Principal Engineer

My client, a well-established South African technology organisation operating in the advanced optronics and electro-optical technology sector, is seeking an experienced Principal Engineer / General Manager to lead its Optronics Division.

This is a senior executive opportunity for a commercially astute and technically accomplished leader with a proven track record in optronics and the ability to translate strategic objectives into operational results.

The successful candidate will provide overall leadership across operations, engineering, product development, people, financial performance, and strategic execution, while driving continued growth and operational excellence.

Optronics experience is non-negotiable for this position.

Operational & Business Leadership

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across the division.
• Drive operational efficiency, productivity, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Translate business strategy into clear, measurable operational objectives.
• Monitor performance against agreed KPIs and provide reporting to executive leadership.
• Ensure effective governance, processes, risk management, and quality standards.

Financial & Commercial Management

• Develop and manage divisional budgets and financial plans.
• Monitor financial performance and ensure effective cost and resource management.
• Drive commercial performance and sustainable business growth.
• Oversee contract negotiations, commercial agreements, and contract execution.

Engineering & Product Development

• Lead multidisciplinary engineering and product development teams.
• Oversee the complete product development lifecycle, from concept and development through production, deployment, support, and lifecycle management.
• Ensure technical programmes are delivered against agreed scope, quality, cost, and timelines.
• Drive effective project, change, risk, and resource management.

People Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing multidisciplinary teams.
• Establish a culture of accountability, performance, innovation, and collaboration.
• Drive performance management through measurable objectives and KPIs.
• Build strong relationships across technical, operational, commercial, and executive functions.

Strategic Execution

• Work closely with executive and board-level stakeholders to deliver strategic objectives.
• Identify opportunities for business development, growth, and operational improvement.
• Ensure the division remains competitive, innovative, and responsive to market and customer requirements.

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering – Essential
• Postgraduate Engineering qualification advantageous.
• Systems Engineering training, such as SEBOK or equivalent, advantageous.
• Project Management certification, such as PMBOK, PRINCE2, or equivalent, advantageous.

Experience

• 15–20 years' engineering and product development experience.
• Extensive hands-on experience within optronics/electro-optical technology – NON-NEGOTIABLE.
• Minimum 5 years' senior management experience leading engineering, technology, or product development teams.
• Proven experience across the complete product development lifecycle.
• Experience within production, manufacturing, engineering support, or technology-driven environments advantageous.
• Experience engaging with clients across development, deployment, maintenance, and long-term product support advantageous.
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets, resources, projects, risks, contracts, and multidisciplinary teams.

Key Competencies

• Strategic and operational leadership
• Optronics / electro-optical engineering
• Engineering and product development management
• Commercial and financial acumen
• Budget and resource management
• Contract negotiation and management
• Project and change management
• Risk management
• Systems thinking
• Quality management
• Stakeholder and client engagement
• Strong people leadership
• Conflict resolution and decision-making
• Analytical and problem-solving capability
• Ability to perform effectively under pressure

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will be a confident, decisive, and commercially minded leader who combines deep optronics expertise with strong general management capability.

You will be strategic yet hands-on, comfortable operating at executive level while remaining close enough to the technical and operational environment to drive meaningful results. Strong communication skills, sound judgement, accountability, and the ability to build high-performing teams will be essential.

What My Client Offers

• Highly competitive executive remuneration package.
• Opportunity to lead a specialised, technology-driven Optronics Division.
• Significant influence over operational performance and future business growth.
• Exposure to complex, technically advanced products and programmes.
• Collaborative environment focused on innovation, technical excellence, and accountability.
• Long-term executive career opportunity within an established South African technology organisation.

Interested candidates are invited to submit a detailed CV highlighting their optronics experience, engineering background, senior leadership experience, and relevant product development exposure.

Please note: Optronics experience is a strict requirement for this position. Candidates without relevant optronics/electro-optical experience will not be considered.