Job Summary

Our client in the Manufacturing, Plastic Food Packaging industry is seeking an experienced and hands-on Factory Supervisor, Production & Maintenance to support the establishment and operation of a new manufacturing plant in the Dar es Salaam and Coast region

The successful candidate will participate in the installation and commissioning of production machinery before taking responsibility for day-to-day production and maintenance activities. This is a practical, hands-on position requiring someone who can personally troubleshoot machinery, perform basic mechanical and electrical repairs, manage mould changeovers and machine settings, supervise production employees, maintain product quality and hygiene standards, and support the future growth of the plant.

Key Responsibilities

1. Plant Installation & Commissioning

• Participate in the installation, setup, testing, and commissioning of new plastic-processing and packaging machinery.
• Work with equipment suppliers, technicians, contractors, and management during plant setup.
• Assist with machinery trials, adjustments, and preparation for commercial production.
• Ensure machines are correctly configured and operational before full-scale production begins.
• Identify and resolve initial technical and operational issues during commissioning.

2. Production Management

• Take responsibility for the day-to-day running of production activities.
• Plan and coordinate production according to required volumes, schedules, and quality standards.
• Monitor machine performance, production output, cycle times, and overall efficiency.
• Perform mould changeovers and adjust machine settings according to production requirements.
• Troubleshoot production problems and minimize unnecessary machine downtime.
• Ensure production targets are achieved while maintaining product quality and operational safety.

3. Maintenance & Technical Support

• Develop and implement preventive maintenance routines for production machinery and supporting equipment.
• Personally undertake practical troubleshooting and basic mechanical and electrical repairs where appropriate.
• Diagnose equipment faults and coordinate more complex repairs when specialist support is required.
• Maintain appropriate maintenance records and equipment service schedules.
• Identify recurring machine problems and recommend corrective or preventive actions.
• Support the availability of essential spare parts and maintenance materials.

4. Team Supervision & Shift Planning

• Train, supervise, and provide day-to-day guidance to a small local production team, including machine operators, packers, and helpers.
• Allocate duties and organize production shifts according to operational requirements.
• Monitor employee attendance, productivity, conduct, and performance.
• Provide practical on-the-job training in machine operation, production procedures, safety, quality, and hygiene.
• Promote teamwork, accountability, and disciplined production practices.

5. Quality Control & Hygiene

• Monitor product quality throughout the manufacturing process.
• Ensure finished products meet established specifications and customer requirements.
• Maintain appropriate hygiene standards for the manufacture of food-contact packaging products.
• Identify quality defects and implement appropriate corrective actions.
• Ensure employees follow approved production, hygiene, housekeeping, and safety procedures.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and controlled production environment.

6. Materials, Waste & Finished Goods

• Monitor raw material availability and consumption.
• Manage production scrap and regrind responsibly to minimize unnecessary material losses.
• Monitor wastage and identify opportunities to improve material efficiency.
• Coordinate finished-goods handling, storage, and dispatch.
• Maintain appropriate production and material records.
• Support stock control and reconciliation of materials used in production.

7. Production Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain accurate daily records of production output, machine downtime, material usage, scrap, and wastage.
• Prepare and submit daily production reports to management.
• Monitor operational performance and identify opportunities to improve productivity, quality, and efficiency.
• Recommend improvements to machinery, workflows, staffing, and production processes.
• Support future expansion and increased production capacity as the operation grows.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing, Polymer/Plastics Technology, Production Engineering, or other related field.
• Minimum 5 to 8 years of relevant experience in plastics processing or manufacturing, preferably involving plastic food packaging.
• At least 2 years of experience in a supervisory or team leadership role.
• Strong practical knowledge of plastic-processing machinery, production equipment, mould changeovers, and machine settings.
• Demonstrated ability to personally troubleshoot equipment and undertake basic mechanical and electrical repairs.
• Experience with machinery installation and commissioning will be a strong advantage.
• Good understanding of preventive maintenance practices.
• Knowledge of production quality control and food-contact hygiene standards.
• Experience supervising and training machine operators, packers, helpers, or other production employees.
• Strong understanding of raw material management, production scrap, regrind, wastage, and finished-goods handling.
• Ability to maintain accurate production, maintenance, downtime, and wastage records.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a practical, hands-on approach to factory operations.
• Good leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a start-up manufacturing environment and contribute to the future growth of the plant.
• Open to both local and expatriate candidates.
• Knowledge of Kiswahili, or willingness to learn Kiswahili, will be an advantage.

Employment Benefits

• On-site staff housing.
• Medical insurance.
• For eligible expatriate candidates, applicable work and residence permits will be arranged by the employer.
• Additional applicable employment benefits will be communicated during the recruitment process.

Deadline

7th October 2026