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.
  

1. 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.
  

2. 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.
  

3. 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
  

4. 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.
  

5. 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.
  

6. 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.
  

7. 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
  

8. 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.