CHIEF ARTISAN GRADE A

This position is for a Chief Artisan Grade A within the Rural Health Services directorate, based at George Regional Hospital. The role is a senior technical and supervisory post responsible for ensuring that the hospital’s physical infrastructure, plant, and engineering systems remain operational and safe at all times. As a chief artisan, the incumbent will lead a multidisciplinary workshop covering electrical, mechanical, and HVAC services, as well as general building maintenance. The work is critical to maintaining continuity of hospital services, including clinical-critical systems, and therefore requires a strong focus on preventive maintenance, rapid response to breakdowns, and careful management of both staff and resources.

Applicants must hold an appropriate recognised Trade Test Certificate or trade qualification in either Electrical or Mechanical Artisanship, together with at least ten years of relevant post-qualification experience as an Artisan or Artisan Foreman. An inherent requirement of the job is a valid Code B/EB driver’s licence and a willingness to travel when needed. The position also demands readiness to perform authorised overtime, standby duties, unplanned call-outs, and emergency maintenance to keep essential hospital services running. The ideal candidate will have supervisory or managerial experience in a multidisciplinary workshop environment, including procurement of goods and services and managing contracted maintenance. Sound knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, machinery regulations, and statutory compliance is essential, as is familiarity with the Public Finance Management Act, Treasury directives, supply chain management prescripts, and delegated authority. Technical expertise must be matched by the ability to plan preventive maintenance, prioritise breakdowns, assess infrastructure risks, and maintain continuity of critical services. Financial management skills, including budgeting, expenditure monitoring, and basic cost analysis, are also required. Strong leadership, staff supervision, planning, decision-making, change-management, communication, and customer-service abilities are expected, along with technical report writing, record-keeping, problem-solving, and computer literacy in MS Word, Excel, Outlook, and electronic maintenance or work-order systems.

The main duties include developing and implementing annual preventive maintenance programmes, prioritised work plans, and risk mitigation measures for hospital buildings, plant, and equipment. The role coordinates preventive, reactive, and emergency repairs across electrical, mechanical, and building services, and safeguards the continuity of clinical-critical systems. The chief artisan allocates, supervises, and quality-assures workshop work orders, contractor maintenance, statutory inspections, and completion records. Responsibility also extends to managing maintenance budgets, commitments, procurement specifications, contractor performance, workshop stock, tools, and asset controls in line with prescripts. In addition, the postholder supervises and develops workshop staff, managing work allocation, performance, attendance, leave, training, standby arrangements, and authorised overtime. The role requires implementing occupational health and safety requirements, identifying and escalating infrastructure, fire protection, and technical compliance risks, and maintaining accurate service and inspection records. Submitting regular reports on maintenance performance, expenditure, unresolved faults, and corrective actions is another key responsibility, alongside sound project management, technical analysis, troubleshooting, contractor management, and quality-assurance skills.

This is a permanent post graded as Chief Artisan Grade A and offers a competitive salary as advertised. Applications must be submitted through the official online portal for Western Cape health jobs, and no payment of any kind is required when applying. Shortlisted candidates may be subjected to a practical or competency test as part of the selection process. For further enquiries, the relevant contact person and telephone or email details are provided in the vacancy listing.