Maintenance Assistant

Reports To
:
Mechanical Maintenance Foreman

The Maintenance Assistant is responsible for supporting mechanical maintenance activities within the plant to help minimise downtime, improve equipment reliability and extend the operating life of machinery and equipment.

The role provides hands‑on support to artisans, assists with breakdown repairs and planned maintenance activities, and plays a key role in maintaining and executing lubrication requirements across the plant.

This position is suited to a practical, reliable and proactive individual with maintenance experience in a heavy engineering or continuous manufacturing environment. The successful candidate must be willing to work according to maintenance plans, follow instructions accurately, maintain high housekeeping and safety standards, and support World Class Manufacturing maintenance practices.

• Mechanical Maintenance Support
  • Assist artisans with breakdown repairs and planned maintenance activities.
  • Support maintenance teams in reducing plant downtime and improving equipment availability.
  • Complete assigned work according to the weekly maintenance plan.
  • Follow instructions from the Mechanical Maintenance Foreman and engineering leadership team.
  • Execute reasonable maintenance‑related tasks as required from time to time.
  • Support artisans to ensure mechanical maintenance work is carried out efficiently and to the required standard.
  • Report plant risks, equipment abnormalities and potential mechanical issues, including unusual equipment noise or other signs of possible failure.
  • Monitor compressed air plants and elevate any abnormalities or concerns.
  • Assist in ensuring that maximum plant and equipment availability is achieved.
• Lubrication Programme Support
  • Lubricate all machinery and equipment in the plant, including paper machines, gearboxes, motors, compressors, forklifts, generators and related equipment.
  • Maintain and support the lubrication programme / system.
  • Ensure lubrication activities are performed correctly and according to agreed standards.
  • Identify, through touch, hearing and observation, when equipment requires lubrication during operation.
  • Prevent over‑greasing of equipment and avoid lubricant spillages.
  • Support lubrication best practices to reduce equipment wear, prevent breakdowns and improve equipment reliability.
  • Ensure lubrication activities are aligned with World Class Manufacturing maintenance practices.
• Quality of Maintenance Work
  • Support quality repair activities by assisting artisans properly and effectively.
  • Help prevent maintenance rework by ensuring mechanical maintenance assistance is provided correctly the first time.
  • Ensure lubrication tasks are completed correctly the first time and in line with agreed maintenance standards.
  • Adhere to World Class Manufacturing best practices during all mechanical assistance and lubrication activities.
  • Maintain disciplined, consistent and accurate execution of assigned maintenance tasks.
• Cost Control & Maintenance Efficiency
  • Support artisans in reducing Mean Time To Repair on equipment repairs.
  • Assist in avoiding unnecessary maintenance costs through efficient support, good workmanship and correct task execution.
  • Help prevent cost increases caused by poor lubrication practices, over‑greasing or lubricant spillages.
  • Health, Safety & Environment
    • Participate in on‑site safety programmes.
    • Attend regular safety talks, toolbox talks and inspections.
    • Ensure all maintenance work is carried out safely and efficiently.
    • Maintain high work and safety standards within the area of responsibility.
    • Apply 5S principles and practices to maintain high housekeeping standards.
    • Carry out general daily housekeeping tasks.
    • Keep work areas clean, organised and safe.
    • Report unsafe conditions, risks or hazards to the relevant maintenance or engineering leadership.
  • Communication & Teamwork
    • Maintain open communication with artisans, maintenance lubricators, engineering stores coordinators, production team leaders and maintenance leadership.
    • Liaise effectively with maintenance assistants, artisans, production teams, engineering stores and planners where required.
    • Communicate equipment concerns, maintenance risks…