Maintenance Manager – Engineering (Aquaculture)

About the role

The Maintenance Manager will lead a planned maintenance operation for Victory Farms' aquaculture facilities, overseeing asset reliability, work orders and budgets across a multi‑trade department. The role requires an engineering degree, at least eight years of post‑qualification experience and proven leadership of a large maintenance team.

Key responsibilities

• Define maintenance strategy, set reliability targets and balance scheduled, condition‑based and corrective work.
• Maintain a rolling preventive maintenance programme, manage work orders from request to close‑out and batch work by area, trade and shutdown windows.
• Develop and maintain a complete asset register in ERPNext, evaluate repair versus replacement and plan capital replacements.
• Own the maintenance budget, forecast labour, spares and contractor costs, and report variances.
• Establish departmental structure, delegate authority, ensure clear communication with production and supervise performance reviews.
• Control workshop tools, protective equipment, stores and enforce safety procedures including permit‑to‑work and lock‑out.

Required profile

• Engineering degree recognised in Kenya; professional registration with the Engineers Board of Kenya is advantageous.
• Minimum 8 years engineering and maintenance experience in industrial/agro‑industrial settings, with at least 4 years leading a multi‑trade team of 20+ staff.
• Experience operating a continuous‑run site where breakdowns directly affect production, preferably in aquaculture or related agro‑processing.
• Demonstrated ability to work within Kenyan regulatory, labour and supply‑chain conditions.

Required skills

• Proficiency with ERPNext or comparable ERP/CMMS for asset data, work orders and inventory.
• Power generation and electrical distribution knowledge, including standby generation and fault‑finding.
• Pumping and water system design, reticulation, filtration and drainage.
• Refrigeration and cold‑chain principles for food‑safety temperature control.
• Mechanical plant and fleet expertise – diesel engines, hydraulics, transmissions, lifting equipment.
• Welding, fabrication and structural repair techniques.
• Marine asset management and ability to lead a specialist marine team.
• Budgeting, lifecycle costing, depreciation analysis and capital case development.