Engineering Manager | Continuous Process Manufacturing | South West Victoria

I'm partnering with a leading Australian food manufacturer to appoint an Engineering Manager into one of its most technically demanding operations in South West Victoria.

This is a standalone operation within a large integrated manufacturing site, where engineering performance, plant reliability and operational uptime are fundamental to the success of the wider business.

Reporting to the Plant Operations Manager, you'll lead engineering across a large, asset-intensive manufacturing operation where reliability, plant availability and maintenance execution directly influence operational performance.

The Opportunity

This is a genuine engineering leadership position with significant autonomy and influence.

You'll lead a Maintenance Supervisor, Leading Hands and an experienced maintenance team, while working closely with production leadership to improve plant performance.

Key responsibilities include:

- Leading the site's engineering and maintenance function
- Driving reliability, preventative maintenance and asset management strategies
- Improving equipment availability, plant performance and maintenance execution
- Developing engineering capability and building a high-performing engineering team
- Managing contractors, capital works and engineering projects
- Partnering closely with operations to improve production performance
- Embedding a culture of accountability, safety and continuous improvement

This role requires someone who can think strategically while remaining close enough to the operation to drive execution, support the team and deliver results.

The Operation

This is a technically demanding continuous manufacturing environment operating at industrial scale.

The plant incorporates steam and thermal systems, rotating equipment, conveyors, pumps and PLC-controlled automation within a challenging,



high-temperature process where engineering performance directly impacts production outcomes.

The role is based in South West Victoria, with relocation assistance available for the right candidate.

About You

You are likely already leading an engineering, maintenance or reliability function within a complex manufacturing environment, or you're an experienced Maintenance Manager or Engineering Superintendent ready to step into a broader leadership role.

Your background could include:

- Food manufacturing
- Dairy
- Meat processing or rendering
- Feed milling
- Chemical processing
- Mining or minerals processing
- Other continuous-process manufacturing environments

You will bring:

- A strong engineering or maintenance leadership background
- A proven track record of improving reliability, asset performance and maintenance outcomes
- Experience leading multidisciplinary maintenance teams
- Exposure to capital projects, contractor management and continuous improvement initiatives
- A collaborative leadership style with high standards around safety, accountability and operational excellence

Most importantly, you'll enjoy solving complex engineering challenges while developing people and improving the long-term performance of a manufacturing operation.

Why This Role

This is an opportunity to lead one of the site's most critical manufacturing operations within a well-established Australian business that continues to invest in its people, equipment and long-term capability.

You'll inherit an experienced team, have genuine ownership of engineering strategy and play a key role in improving reliability, operational performance and future plant capability.

A salary of $150,000-$180,000 plus superannuation, together with relocation assistance, is available for the right candidate.

In return, you'll have genuine autonomy, robust executive support and the opportunity to make a lasting impact on a technically complex manufacturing operation.

#J-18808-Ljbffr

📌 Engineering Manager (Melbourne)
🏢 Axxion Search
📍 Melbourne