Solutions Engineering Executive

Our client is seeking an experienced Solutions Engineering Executive to join their Port Elizabeth team, Lead the development and optimisation of supply chain solutions across inventory, warehousing, production logistics, transportation, distribution and fulfilment Translate customer and business requirements into practical supply chain strategies, operating concepts and engineering designs Provide direction on network configuration, inventory positioning, replenishment strategies, material flow and distribution models Oversee the design of operational processes, layouts, capacity, labour requirements, equipment requirements and supporting systems Ensure that physical processes, information flows and technology requirements form a coherent operating solution Evaluate alternative operating models and their implications for cost, service, flexibility, scalability and risk Identify constraints, dependencies and opportunities that materially affect solution feasibility or operational performance Ensure that engineering recommendations are supported by appropriate analysis and clearly documented assumptions Lead the engineering contribution to customer discovery, feasibility studies, proposals, RFQs, renewals and operational redesign Establish the scope, operating concept, design principles, key assumptions and engineering deliverables early in solution development Challenge incomplete requirements, unsupported assumptions and unrealistic commitments before detailed design or submission Direct the level of analysis required for each decision, balancing accuracy, materiality, available information and delivery timelines Manage engineering priorities, milestones, resources, risks and dependencies Review and validate solution designs, productivity assumptions, resource calculations, equipment selection and implementation requirements Ensure that solutions are technically feasible, commercially supportable and capable of being operated sustainably Provide technical assurance before submission, approval and implementation Support implementation planning, testing, operational readiness, launch and stabilisation through the delivery of agreed engineering outputs Ensure that approved designs, assumptions, constraints and customer commitments are transferred clearly to implementation teams and Operations Review material design changes during implementation and assess their operational and cost implications Incorporate lessons from implementation and operating performance into future solution development Support Business Development and Commercial teams in assessing opportunities and understanding customer requirements Provide technical leadership in customer discovery sessions, solution workshops, presentations and proposal discussions Develop and evaluate solution options that balance customer value, competitiveness, operational feasibility and financial sustainability Own the engineering assumptions and resource requirements underpinning solution cost models Lead or coordinate solution costing with Finance and the relevant costing specialists Ensure that cost models reflect the proposed operating design, including labour, equipment, facilities, systems, implementation costs and relevant risks Explain the operational and financial implications of changes in scope, volumes, service requirements and contractual assumptions Support pricing decisions and negotiations through clear technical analysis, cost justification and alternative solution options Lead the development of engineering methods, tools and reusable capabilities aligned with business strategy and customer needs Provide direction on functional capability and technology priorities, including the Functionality and Incubator Master Schedules Translate operational requirements into clear functional requirements for digital platforms, workflow tools, automation and decision-support systems Work with Technology and Operations to align capability roadmaps, development priorities and implementation plans Lead engineering assessments of existing operations to identify opportunities to improve productivity, service, cost, capacity and resource utilisation Diagnose underlying process, layout, systems and operating-model issues using appropriate data and direct observation Develop practical future-state operating models and improvement plans with Operations Validate improvement business cases, implementation requirements and expected benefits before commitment Support the implementation of significant operational changes and resolve engineering issues affecting delivery Establish and maintain engineering standards, design-review requirements and technical assurance practices Define engineering deliverables and technical acceptance criteria at relevant stages of opportunity development, approval, implementation and handover Provide strategic direction and leadership to the Solutions Engineering function Translate business priorities into clear functional objectives, work plans and performance expectations Allocate engineering resources according to opportunity priorities, operational needs, complexity and available capacity Requirements Grade 12 A recognised four-year degree in Industrial Engineering, another relevant engineering discipline, Logistics, or a related field A postgraduate qualification in Management, Business, Supply Chain Management, or a related field will be advantageous At least 10 years' relevant experience in supply chain engineering, contract logistics, manufacturing logistics, or similarly complex operational environments At least five years' senior management experience leading engineering or multidisciplinary solution teams Demonstrated experience in customer discovery, RFQ solution development, operating model design, solution costing, and implementation support Practical experience in warehouse and material flow design, resource modelling, productivity analysis, and operational improvement Experience translating operational requirements into functional systems and technology requirements Experience working with customers and senior stakeholders to evaluate and present solution recommendations Experience in the automotive and production logistics industries is strongly preferred