Maintenance Planner - Grain Field Chickens Abattoir, Reitz
VKB Group
Reitz, Free State
Permanent
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Posted 17 April 2026 - Closing Date 24 April 2026

Job Details

Job Description

Introduction 

Grain Field Chickens, a subsidiary of VKB Agriculture (PTY)Ltd, is a dynamic role player in the integrated broiler industry with an abattoir in Reitz in the North Eastern Free State. We offer you the opportunity to establish yourself within a professional, corporate environment in the countryside.

Job Description 

Responsible for planning maintenance and technical services work and producing work plans and schedules. Administer and monitor the maintenance management system and generate reports on maintenance performance. Monitor the implementation of maintenance schedules to avoid production interruptions and equipment downtime as well as ensuring that assigned maintenance work orders are adequately resourced and successfully completed.

Job Requirements 

  • Grade 12 / NQF 4
  • 3 - 5 years’ experience with On Key 5 (or any other Manufacturing/ Engineering CMMS: Computerized Maintenance Management Systems).
  • National Diploma in Mechanical, Electrical or Industrial Engineering.
  • Maintenance Planning Certificate will be an added advantage.
  • At least 3 years’ relevant experience in a production lant.
  • Advanced knowledge of production machinery, processes and standards.
  • Knowledge of Continuous Improvement/ 20 Keys.
  • Must be computer literate on Advanced Microsoft Office (incl. Advanced Excel).
  • Will be required to work overtime where necessary, including on weekends.
Duties and Responsibilities 
  • Responsible for improving workforce productivity and quality by anticipating and eliminating potential delays through planning and coordinating maintenance resources, parts, materials and equipment access.
  • Daily checking to ensure that all engineering downtime reported on production sheets are fully captured on the CMMS.
  • Review the planning department’s weekly performance as required.
  • Ensure daily compliance to work planning and control procedure.
  • Assist in planning and administration of statutory inspections.
  • Provide On-Key (CMMS) support to users.
  • Participating in relevant daily production/engineering review meetings and following up on any requests raised in the meetings.
  • Keeping a filing system in place for easy access to any information needed by management or auditors.
  • Keeping attendance records.
  • Periodic review of preventive maintenance schedules and keeping a record thereof.
  • Ensure maintenance personnel understand required job card detail and importance of information.
  • Ensure all relevant performance measurement data/graphs by means of daily, weekly and monthly reports.
  • Ensure correct capturing procedures are being followed on On-Key.
  • Ensure all data is entered systematically, accurately and verified regularly.
  • Returned work orders are verified for correctness and completeness.
  • Incomplete work orders are effectively dealt with.
  • Weekly KPI analysis and interpretation and report generation for review.
  • Compile monthly asset management report.
  • Attend weekly planning meetings review performance graphs.
  • Compiling and optimising preventive maintenance schedules.
  • Assist the maintenance manager with the administrative process and the work planning and control of legal compliance activities.
  • Compiling budgets for the machine maintenance.
  • Ordering spares for the services.
  • Liaising with external service providers on machine recurring issues.
  • Conducting Root Cause analysis and action finding as preventative maintenance.
  • Support to the CMMS and the Financial system to obtain cost per asset.
  • Initiating cost saving per assets.
  • Any other duties as may be required by management.

Skills Required 
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • Strong communication and presentation abilities.
  • Troubleshooting expertise and attention to detail.
  • Analytical thinking and decision-making abilities.
  • Accuracy and attention to detail.
  • Good reporting skills.
  • Good planning and organising skills.
  • Ability to maintain long-term relationships.
  • Team player.
  • Be self-motivated, enthusiastic, and trustworthy.
Other Information
  • The company can expire jobs at any time at our own Should you not have received a response within 4 weeks of the closing date of this advert, please consider your application as unsuccessful.
  • VKB Group and/or its subsidiary companies will use any personal data collected through the job opportunities section of this website for recruitment purposes only and, should your application be successful, for purposes connected with your employment.
  • VKB Group is an equal opportunity employer. VKB Group’s approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process aligned to VKB Group’s Employment Equity & Transformation VKB Group actively supports the recruitment of People with Disabilities.