General Manager – Engineering and Projects at Olam Agri

Job Description

Olam Agri is seeking an experienced General Manager – Engineering and Projects to lead engineering, maintenance, utilities, and capital project activities across its wheat milling operations in Nigeria. The successful candidate will be responsible for driving operational excellence, optimizing plant performance, managing large engineering teams, and overseeing strategic expansion projects while ensuring cost efficiency and business continuity.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the engineering function across multiple manufacturing facilities, ensuring optimal plant performance and operational reliability.
• Develop and implement comprehensive maintenance strategies and best practices for large-scale wheat milling operations.
• Oversee the planning, execution, and delivery of brownfield and greenfield projects within approved budgets and timelines.
• Ensure efficient management of utilities operations, including power, steam, and other critical plant services.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), maintenance optimization, and utility cost reduction.
• Manage engineering budgets, including Repair and Maintenance (R&M), CapEx, and OpEx expenditures.
• Oversee spare parts inventory management to ensure operational efficiency and minimize downtime.
• Lead, mentor, and develop engineering teams while implementing effective workforce structures across sites.
• Support business continuity objectives and ensure engineering activities align with organizational performance targets.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to achieve strategic business goals and operational excellence.

Job Requirements

Interested candidates should possess:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• QEHS, HACCP, or other relevant industry certifications.
• Additional certifications in plant management, maintenance, or engineering best practices will be an advantage.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience managing maintenance, utilities, engineering projects, and plant operations within manufacturing environments.
• Proven experience leading engineering functions across multiple production facilities or a large single-site operation.
• Strong expertise in wheat milling operations, flour milling processes, and process optimization.
• Hands-on experience with Buhler, Ugur, and Alapala milling equipment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of reliability engineering, spare parts management, and maintenance planning.
• Experience managing large engineering teams and coordinating cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong project management skills with successful delivery of greenfield and brownfield projects.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.