Job Description: Chief Engineer – Maintenance
Company: Advantage Foods Private Limited
Department: Engineering & Maintenance
Reports To: Managing Director
Location: Chennai (Base), with travel across Chennai & Puducherry outlets/central kitchen(s)
Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent
Role Purpose
To lead all engineering, maintenance, and utility operations across Advantage Foods' central kitchen(s) and café/bakery/casual dining outlets in Chennai and Puducherry — ensuring maximum equipment uptime, statutory compliance, food-safety-linked equipment hygiene, energy efficiency, and cost-effective asset management, while directly advising the MD on capex, breakdowns, and infrastructure risk.
Key Responsibilities
1. Central Kitchen Engineering & Utilities
- Ensure uninterrupted operation of boilers, DG sets, HVAC, refrigeration/cold-room systems, compressors, ETP/STP (if applicable), and utility infrastructure at the central kitchen(s).
- Own preventive maintenance (PM) schedules for all critical kitchen and utility equipment; minimize unplanned downtime during production hours.
- Monitor energy consumption (power, LPG/PNG, water) and drive cost-reduction/energy-efficiency initiatives.
2. Outlet-Level Maintenance Oversight
- Set up and supervise a maintenance response system across all outlets (café, bakery, casual dining) covering kitchen equipment, refrigeration, electricals, plumbing, HVAC, and civil/interior upkeep.
- Define and monitor breakdown-response SLAs (e.g., critical equipment downtime resolved within X hours) for outlet teams and vendors.
- Conduct periodic site visits/audits across Chennai and Puducherry outlets to assess equipment condition, safety compliance, and maintenance discipline.
3. Statutory & Safety Compliance
- Ensure compliance with Factories Act (for central kitchen, if registered as a factory), Boilers Act (if boilers are operated), PESO/explosives rules (for LPG/PNG installations), fire safety norms, and electrical safety codes.
- Maintain statutory registers, licenses, and renewal schedules (fire NOC, boiler certification, DG set pollution clearance, lift licenses, etc.) — coordinate with compliance/legal as needed.
- Ensure equipment-related practices support FSSAI hygiene and food-safety requirements (e.g., equipment material, cleaning access, pest-proofing of utility points).
4. Vendor & Asset Management
- Manage AMC contracts and vendor relationships for critical equipment (refrigeration, HVAC, DG sets, kitchen equipment, fire systems, lifts).
- Maintain an asset register with equipment lifecycle tracking; recommend replacement vs. repair decisions.
- Evaluate and onboard new vendors; negotiate AMC/spare-parts costs.
5. Capex & New Site Support
- Provide technical input on new outlet/central kitchen fit-outs — equipment layout, utility load planning, HVAC/refrigeration sizing.
- Prepare capex proposals for major equipment purchases/replacements with cost-benefit justification for MD approval.
- Coordinate commissioning of new equipment/utilities for new outlet launches.
6. Team & Budget Management
- Build and lead a maintenance team structure (in-house technicians + outlet-level coordination + vendor network).
- Own the annual maintenance budget; track actual vs. budgeted spend and report variances to MD.
- Train outlet teams on basic equipment care, safety protocols, and escalation procedures.
7. Reporting to MD
- Provide MD with periodic (weekly/monthly) reports on equipment uptime, breakdown incidents, compliance status, and maintenance spend.
- Flag high-risk infrastructure issues (safety, compliance, or cost) directly and promptly to MD.
Qualifications & Experience
Education: Diploma/B.E. in Mechanical / Electrical Engineering (or equivalent).
Experience: 10 –15 years in facilities/engineering maintenance, with at least 4–5 years in a multi-site F&B, hospitality, QSR, or manufacturing environment. Central kitchen or commercial kitchen exposure strongly preferred.
Certifications (preferred): Boiler operation certification, Factories Act competency certificate, fire safety training, electrical safety certification.
Key Skills
- Strong working knowledge of commercial kitchen equipment, refrigeration/cold-chain systems, HVAC, boilers, DG sets, and electrical distribution.
- Working knowledge of Factories Act, Boilers Act, PESO norms, fire safety, and FSSAI equipment-related requirements (state-specific nuances across Tamil Nadu/Puducherry).
- Vendor negotiation, AMC management, and capex budgeting.
- Ability to manage a distributed, multi-site team and prioritize across competing urgent breakdowns.
- Comfortable with hands-on outlet visits as well as MD-level reporting and capex discussions.
Pay: ₹50,000.00 - ₹80,000.00 per month
Benefits:
- Food provided
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Provident Fund
Work Location: In person
