Group Lead Engineer
JIbu Kiambu
Remote
Job Title: Lead Engineer
Department: Production and Quality
Job Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Reports To: Chief Operations Officer
Job Type: Full time
Internal Interfaces
- Production and Quality team
- Finance team
- Franchisees
- Franchise staff
- External regulators
Job Purpose
Oversee Jibu's Group technical operations, Product Quality Assurance and ensure maximum uptime for all production systems in all Jibu Markets. The Lead Engineer is in charge of the overall installation, monitoring, repair, maintenance, and upgrades of Jibu production systems. Furthermore, the Lead Engineer manages all technical research and developments into new technologies and products that Jibu invests in. Prompt, continuous technical support and training is also required to be provided for all Jibu markets.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Quality Assurance
- Develop and improve Jibu's quality management system, including Training/capacity building, Monitoring and Enforcement in view of optimising monitoring costs with results.
- Develop, improve, monitor and enforce standard operating procedures.
- Standardize and monitor testing protocols and best practices in all countries: ensure that lab pass / fail rate meets KPIs.
- Initiate and oversee product quality research, including shelf life analysis, packaging analysis, water wastage, input consumption, and more.
- Evaluate different OpCo Tech Reports and identify best practices to continuously raise the standard in all countries.
- Production Uptime
- Maximise equipment uptime.
- Develop, maintain and coordinate equipment service schedule with Jibuco country teams and advise AMF partners respectively.
- Develop, maintain and coordinate preventive maintenance schedule.
- Develop, maintain and train on a troubleshooting guide and repair manual, including interactive content and / or videos.
- Evaluate different OpCo P&Q Reports and identify avoidable down-time issues, excessive or unnecessary usage of spare parts and align best practices as well as WTS weaknesses to decrease operations costs across all markets.
- Site and Production System Design
- Continually improve the WTS design and/or component selection to reduce costs (e.g. avoid common maintenance issues/costs).
- Develop on-site solutions whenever required to react to different raw-water sources (e.g. specialised softener solutions, etc).
- Evaluate functionality of WTS and market developments and decide about major design improvements/developments to increase functionality of the WTS.
- Evaluate maintenance records and feedback to design specifications to improve design and reduce maintenance costs in the future.
- Coordinate add-on projects to improve WTS functionality, monitoring, and integration with Jibu enterprise systems.
- Develop implementation plans to effectively and systematically implement hardware and/or process changes at all production sites in all countries.
- International Expansion
- Coordinate the raw water sample testing and taste testing for new markets and advise and lead the equipment selection for new markets and in-market expansion.
- Develop How-To guidelines and manuals as needed to support International partners.
- Operate as switchboard and PoC for partner technical support to ensure maximum machine uptime and technical know-how of AMF staff.
- Develop, maintain and implement the Water Safety Plan for new markets to comply with regulatory and Jibu standards.
- Train partners in Operator certification (TOT), machine installation, troubleshooting and maintenance.
- Operate as switchboard and PoC for partner technical support.
- Capacity Building/Training
- Develop troubleshooting techniques, as well as repair and maintenance standards for all the faults, malfunctions and failures faced with production systems.
- Develop, update, and maintain all equipment manuals, quality control visual collateral, and all other technical documentation and collateral.
- Set up a certification program for Operators (Level 1 – Level 4) to build a strong network of well-trained and highly experienced operators and technicians.
- Provide training support to AMF partners to ensure there is sufficient and decentralised technical support available for the network.
- Develop and maintain training curriculum, standards evaluation programs and related support for franchise and office technical personnel.
- Laboratory Operations
- Manage the establishment of laboratories and oversee their operations in all countries.
- Develop the required procedures, manuals, and process for maintaining a certified lab operation.
- Oversee personnel training programs to ensure laboratory staff have skills to manage and operate the laboratory.
- Research and New Product Development
- Conduct research and provide technical specification and quality requirements for new products, production process, equipment…
- Conduct design or coordinate the design process with expert third parties into new processes.
- Manage the development of prototypes and conduct technical evaluations and provide reports.
- Support different departments and countries in technical-related new product development projects.
- Operational Excellence and OpCo Support
- Support OpCos to become fully OSHA compliant.
- Develop standard operating procedures for all layers: JibuCo and franchise Technical Team.
- Review, improve, and standardize production design and process to improve on product quality.
- Advise on best practices to build and maintain effective working relationships with regulators.
- Administration and Planning
- Act as advisor for all countries to support efficient spare part forecasting for production requirements and technical operations in all markets.
- Monitor the consumption of spare parts and ensure accountability for all consumption.
- Maintain tracking sheets (Group WTS register, build out tracker, etc.).
- Oversee the operator certifications in collaboration with Country Offices.
- Evaluate Quality Audit results and develop reports, best practices and weaknesses to be reported to the senior management.
This position works highly autonomously, receiving general supervision from the COO. Expected to show a high level of initiative in the role and driving projects to completion.
Qualifications
Minimum Experience Requirements
- Master's degree in engineering, quality management or similar applied technical field.
- At least 5 years of management-level experience and certifications in fields related to:
- Water engineering
- Production management
- Product Design and development
- Proven track record of self-directed growth into new skills without formal training.
- Cultural knowledge and experience working in an emerging market context.
- A team player with a sense of adventure wanting to make a difference.
- Experience in managing regulators and complying to their standards.
- Proficient in English; additional local languages (Swahili, French) an added advantage.
- Flexibility to travel frequently both nationally and internationally when required.