in a safe manner at all times, and to identify and highlight unsafe work practices so that these may be corrected.
• Carry out work according to the work instructions and adhering to appropriate CCBA policies and procedures.
• Carry out housekeeping tasks, and apply 4S principles during the execution of their duties.

NPD Support

• Support NPD implementation and trials.
• Support NPD trials to be able to run on assets.
• Ensure adherence to NPD procedures.
• Ensure all changes on assets are well documented as per the Engineering Change Management business processes.

Training and Development

• Train, coach, assess and sign-off PAs and Operators on asset care and autonomous maintenance practices.
• Development of operational and technical standards and work instructions.
• Efficiently applies rigour and operating discipline to ensure decisions are made on a timely basis.
• Applies a broad base of knowledge and experience to solve complex issues.

Skills, Experience & Education

Qualification & Experience

• Degree in Engineering (Mechanical / Electrical with some Instrumentation) as an added advantage.
• 5 years’ work experience in engineering (FMCG an added advantage).
• Computer literacy essential - Microsoft packages.
• Knowledge of SAP.
• Knowledge of Packaging machines (within specialist area) and their functionality.

Key Attributes and Competencies

• Diagnostic ability.
• Coaching skills.
• Teamwork.
• Result and Execution Driven.
• Resilient and energetic.
• Customer focused.
• Flexible (Able to attend breakdowns during weekends & night hours).
• Contribute to self and team development.
• Must be a self-starter and be able to work under pressure.
• Must have an appreciation for quality and technical standards.
• Must be able to liaise with Machine Suppliers (OEM’s) and Technical Support from COF.
• Must be able to carry out mechanical and electrical maintenance work.
• Must have good 'trouble shooting' skills.