General Manager: Mining (Opencast) at Tharisa

Role Context

Strategic Contribution

• Co-develop and oversee the implementation of the organisational strategy by creating alignment between the organisational strategy and using the respective Departmental strategies as enablers of the vision within the Department, providing critical insights and exposure to the current state of the organisation to enhance the commercial position of Tharisa Minerals (TM).
• Approve operational plans for the entire mining operations (Production, Engineering and MRM) by analysing and scrutinising the proposed plans and driving positive action towards achieving operational goals.
• Develop a plan to strategically manage the procurement, delivery, commissioning, maintenance and repairs on the mining operations to ensure cost efficiency and optimise production.
• Contribute to the development of TM policies by coordinating with the relevant internal stakeholders i.e. Production Mine Manager, Engineering Manager and Technical Manager to deliberate on matters concerning the production function and communicate and agree on relevant policies.
• Proactively identify interconnected problems, develop and model alternative solutions for the Department in order to put in place strategies as well as contingency plans to resolve value chain conflicts.
• Review and align various departmental strategies (Production, MRM and Engineering) by engaging with the appropriate Senior Managers ensuring their respective departmental strategies support the achievement of the Mines overall business intentions.

Compliance Risk and Safety

• Monitor the implementation of legislative and regulatory changes and drive the alignment of governance, risk and compliance frameworks in order to ensure adherence to regulations and policies throughout the mining operations.
• Build and manage the risk portfolio for the broader mining operations by scrutinising the consolidated reports from the various departments within the mining operations to ensure appropriate risk mitigation policies and funding are in place to minimise exposure for TM.
• Implement a work ethos across the mining environment that is committed to safeguarding employee safety, health and wellbeing and take remedial actions where necessary to minimise incidents.
• Drive the behavioural and functional alignment of the mining operations to all company security and HSE processes and procedures across all departments and the overall site community to ensure compliance and risk mitigation.

Financial Management

• Develop and manage budgets for mining operations, controlling expenses while ensuring the availability of necessary resources to achieve production targets.
• Review and approve all mining data and report on mining and production trends and operating requirements so as to determine funding requirements for the financial year.
• Develop and monitor long-term Departmental budgets by scrutinising and aligning spend within the Mining Operations, to drive and ensure effective and efficient functioning within budgetary constraints.
• Monitor Mining 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 regulations and policies by facilitating the right actions, to reduce financial risk in the Department.

Mine and Production Management

• Develop comprehensive mining plans and strategies by analysing the mine, engineering and MRM current operating functionality and identify ways to optimise production, maximise resource recovery, and minimise costs.
• Establish the load and haul section of the mine by implementing and driving the achievement of planned production tonnage targets whilst minimising safety and production incidents.
• Scour the market for new technologies by engaging in various mining forums in order to find and implement more efficient and effective mining methods and processes to improve productivity and safety.
• Continuously assess and manage risks associated with mining operations by identifying and implementing appropriate mitigation measures, ultimately to reduce unnecessary risk to the people and the mining operations of TM.

Operational Management

• Approve strategic plans for the section 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 validate and oversee the implementation of policies, processes and/or procedures that require amendment.
• Develop, enhance and implement policies, processes and Operational procedures that are across the respective MRM, Engineering and Production departments aimed at the enhancement of service delivery and overall productivity within the Department.
• Drive safety management across the mining operations by establishing and implementing mining safety protocols to minimise risks and subsequent incidents on the operations.

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 Tharisa Minerals’ leadership principles and values throughout the entire employee life cycle (performance management, reward etc) to ensure, inter alia, a high-performance culture.
• Establish and monitor the achievement of recognised key performance indicators (kpis) for the production mining environment by setting targets for the function as a whole and the individuals within the function.
• Implement a performance management plan by driving recognition and fairness across the Production department ensuring accountability and performance is optimised within the Production department.
• Manage, motivate and lead direct reports and undertake monthly performance reviews of all key Departmental staff to ensure a consistent performance tracking and put development plans in place.

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.
• Represent TM in negotiations, discussions, and forums by engaging with all respective stakeholders to foster relationships, mutually beneficial outcomes, and overall compliance with established regulations.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent (NQF7) in Mining (preferred but not required)/Geology/Engineering.
• Blasting Engineering qualifications with emphasis on open pit.
• Mine manager’s certificate.
• Open cast blasting ticket.

Additional Certifications:

• Member of Mine Manager Affiliations

Job-specific experience:

• Minimum of 15-20 years mining experience in open cast mining of which 6-8 years should be at a senior management role with a focus on mining operations, business management and financial management.
• Experience/Exposure on MS Dynamics F&O, Reporting tools: MS Power BI