Cold Chain Lead
Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Mechatronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering.
PMP, PRINCE2 or equivalent Project Management certification is highly desirable.
Minimum five (5) years' experience managing refrigeration or cold chain infrastructure.
Proven experience delivering engineering or infrastructure projects from concept to commissioning.
Experience managing refrigeration systems and technical teams.
Strong understanding of industrial refrigeration, asset management and preventive maintenance.
Solar-powered refrigeration systems and renewable energy solutions.
Holding a T2 Solar PV License or equivalent solar installation and maintenance certification.
Responsibilities
- Cold Chain Strategy & Infrastructure Development
Develop KIC's cold chain strategy in line with business growth objectives.
Lead cold chain infrastructure projects from concept, proposal development and budgeting through implementation and commissioning.
Design scalable cold storage solutions that support poultry, fisheries and value addition operations.
Evaluate emerging refrigeration technologies and recommend suitable investments.
Support grant, donor and investor proposals requiring technical cold chain expertise.
- Cold Chain Infrastructure Management
Oversee cold rooms, blast chillers, freezers, ice plants and refrigeration systems.
Maintain optimal temperature integrity across all facilities.
Monitor refrigeration performance and equipment health.
Develop preventive and predictive maintenance programmes.
Coordinate servicing, repairs and equipment upgrades.
- Engineering & Asset Management
Maintain a comprehensive asset register.
Develop lifecycle management plans for all refrigeration assets.
Oversee installation and commissioning of new equipment.
Monitor equipment utilisation and performance.
Recommend capital replacement plans where necessary
- Energy Management & Sustainability
Monitor electricity consumption across all cold chain facilities.
Identify opportunities to reduce operational costs.
Evaluate renewable energy opportunities, including solar-powered refrigeration.
Develop initiatives that improve environmental sustainability.
- Food Safety & Cold Chain Integrity
Ensure products remain within approved temperature ranges.
Develop temperature monitoring protocols.
Maintain food safety compliance.
Support Quality Assurance during audits.
Investigate cold chain failures and implement corrective actions.
Ensure compliance with HACCP principles and support implementation of FSSC 22000 Food Safety Management Systems.
- People Leadership & Capability Development
Lead, coach, and mentor Cold Chain Technicians and Hub Associates to build technical capability and accountability.
Set individual performance goals, conduct regular performance reviews, and develop improvement plans where required.
Identify training needs and coordinate technical and safety training programmes.
Participate in recruitment, onboarding, and succession planning for the Cold Chain function.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement, teamwork, and operational excellence.
Promote compliance with company values, policies, and workplace safety standards.
- Risk Management & Business Continuity
Develop and regularly review emergency response procedures for cold chain operations.
Implement contingency plans for generator failures, refrigeration breakdowns, and prolonged power outages.
Maintain business continuity plans for all critical cold chain infrastructure.
Conduct routine risk assessments and implement mitigation measures to protect company assets and product integrity.
Analyse temperatures, machine downtimes, produce management reports, identify opportunities to improve
- Sustainability and Energy Management
Optimize electricity consumption across cold chain facilities.
Manage refrigerants in compliance with environmental standards.
Reduce food loss, waste, and energy inefficiencies.
Oversee solar-powered cold chain systems and other renewable energy initiatives.
Monitor energy use, carbon footprint, and sustainability performance.
Promote water conservation and recommend innovative efficiency improvements.