Manager - Engineering and Asset Optimisation

About Vitaco

Vitaco is a leading health and wellness enterprise in Australasia, employing over 650 individuals across New Zealand and Australia. Our brands include Musashi, Nutra-Life, Healtheries, Athena, and Balance. Our products are distributed throughout Australasia and to more than 30 countries globally. The company has earned recognition as a 5-Star Employer of Choice twice consecutively, reflecting a workplace culture that supports employee growth and success.

Role Overview

As part of the Operations Leadership Team, you will oversee engineering, reliability, and asset optimisation for our Auckland manufacturing facilities. Reporting directly to the General Manager Operations, you will manage a diverse engineering team dedicated to the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of manufacturing equipment across multiple sites.

Your role encompasses implementing industry-leading asset care practices, driving reliability-centred maintenance, enhancing equipment productivity, and collaborating closely with Operations, Capital Projects, and Supply Chain to maximize manufacturing efficiency and sustain growth. Leading approximately 16 engineering staff including six direct reports, you will cultivate a culture anchored in safety, responsibility, teamwork, and continuous enhancement.

Key Duties

• Direct the Engineering and Maintenance operations across multiple manufacturing locations.
• Develop and uphold Vitaco's Asset Management System, ensuring robust governance, standards, and lifecycle management to support sustainable production.
• Lead initiatives to increase reliability using asset criticality assessments, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), root cause investigation, and defect elimination approaches.
• Establish and embed a top-tier Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) framework.
• Foster a positive, high-achieving engineering culture through mentorship and leadership.
• Champion continuous improvement and digital manufacturing projects.
• Steer digital transformation such as Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS) governance, engineering master data accuracy, Manufacturing Execution System (MES) integration, data analytics, and predictive maintenance technology.
• Oversee engineering budget management, maintenance scheduling, and long-term asset renewal plans.
• Optimize spare parts inventory, establish inventory control policies, and maintain critical asset support to reduce operational risks and optimize working capital.
• Collaborate with teams across Operations, Capital Projects, Quality, Supply Chain, and Safety to achieve excellent business results.
• Maintain exemplary Health, Safety, Quality, and Environmental standards within all engineering functions.
• Define engineering standards, govern contractor activities, and prescribe project handover criteria across manufacturing sites.

Candidate Profile

• Holds a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering.
• Extensive leadership experience in engineering within FMCG, food production, or similarly complex manufacturing sectors.
• Proven ability to lead engineering teams working over multiple manufacturing facilities.
• Expertise in Reliability Centered Maintenance, preventative maintenance, and asset lifecycle management.
• Knowledge of reliability engineering, risk-based asset maintenance, and reliability improvement methodologies.
• Experience driving continuous improvement and digital transformation programs.
• Strong financial insight including budgeting and capital investment planning.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Leadership approach that fosters trust, accountability, and team performance.
• Track record in developing technical skills, succession planning, and building leadership talent within engineering.
• Passion for safety, quality assurance, and operational excellence.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation with yearly salary reviews.
• Discounts on health and wellness products.
• Access to wellness programs and subsidized onsite café.
• Availability of naturopathic consultations with in-house specialists.
• Collaborative and innovative team environment.
• Birthday leave for personal celebration.