Technical Service Manager

• A leading player in the industrial lubricants sector is seeking an experienced SA Technical Services Manager to lead its national technical strategy and drive customer value through innovative technical service offerings.
• This is an executive-level opportunity for a commercially minded technical leader who can bridge engineering excellence with business growth. You will play a key role in strengthening customer relationships, supporting strategic sales initiatives, leading a high-performing technical team, and positioning technical services as a true competitive advantage.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the national technical services strategy aligned to business growth objectives.
• Lead and mentor a team of technical professionals across South Africa.
• Partner with Sales and Key Account teams to support customer acquisition, retention and value-based selling.
• Design and implement differentiated technical service offerings, including lubrication programmes, oil analysis, condition monitoring and reliability solutions.
• Provide expert technical support for major customer engagements, tenders and product conversions.
• Conduct root cause investigations and develop corrective actions to improve product performance and customer satisfaction.
• Deliver technical training to internal teams, distributors and customers.
• Build strong relationships with engineering, maintenance and operational stakeholders across key industries.
• Drive continuous improvement through innovation, data analysis and customer-focused technical solutions.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Chemistry, Tribology or a related technical discipline.
• A postgraduate qualification in Business or Management will be advantageous.
• Minimum of 15 years' experience in technical, product or application-focused roles.
• At least 10 years' experience combining technical expertise with commercial leadership.
• Proven experience within the industrial lubricants, petrochemical or industrial B2B sector.
• Demonstrated success leading technical teams and translating technical capability into measurable business growth.
• Strong knowledge of lubrication, condition monitoring, oil analysis, reliability engineering and industrial applications.
• Excellent stakeholder management, leadership and presentation skills.
• Willingness to travel extensively throughout South Africa.

We Are Looking For Someone Who

• Thinks commercially while maintaining strong technical credibility.
• Can influence senior engineering and operational stakeholders.
• Enjoys solving complex technical challenges.
• Has a passion for improving equipment reliability and customer performance.
• Can lead strategic technical initiatives while supporting business growth.
• Thrives in a customer-facing leadership environment.