Operations Manager: Mining and Manufacturing at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

About The Job
The CSIR has a vacancy for an Operations Manager in the Mining and Manufacturing Clusters within the Mining, Manufacturing and Defence and Security Division. The incumbent will be responsible for supporting Cluster level operations to enable the delivery and achievement of short-term operational goals and targets as well as enable efficient and effective day-to-day operations. S/He will ensure that operations are effectively managed to deliver in-line with the cluster’s strategy and business plan including, but not limited to, optimal revenue generation, productivity, project/contract risk management, resource loading, facilitating engagement with central portfolios including shared services. This position is based in Pretoria.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive Cluster operations together with Cluster Executives, Impact Area and Research Centre Managers and relevant Project Managers;
• Ensure the integration and streamlining of Cluster level business operations for effective and efficient delivery of value and impact to the relevant stakeholders;
• Support Cluster executive with (and contribute to) coordinating the development of the annual Cluster business plans and budget across the impact area and Research Centres;
• Implement and track the clusters’ strategy and progress against the business plan;
• Support Cluster Managers to drive, monitor and coordinate the cluster’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) achievements across the impact areas to achieve business objectives;
• Support Cluster Managers to co-ordinate quarterly compilation and submission of Cluster reports and KPIs (including supporting documentation and evidence);
• Ensure CSIR Quality Management System implementation within the clusters;
• Develop and implement systems, processes and solutions to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the business operations of clusters;
• Develop and implement systems to support Clusters’; Impact Areas and Research Centres to monitor and improve productivity;
• Coordinate resources to support and enable the core of business operations including support functions in collaboration with Cluster Executives, Impact Area and Research Centre Managers and relevant Project Managers;
• Contributes to the budgeting process in collaboration with Finance, line management as well as the Business Development and Commercialisation portfolio;
• Ongoing support of Clusters to understand, monitor and manage critical drivers of cost appropriately;
• Monitor Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with central portfolios;
• Develop, improve and maintain business systems including quality;
• Exchange information, track service delivery progress and quality, assist with service improvement efforts and report progress to Divisional Operations Manager and Cluster executives;
• Monitor and manage risks including contracts and projects across the clusters;
• Manage Parliamentary Grant (PG) allocation process to align with business development initiatives and monitor progress for the execution and delivery of revenue;
• Manage PG administration (tracking of allocations, tracking progress, tracking Strategic Investment Management System (SIMS) registration, etc.);
• Co-ordinate efforts across the Cluster to understand technology/offering/capability needs and identifying opportunities for cross Cluster collaboration
• Implement the capability management guideline of the organisation within the clusters;
• Monitor and optimise resource loading across the Clusters for project delivery and enhancing productivity;
• Establish the risk management system (including Health and Safety) in the Cluster and works with relevant portfolios to support Cluster risk management.

Qualifications, Skills And Experience

• An Honours degree in relevant science or engineering domain with at least five years’ experience in complex, multi-projects and matrix type environment with a solid track record in the following:
• Operational planning and implementation.
• Strategy development and tracking thereof.
• Solid understanding of business planning and regulatory issues.
• Project and programme management.
• Project and portfolio management.
• Business and finance management.
• Business development experience.
• Stakeholder relationship management experience.
• Risk management.
• A solid grasp of data analysis and performance metrics, for informed decision making.
• A Post-graduate Business Administration qualification will be advantageous;
• Relevant certification or accreditation in operations management will be advantageous

The incumbent should have:

• Organisational skills;
• Excellent communication skills with strong business understanding – both verbal and written;
• Ability to diagnose problems quickly and have foresight into potential issues;
• Advance MS Office suite, including presentations.

PLEASE NOTE THAT FEEDBACK WILL BE GIVEN TO SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES ONLY.