Job Description

Lead Engineering Excellence in a High-Performing Industrial Environment

We’re looking for a high-calibre Engineering Manager to lead a skilled team and drive operational efficiency in a key New Zealand industry. This role offers the opportunity to optimise plant performance, enhance sustainability initiatives, and lead critical projects that ensure long-term success.

The Opportunity.

This is a leadership role for an experienced Engineering Manager who thrives in a dynamic, high-output industrial environment. You’ll oversee a team of disciplined technical engineers, ensuring maintenance strategies, capital projects, and operational improvements are executed to the highest standards.

Key to your success will be your experience in managing upwards of $5M capital expenditure budgets, and large-scale projects, balancing long-term infrastructure investments with the need for day-to-day operational continuity. You’ll be responsible for driving asset reliability, ensuring plant availability remains high while leading proactive maintenance strategies that enhance efficiency and reduce downtime.

Beyond technical expertise, you’ll need strong commercial acumen - managing budgets, controlling costs, and providing strategic recommendations to improve engineering and operational performance. You’ll work closely with senior leadership, influencing decision-making and shaping the long-term engineering strategy while maintaining an unwavering focus on safety, compliance, and continuous improvement.

This is a hands-on, high-impact leadership role where your ability to balance strategic oversight with operational execution will be key to success.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Leadership & team development – Inspire and mentor an engineering team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Maintenance & reliability – Implement proactive maintenance strategies, manage budgets and risks, and drive reliability improvements.
• Capital project management – Oversee engineering budgets up to $5M+, from planning through execution, ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget.
• Safety & compliance – Champion best-practice safety protocols and maintain regulatory compliance across all engineering activities.
• Stakeholder engagement – Build strong relationships with suppliers, subcontractors, and internal teams to streamline engineering operations.
• Continuous improvement – Drive efficiency and innovation by optimising maintenance processes and implementing cutting-edge solutions.

What You’ll Bring

• Extensive engineering leadership experience, ideally in manufacturing, heavy industry, or industrial environments.
• Strong mechanical and maintenance expertise, with experience in maintenance management systems (e.g., MEX) and lockout processes.
• Proven ability to lead teams, enhance performance, and drive operational success.
• Financial acumen, including budget management, cost control, and financial oversight of engineering projects.
• A bachelor’s degree in engineering (preferred) or equivalent industry experience.

What’s in It for You?

• Competitive salary tailored to experience and qualifications.
• Career development in a stable, future-focused organisation.
• A well-established and secure employer offering long-term opportunities.
• A lifestyle opportunity - live and work in beautiful Marlborough!

Take the Next Step

If you’re a results-driven Engineering Manager looking for a leadership role in a thriving industry, APPLY NOW or contact Katherine van der Walt on 021 222 8454 for a confidential discussion.

About Magnetic

At Magnetic, we go beyond recruitment—we connect forward-thinking companies with adaptable professionals who drive real impact. Focused on New Zealand industry, we help businesses and individuals thrive in an ever-changing world. Let’s build something better, together.