Tupande Engineering & Maintenance Lead (Fixed-Term) at One Acre Fund

About the Role


Seeking an exceptional Engineering Lead to lead factory machinery and equipment maintenance. The lead will establish engineering maintenance excellence across the Tupande Soko factories and reduce operational downtime for our processing operations.


Responsibilities

Build and own the maintenance management system


Implement a CMMS across all three factories within 90-120 days of joining; own the equipment hierarchy, PM job plans, and work order lifecycle
Design and standardize preventive maintenance schedules for all critical equipment; target 80:20 planned-to-unplanned maintenance ratio within 12 months
Own the cross-factory spare parts strategy: set minimum stock levels, manage replenishment, and prevent stockouts on critical items
Establish RCA processes for major failures; track corrective actions to closure and use findings to improve PM plans
Troubleshoot complex equipment failures directly, providing on-the-spot technical interventions when maintenance staff or vendors are unavailable.
Mentor and model best-practice repair techniques during direct interaction with the maintenance team to elevate technical standards.


Drive management visibility through reporting and KPIs


Design, maintain, and present the Tupande Soko maintenance KPI scorecard to the Soko Director monthly.
Produce weekly factory-level maintenance reports for Business Leads; provide clear production-impact assessments and escalation flags
Maintain a cross-factory equipment risk register; flag capital investment needs and imminent replacement requirements to the Soko Director
Attend monthly Soko leadership meetings as the technical representative of the maintenance function


Professionalize the maintenance workforce


Lead the transition from operator-led to technician-led maintenance: define job families, competency frameworks, and career pathways
Partner with HR to recruit dedicated Maintenance Technicians (mechanical and electrical) at each factory (where needed)
Design and deliver TPM autonomous maintenance training for machine operators (cleaning, lubrication, basic checks)
Coach and assess technicians and operators on maintenance standards; conduct monthly team reviews with factory leads


Internal and External Coordination


Oversee maintenance-related vendor relationships and manage associated service contracts in partnership with the Procurement team
Define scoping requirements and establish Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in coordination with Corporate Operations for non-technical repairs (e.g. factory structure repairs and maintenance)
Ensure correct specifications listed for machines, spare parts and consumables requested by all factory teams


Ensure safety and food safety compliance


Ensure all maintenance activities comply with safe systems of work: permit to work, LOTO, confined space, and relevant Kenyan regulatory requirements (KEBS, DOSH, NEMA)
Maintain HACCP-required equipment records for food-contact assets; lead the maintenance function's contribution to food safety audits
Champion a zero-harm safety culture; conduct regular safety walks and close out hazard reports


Qualifications

Technical skills (must have prior to joining):


Degree in an appropriate engineering field
Active registration as an engineer in Kenya
Preventive/predictive maintenance programme design and implementation
Experience with avocado oil machinery repairs and maintenance preferred
Experience with industrial dehydrators, macadamia processing, and industrial-level biochar production preferred
CMMS operation and administration
Mechanical and/or electrical fault-finding and root cause analysis on industrial plant equipment
KPI dashboard development and maintenance performance reporting
Spare parts inventory management


Knowledge (required understanding):


Food safety management systems and HACCP requirements as applied to plant maintenance
Kenyan occupational health and safety legislation (OSHA, DOSH requirements)
TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) or World Class Manufacturing principles
Kenyan regulatory environment for food manufacturing (KEBS, relevant standards