Refinery - Supervisor Control Systems - Milnerton at Astron Energy (Pty) Ltd.

Base Business:

• Lead and manage a team of Control Systems Specialists (CSS) and a Control Systems Analyst (CSA), overseeing daily work allocation, shift scheduling, and ensuring continuous after-hours support. Supervise, mentor, and coach team members while providing technical guidance and direction.
• Advise, manage, and plan for all key technology decisions and necessary changes in control systems.
• Software license management and outsourcing of application support.
• Provide input into the business planning cycle, ensuring assets are properly maintained, and upgrades are planned. Build business cases for new technology implementation.
• Develop, document, and sustain standard processes for support, including proactive and predictive tools.
• Repair, maintain, and support Refinery Control Systems e.g. Yokogawa DCS and ESD, PLCs, SCADAs and all other Black Box Solutions.

Maintenance Strategies:

• Interface and coordinate system maintenance and support activities with OT specialists.
• Remote client-server operating system hardware, base application support, security, and troubleshooting.
• Plan, develop, and implement procedures to facilitate software and hardware system upgrades.
• Ensure calibration of tank gauges and provide adequate support for the tank team.
• Define Sparing Philosophy and ensure availability of critical spares in partnership with key stakeholders.
• Ensures condition monitoring and preventive maintenance requirements are adhered too.
• Ensures deviations addressed proactively to drive equipment availability
• Data analysis of system generated trends, reports etc
• Able to identify problems and recommend solutions through integrating field observations, trouble shooting and Stakeholder engagement
• Critical inquiry to validate assumption.

Project Design:

• Engage with IT: OT specialists and plant engineering staff to ensure alignment of industrial technologies.
• Support the design and configuration of advanced control loops in collaboration with the ADCON (Advance Control) engineering group.
• Develop DCS control graphics and LOGIC configurations from functional control specifications.
• CAPEX & OPEX - Cost stewardship and efficient execution of maintenance activities
• Efficient & effective use of resources to ensure objectives are achieved and work delivered on time, in scope and within budget. 
• Able to work on multiple tasks and/or requests with different priorities. 
• Manage complex schedules and communicate possible delays in meeting deadlines. 
• Ensure that MOC process is followed, and that modified plant/maintenance procedures are implemented according to set standards
• Propose, initiate and track field and capital projects in area of responsibility
• Initiate the replacement of obsolete instrumentation equipment by following an Asset Management Life Cycle Approach
• Implementation of maintenance projects and supports capital projects

Safety Critical Equipment:

• Owns execution, auditing and management of Emergency Shutdown Systems
• Coordinate the team with mandatory ESD checks
• Provides input to Reliability on Instrumentation SCE’s.
• Provides input to PSM on Safety Instrumentation System (SIS) metrics monthly

Advisor:

• Act as an advisor for system integration and provide expert input into the maintenance and troubleshooting of critical systems – Company Wide
• Communicate effectively during regular management sessions, offering timely feedback to supervisors and peers.
• Develop organisational capability by supervising, training and coaching artisans, technicians and apprentices on how the control systems function and in diagnosing operating problems. 
• Technical Advice and consultation on studies, projects, Process Hazard Analyses (PHA’s), Management of Change (MOC’s).
• Owner & Initiator of MOC’s 
• Lead and participate in Investigations
• Provide Subject Matter Expert advice and guidance maintenance Coordinators, technicians and project staff.

Safety:

• Embrace and promote safety and environmental initiatives, actively engaging with the workforce through safety observations and plant/unit audits.

Professional Qualification and Certifications:

• National Diploma (Instrumentation & Control Systems) preferred, or N5 Electrical discipline Qualification (Instrumentation & Control Systems/Light Current), and refining experience.
• Trade Test Instrumentation is an advantage

Minimum Experience required:

• 10+ Years’ experience Petrochemical Industry experience in Controls & Instrumentation
• SME in Astron Refinery plant, equipment and processes strongly advantageous

Work Experience:

• 10 or more years Control Systems / Instrumentation experience in a refinery or chemical processing environment
• 7 years’ supervisory experience

Knowledge and skills:

• Significant operational experience in refinery environment / relevant industry
• Demonstrated experience in industrial automation and control system modifications, enhancements and expansions
• Demonstrated DCS, SCADA and PLC support and upgrade knowledge and experience
• Knowledge of motor control and power systems
• Knowledge of Process Instrumentation.
• Experience in a support and coordination role - for industrial computer systems and networks
• Demonstrated experience in troubleshooting - problem solving, and resolving technical issues
• Ability to articulate highly complex information.