Summary:
The Technical Director is responsible for leading the full engineering and asset management function across all terminals and business units. The role oversees equipment reliability, maintenance strategies, life-cycle asset management (from activation to retirement), technical standards, and engineering excellence across the Group. This position is accountable for defining long-term engineering strategy, ensuring optimized equipment performance, minimizing downtime, and driving world-class maintenance and asset performance. The role also ensures Group-wide consistency in engineering execution, QHSE compliance, and efficient management of both CAPEX and OPEX budgets.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Business Analysis & Process Improvement
- Develops the Group engineering strategy and multi-year technical roadmap aligned with business growth and operational objectives.
- Enhances engineering policies, systems, and procedures to achieve world-class equipment performance standards.
- Provides technical leadership across multiple terminals and countries, ensuring consistent engineering execution.
Financial & Data Analysis
- Leads full life-cycle asset management from selection, acquisition, activation, commissioning, maintenance, optimisation, refurbishment, and through to retirement/disposal.
- Oversees equipment governance for all mechanical and electrical port/terminal equipment (STS, RTG, RMG, Reachstackers, Empty Handlers, Terminal Tractors, etc.).
- Establishes Group standards for equipment specification and engineering requirements for all terminals.
- Drives a proactive reliability culture through preventative, condition-based, and predictive maintenance.
- Leads technical audits, root-cause investigations, and continuous equipment improvement programs.
- Defines and monitors engineering KPIs (equipment availability, reliability, MTBF, MTTR, downtime metrics, engineering cost efficiency, QHSE compliance indicators).
- Conducts data-driven analysis and prepares performance dashboards for senior leadership.
- Manages Group-wide engineering CAPEX & OPEX, including:
- Annual and long-term maintenance budgets.
- Capital replacement programs.
- Asset renewal planning.
- Cost control and variance analysis.
- Supports terminals in financial forecasting, efficiency programs, and optimization initiatives.
System & Technology
- Provides proactive support (planning, forecasting, risk mitigation) and reactive support (breakdowns, troubleshooting, emergency response).
- Leads technical response during major equipment failures or operational disruptions.
- Ensures engineering readiness and support for:
- New terminal ramp-ups.
- Equipment activation and commissioning.
- Equipment installation, testing, and performance validation.
Qualifications:
Educational Background
Graduate or equivalent degree in BSc/MSc in Mechanical, Electrical, Electro-Mechanical Engineering, or an equivalent technical discipline.
Technical Qualification / Certification
- Proven leadership in terminal equipment engineering, maintenance management, and asset life-cycle management.
- Demonstrated experience managing CAPEX and OPEX engineering budgets at a Group or multi-country level.
- Strong background in developing engineering strategies and leading large technical teams.
Related Work Experience
- Minimum 15 years of senior engineering experience in a container terminal/port environment across multiple terminals or countries.
- Proven leadership in terminal equipment engineering, maintenance management, and asset life-cycle management.
- Demonstrated experience managing CAPEX and OPEX engineering budgets at a Group or multi-country level.
- Strong background in developing engineering strategies and leading large technical teams.
