Operational Management

• Provide input to strategic plans of the department by compiling comprehensive operational plans, converting the department into an enabler of the overall business strategy of the organisation.
• Keep abreast of changes in relevant guidelines and other legislation, to make recommendations where policies, processes and/or procedures require amendment.
• Develop, enhance and implement policies, processes and Operational procedures that are within the respective Department aimed at the enhancement of service delivery and overall productivity within the Department.
• Develop and drive the implementation of reliability programs and operational plans through understanding of the maintenance requirements to ensure reliability and maintainability of new and modified installations.
• Lead the implementation of set plans to continuously conduct regular inspections of mining equipment, structures and assets to identify potential failures, assess equipment health and recommend appropriate maintenance actions.
• Make use of theoretical understanding and practical experience in operation to design and implement relevant and fit-for-purpose maintenance programs to maintain technical areas, optimise equipment reliability, minimise downtime and maximise productivity.
• Analyse operational data and performance metrics by utilising and managing a computerised maintenance management system and data-driven tools and techniques to identify patterns, trends and opportunities for improvement and enable decision making.
• Utilise relevant techniques such as but not limited to root cause analysis, Preliminary Hazards Analysis (PHA), Failure Mode Effect Criticality Analysis (FMECA), Simplified failure modes and effects analysis (SFMEA), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and Event Tree Analysis (ETA) to determine underlying causes of equipment failure and incidents to develop operational strategies for prevention.
• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the mining plant, ensuring that all machinery and equipment are functioning efficiently to meet production targets.
• Develop and implement maintenance schedules and ensure critical daily maintenance tasks are executed to maintain proper functioning of plant equipment and minimise downtime whilst also monitoring the quality of the bill of material and job card backlog.
• Collaborate with maintenance teams to develop and update maintenance strategies and action plans to address any breakdowns or repairs based on equipment criticality, operational requirements and industry best practice in alignment to production goals, asset care management and cost targets.
• Lead the development and maintenance of an asset management system and condition monitoring processes through real-time condition monitoring system and installations to maintain an up-to-date view of equipment inventory, life cycle cost analysis, condition monitoring and critical spare parts management to improve equipment reliability and overall operational efficiency.
• Establish and drive the implementation and adherence to industry standards and processes for warrant, refurbishment and rotatable Asset Management to maintain asset reliability in line with industry and Tharisa Minerals’ standards.

Financial Management

• Analyse all relevant Department data and report on Departmental trends and operating requirements to determine funding requirements for the financial year.
• Monitor short-term Departmental budgets by scrutinising and aligning spend within the Department, to support and drive effective and efficient functioning within budgetary constraints.
• Monitor Departmental expenditure against budget allocations, requesting appropriate reallocation as required, to manage the prevention of unnecessary spend.
• Comply with all financial, Supply Chain Management (SCM) and other Tharisa Minerals (TM) regulations and policies by facilitating the right actions, to reduce financial risk in the Department.
• Compile and manage the plant operations’ budget including forecasting and cost control measures to minimise expenditure and ensure operations are adequately budgeted for. 
• Plan and allocate resources (both financial and non-financial) including the sourcing and evaluation of vendors for instrumentation products, tools and services to meet project deadlines and operational requirements.
• Collaborate with the Engineering Manager to develop and manage the maintenance cost forecast throughout a 24-month cycle.

People Management

• Create and maintain a conducive work environment by appropriately applying Human Resources policies and procedures to ensure optimum performance is realised for the benefit of the Department and, by extension, the organisation.
• Lead the team according to TM’s leadership principles and values throughout the entire employee life cycle (performance management, reward etc) to ensure, inter alia, a high-performance culture.
• Coach mentor, guide, and provide leadership for the Department, sharing impactful knowledge and identifying opportunities for growth and improvement to drive the success of the team.
• Set clear goals and objectives for the team, monitor progress and provide regular feedback and guidance to achieve the set goals in line with TM’s regulations and standards.
• Develop the departmental skills matrix, conduct PTOs and put controls in place to bridge the gap where there are shortfalls in the quality of workmanship and the performance of the team to maintain quality of workmanship and competency.
• Provide continuous and skills driven mentorship, training and guidance to staff with regards to reliability best practice, equipment troubleshooting techniques and failure analyses to enhance the overall productivity to ensure the team remains competent, meets business demands and fit for purpose within their roles.

Stakeholder Relations

• Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure information, advice or opinions on relevant matters is made available and/or communicated with all relevant stakeholders, to manage expectations and timelines.
• Utilise opportunities presented to enhance the relationship between management, unions and employees, and implement processes to maximise a collaborative working relationship.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including operations, engineering and maintenance to address Plant related issues and provide advice and recommendations to ensure resolution and continuous improvement.
• Encourage, establish and maintain strategic relationships across multiple functional areas to enable collaboration, knowledge sharing and optimisation of the departments’ processes and productivity.

Compliance, Risk and Safety

• Promote and enforce a culture of safety by minimising risk and ensure adherence to safety procedures and guidelines in line with the MHSA to achieve safe and sustainable mining practices.
• Plan and execute planned shutdowns and preventive maintenance of plant section and equipment by stopping the operation if the working conditions are unsafe.
• Develop and implement a risk register to monitor and record potential and recurring risks in order to develop strategies to mitigate such risks and creating a safety culture.
• Maintain records of all maintenance and calibration activities, equipment performance and repairs to ensure compliance with company policies, procedures and regulatory standards.
• Implement a work ethos across the department that is committed to safeguarding employee safety, health and wellbeing and take remedial actions where necessary to minimise incidents.
• Influence the interdepartmental collaboration and coordination efforts to execute drills and escape procedures in case of emergencies and operational requirements i.e. blasting to mitigate risks and fatalities.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• National Diploma in Engineering (NQF 6) with a Trade Test / S4

Certifications:

• Working towards obtaining Government Certificate of Competency (Mines and Works)
• Reliability Centred Maintenance Management Certificate (Advantageous)
• CMMS Certification in Life Cycle Cost (LCC) (Advantageous)

Job specific experience:

• 5 -8 years combined experience as a maintenance planner / maintenance supervisor.
• Acting experience on a Maintenance Superintendent and / or General Engineering Supervisor (GES) level
• Valid Driver’s National Road Act (NRA) license (Code E / EB etc)
• Experience/Exposure on MS Dynamics F&O, Reporting tools: MS Power BI