Automation & Engineering Lead - Krones Bottling Lines

Job Title: Automation & Engineering Lead - Krones Bottling Lines
Department: Manufacturing – Engineering
Location: Kiambu County
Reports To: Head of Manufacturing / Plant Director
Direct Reports: Engineering Technicians, Automation Engineers, Maintenance Team
1. Job Purpose
The Automation & Engineering Lead will provide strategic and operational leadership for the engineering function within the Beverages, PET, and Noodles production lines. The role is responsible for ensuring optimal performance, reliability, and efficiency of production equipment through proactive maintenance, advanced troubleshooting, automation optimization, and continuous improvement initiatives. The incumbent will drive operational excellence by minimizing downtime, improving production efficiency, and implementing engineering innovations that enhance plant productivity and cost efficiency.
2. Key Responsibilities
1. Engineering Leadership & Plant Reliability
• Provide overall leadership and accountability for the engineering function across the Beverages, PET, and Noodles production lines at Our Client Industrial Park.
• Oversee all engineering and maintenance operations to ensure high equipment reliability and plant availability.
• Lead the engineering team in implementing best practices in preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs.
2. Automation & Technical Expertise
• Provide advanced technical expertise in electrical, electronic, instrumentation, and automation systems, particularly within Krones bottling lines, with preference for experience in Krones Combi Block Model C3.
• Diagnose and resolve complex electrical, instrumentation, and automation faults across production equipment.
• Ensure periodic automation program backups and maintain accurate technical documentation for plant systems.
3. Maintenance Optimization
• Implement proactive and predictive maintenance strategies to ensure optimal machine uptime and operational reliability.
• Drive improvements to reduce Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) and increase Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF).
• Maintain accurate records of maintenance history, machinery performance, and spares consumption.
4. Operational Performance & Production Efficiency
• Support manufacturing operations to achieve production efficiency above 85% while maintaining process wastage below 1%.
• Work closely with production teams to ensure seamless coordination between engineering and manufacturing operations.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and recommend engineering solutions to improve throughput and productivity.
5. Root Cause Analysis & Continuous Improvement
• Conduct breakdown analysis and root cause analysis (RCA) for equipment failures and process disruptions.
• Develop and implement corrective and preventive action plans to prevent recurrence of technical issues.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives including Kaizen, digitalization, and process optimization across the engineering function.
6. Engineering Spares & Vendor Management
• Ensure effective engineering spares inventory management, maintaining optimal stock levels to support uninterrupted operations.
• Manage vendor relationships for procurement of engineering components and services.
• Support vendor development, evaluation, and finalization for engineering materials and technical support services.
7. Project Management & Plant Development
• Lead engineering support for plant expansion, upgrades, and development projects.
• Manage engineering projects including automation improvements, equipment upgrades, and new line installations.
• Ensure projects are delivered within agreed timelines, budgets, and technical specifications.
8. Qualifications & Experience
• Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, or Automation Engineering.
• Minimum 8–12 years of relevant experience, preferably within FMCG manufacturing or beverage bottling operations.
• Strong hands-on experience with Krones bottling lines, with preference for Krones Combi Block Model C3
• Proven expertise in automation systems, instrumentation, electrical systems, and production line troubleshooting.
• Demonstrated experience in predictive maintenance, reliability engineering, and plant performance improvement.
9. Competencies & Skills
• Advanced automation and control systems expertise
• Strong analytical and root cause analysis skills
• Leadership and team management capability
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making ability
• Project management and execution skills
• Continuous improvement and operational excellence mindset
• Strong stakeholder engagement and cross-functional collaboration skills