Talent Candey is recruiting on behalf of a reputable client for a highly analytical, operationally focused Industrial Engineer to join their Restaurant Excellence team. This is a permanent, full-time opportunity based in Centurion, with extensive travel required across South Africa.

Purpose of the Role

The successful candidate will drive operational efficiency, productivity, and continuous improvement by applying industrial engineering principles to optimise processes, labour deployment, and capacity planning. The role involves analysing workflows, service times, and resource utilisation to identify bottlenecks, reduce waste, improve throughput, and implement standardised operating procedures that enhance productivity, cost efficiency, and overall customer experience.

The ideal candidate will come from a Retail or Food Production environment and must be comfortable travelling extensively throughout South Africa.

Minimum Requirements

• Degree in Industrial Engineering or a closely related Engineering qualification
• Previous experience as an Industrial Engineer, Process Engineer, Continuous Improvement Engineer, Operational Excellence Engineer or similar
• Experience from a Retail or Food Production environment is highly preferred; QSR or FMCG experience is advantageous
• Proven experience in process analysis and optimisation
• Experience conducting time-and-motion studies and work measurement
• Experience developing labour standards, staffing models, and capacity plans
• Experience analysing operational performance data and identifying improvement opportunities
• Experience developing and implementing SOPs and productivity benchmarks
• Experience managing continuous-improvement projects from analysis through to implementation
• Valid driver’s licence and own reliable vehicle essential
• Willingness to travel extensively and work across different operational sites

Key Responsibilities

• Map and analyse operational, production, restaurant, and service workflows to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies
• Develop labour standards, staffing models, and capacity plans based on demand patterns
• Conduct time-and-motion studies, establish productivity benchmarks, and develop SOPs
• Lead continuous-improvement initiatives that reduce cycle times, downtime, costs, and variability while maintaining quality, safety, and food-safety standards
• Analyse operational layouts and equipment configurations, recommending changes that improve workflow and speed of service
• Collect and analyse operational data (service times, throughput, waste, labour utilisation, productivity) and translate findings into practical recommendations
• Manage improvement projects from feasibility through implementation, including cost-benefit analysis and progress monitoring
• Collaborate with Head Office and site-based teams, supporting rollout of new standards and training operational teams

Key Competencies

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, excellent process-improvement capability, commercial and operational awareness, data-driven decision-making, attention to detail, project-management skills, strong stakeholder communication, a hands-on approach, and the flexibility to travel extensively.

Ideal Candidate

A hands-on Industrial Engineer with Retail or Food Production experience who enjoys working directly within operational environments — comfortable travelling to sites nationwide, mapping processes, running time-and-motion studies, and implementing measurable improvements in productivity, efficiency, and cost.

Please note: if you have not been contacted within 14 days, consider your application unsuccessful.

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