Tupande Engineering & Maintenance Lead (Fixed-Term)

Seeking an exceptional Engineering Lead to lead factory machinery and equipment maintenance. The lead will establish engineering maintenance excellence across the Tupande Soko factories and reduce operational downtime for our processing operations.

Responsibilities

• Build and own the maintenance management system
• Implement a CMMS across all three factories within 90-120 days of joining; own the equipment hierarchy, PM job plans, and work order lifecycle
• Design and standardize preventive maintenance schedules for all critical equipment; target 80:20 planned-to-unplanned maintenance ratio within 12 months
• Own the cross-factory spare parts strategy: set minimum stock levels, manage replenishment, and prevent stockouts on critical items
• Establish RCA processes for major failures; track corrective actions to closure and use findings to improve PM plans
• Troubleshoot complex equipment failures directly, providing on-the-spot technical interventions when maintenance staff or vendors are unavailable.
• Mentor and model best-practice repair techniques during direct interaction with the maintenance team to elevate technical standards.
• Drive management visibility through reporting and KPIs
• Design, maintain, and present the Tupande Soko maintenance KPI scorecard to the Soko Director monthly.
• Produce weekly factory-level maintenance reports for Business Leads; provide clear production-impact assessments and escalation flags
• Maintain a cross-factory equipment risk register; flag capital investment needs and imminent replacement

Requirements

to the Soko Director

Attend monthly Soko leadership meetings as the technical representative of the maintenance function

Professionalize the maintenance workforce

Lead the transition from operator-led to technician-led maintenance: define job families, competency frameworks, and career pathways

Partner with HR to recruit dedicated Maintenance Technicians (mechanical and electrical) at each factory (where needed)

Design and deliver TPM autonomous maintenance training for machine operators (cleaning, lubrication, basic checks)

Coach and assess technicians and operators on maintenance standards; conduct monthly team reviews with factory leads

Internal and External Coordination

Oversee maintenance-related vendor relationships and manage associated service contracts in partnership with the Procurement team

Define scoping

and establish Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in coordination with Corporate Operations for non-technical repairs (e.g. factory structure repairs and maintenance)

Ensure correct specifications listed for machines, spare parts and consumables requested by all factory teams

Ensure safety and food safety compliance

Ensure all maintenance activities comply with safe systems of work: permit to work, LOTO, confined space, and relevant Kenyan regulatory

(KEBS, DOSH, NEMA)

Maintain HACCP-required equipment records for food-contact assets; lead the maintenance function's contribution to food safety audits

Champion a zero-harm safety culture; conduct regular safety walks and close out hazard reports

Career Growth and Development

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You’ll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications

Across all roles, these are the

general qualifications we look for

.

For this role specifically, you will have:

Technical skills (must have prior to joining):

Degree in an appropriate engineering field

Active registration as an engineer in Kenya

Preventive/predictive maintenance programme design and implementation

as applied to plant maintenance

Kenyan occupational health and safety legislation (OSHA, DOSH requirements)

TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) or World Class Manufacturing principles

Kenyan regulatory environment for food manufacturing (KEBS, relevant standards

Experience

• with avocado oil machinery repairs and maintenance
• with industrial dehydrators, macadamia processing, and industrial-level biochar production

Preferred Qualifications

• CMMS operation and administration
• Mechanical and/or electrical fault-finding and root cause analysis on industrial plant equipment
• KPI dashboard development and maintenance performance reporting
• Spare parts inventory management
• Knowledge (required understanding):
• Food safety management systems and HACCP
• Start Date
• As soon as possible
• Job Location
• Sagana, Kenya

Benefits

Health insurance, housing, and comprehensive

Contract Duration

2 years.

Eligibility

This role is only open to citizens or permanent residents of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Malawi, Zambia, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Rwanda.

Application Deadline

17 November 2026. Please note that we hire on a rolling basis which means that applications are reviewed and processed on a continuous basis until a hire is made.

One Acre Fund never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process. Official One Acre Fund emails will always arrive from an @

oneacrefund.org

address. Please report any suspicious communication here (

globalhotline@oneacrefund.org

),

but do not send applications or application materials to this email address.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and anti-racism are deeply connected to our organization’s mission and purpose. One Acre Fund aspires to build a culture where all staff feel consistently valued, represented, and connected – so that our team can thrive as professionals, and achieve exceptional impact for the farmers we serve.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

Why Work Here

We’re one of the largest agricultural organizations in Africa, operating in ten countries that together are home to two-thirds of Africa's farmers.

Guided by our mission, we use the discipline of a business to deliver cost-effective services to millions of people. We believe that heart plus rigor can change the world.

Read more.

Job Application Process

We use a unique, hands-on interview process to ensure a great match.

We're constantly seeking exceptional leaders from a diversity of backgrounds and experiences. We strongly encourage applications from African professionals with deep local knowledge and investment in the communities we serve.

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Careers FAQ

Here’s your quick guide to some of the common questions we hear about our application process.

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