About the Role
- A leading designer and manufacturer of mineral processing equipment, supplying innovative engineering solutions to the global mining industry operating in Klerksdorp is seeking an experienced, hands-on Production Foreman – Material Preparation & CNC Manufacturing to lead their Material Preparation and Machine Shop operations.
- This is a senior production leadership role responsible for ensuring the safe, efficient and cost-effective preparation of materials that support our fabrication and manufacturing operations.
- The successful candidate will lead a skilled team, manage modern CNC manufacturing equipment, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and play a key role in production planning through our ERP manufacturing system.
- Reporting to the Production Manager, you will be responsible for leading the Material Preparation Department and ensuring production commitments are achieved safely, on time, within budget and to the highest quality standards.
- You will manage people, production schedules, machinery, materials and operational performance while continuously improving productivity, material utilisation and manufacturing efficiency.
Key Responsibilities
Production Planning & Scheduling
- Plan, schedule and prioritise all departmental work to meet production and project deadlines.
- Coordinate workflow through the ERP/MRP production planning system.
- Monitor work orders, machine loading, labour allocation and production progress.
- Ensure material availability and readiness to support fabrication and assembly operations.
- Manage departmental capacity and proactively identify production constraints.
- Participate in daily and weekly production planning meetings.
Manufacturing Operations
Lead and supervise the safe and efficient operation of:
- CNC Machining Centres
- CNC Horizontal Boring Mill
- Conventional Fitting & Turning
- CNC Press Brakes
- CNC Laser Cutting Machines
- CNC Plasma Cutting Machines
- CNC Tube Laser Cutting Machines
- CNC Profile Plasma Cutting Machines
Technical & Manufacturing Excellence
- Interpret engineering drawings, manufacturing specifications and production documentation.
- Review manufacturing job packs before production.
- Utilise 2D and 3D nesting software to maximise material utilisation and minimise waste.
- Ensure manufacturing processes comply with engineering and quality requirements.
- Resolve technical manufacturing challenges in conjunction with Engineering.
- Drive standardisation and best manufacturing practices.
ERP & Digital Manufacturing
Utilise the company's ERP system to:
- Manage production work orders.
- Monitor production progress.
- Track labour and machine utilisation.
- Report production performance.
- Record completed operations.
- Ensure accurate production data and manufacturing records.
- Support the continued optimisation and adoption of ERP manufacturing processes throughout the department.
- Promote accurate data capture to improve planning, reporting and operational decision-making.
Continuous Improvement
- Identify production bottlenecks and implement practical solutions.
- Drive improvements in productivity, machine utilisation, material yield and manufacturing efficiency.
- Reduce waste through improved nesting strategies and workflow optimisation.
- Support Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Develop and implement departmental best practices.
People Leadership
- Lead, coach and develop departmental employees.
- Manage attendance, performance, productivity and discipline.
- Identify training requirements and mentor artisans and operators.
- Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork and continuous improvement.
- Conduct daily production meetings and toolbox talks.
Safety, Quality & Compliance
- Promote and maintain a strong safety culture.
- Ensure compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and company SHEQ systems.
- Conduct workplace inspections, risk assessments and incident investigations.
- Ensure all equipment is operated safely and maintained in accordance with company procedures.
- Maintain excellent housekeeping standards throughout the department.
- Ensure all manufactured components meet engineering drawings and quality specifications.
Performance Reporting
Monitor and report departmental performance against key manufacturing KPIs, including:
- Safety performance
- Production output
- Schedule adherence
- Machine utilisation
- Labour productivity
- Material yield
- Scrap and rework
- Quality performance
- Housekeeping
- Downtime
- Continuous improvement initiatives
Minimum Requirements
Essential
- Qualified Artisan (Boilermaker, Fitter & Turner or equivalent Mechanical Engineering trade qualification).
- Minimum five years' experience in a supervisory or foreman role within a heavy engineering or fabrication environment.
- Proven experience managing Material Preparation and Machine Shop operations.
Strong working knowledge of:
- CNC machining
- Laser cutting
- Plasma cutting
- Tube laser cutting
- CNC press brake operations
- Conventional machining
Material preparation processes
- Ability to interpret detailed engineering drawings and manufacturing documentation.
- Demonstrated production planning and scheduling experience.
- Strong leadership and people management skills.
- Computer literate with experience using ERP or MRP manufacturing systems.
- Sound understanding of manufacturing quality systems and production best practices.
Highly Advantageous
Experience with:
- 2D and 3D nesting software
- SigmaNEST, Pronest or similar nesting platforms
- Lean Manufacturing
- Six Sigma or Continuous Improvement methodologies
- Production KPI reporting and performance management
- Digital manufacturing systems
- Capacity planning and finite scheduling
The Ideal Candidate
The successful candidate is a proactive production leader who combines strong technical knowledge with excellent organisational and leadership skills.
The candidate should have:
- A hands-on leader who leads by example.
- Safety-focused and quality-driven.
- Highly organised with excellent planning ability.
- Comfortable using ERP systems and production data to drive decisions.
- Technically competent across CNC and material preparation processes.
- Passionate about continuous improvement and operational excellence.
- Calm under pressure and capable of managing multiple priorities.
- Committed to developing people and building high-performing teams.
What We Offer
- Competitive remuneration package based on qualifications and experience.
- Permanent employment with one of South Africa's leading mineral processing equipment manufacturers.
- Exposure to advanced CNC manufacturing technologies and modern production systems.
- Opportunity to contribute to large-scale mining projects across Africa and internationally.
- Ongoing professional development and career progression opportunities.
- A collaborative, technically driven and safety-focused working environment.
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