Section Engineer - JHB North at Tharisa

Role Context

Operational Management

• Provide input to strategic plans of the section by compiling comprehensive operational plans, converting the section 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 section to ensure an efficient and reliable operation of equipment and machinery in mining operations.
• Manage and coordinate the maintenance operational activities and plans for the section to enable preventative maintenance, repairs and troubleshooting.
• Develop maintenance plans, schedules, processes and standard operating procedures to ensure optimal equipment performance and availability.
• Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of engineering processes and systems by collaborating with production teams including plant managers, engineers, contractors and other professionals to create maintenance plans and schedules that minimise disruption to mining operations.
• Lead the development of action plans and operational strategies by applying root cause analyses to identify problems and put corrective actions in place.
• Oversee the maintenance and repair of mining equipment and machinery  and drive adherence to maintenance standards by conducting regular inspections and prioritising repairs based on equipment criticality and business standards.
• Lead the investigation, problem identification and evaluation of maintenance processes to develop solutions and recommend modifications to optimise and improve performance.  

Financial Management

• Analyse all relevant Department data and report on Departmental trends and operating requirements so as to determine funding requirements for the financial year.
• Monitor short-term Departmental budgets by scrutinising and aligning spend within the section, 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.
• Conduct analysis regarding cost, time and impact on production in order to setup and prepare financial budget and expenditure principles for the section.
• Develop maintenance budget and cost control including comparing repair versus replacement parts to enable cost-saving initiatives without compromising safety or equipment performance.

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 and train team and drive efforts to ensure adequate training and skills development is in place to improve employee performance.
• Manage a high-performance culture for the section by providing critical and timely feedback (both positive and critical), enabling individuals to improve and work as effectively as possible to meet operational goals.

Stakeholder Relations

• Communicate with all relevant Departments on issues of the area of speciality. Liaise across the relevant Departments by engaging with the appropriate stakeholders to ensure all stakeholders remain abreast of Departmental objectives, any potential derailers are appropriately managed and duplication of work is avoided.
• Communicate with internal and/or external stakeholders, where required, to achieve work objectives and to maintain relationships.
• Collaborate with external vendors/service providers to provide support with regards to installations and specialised equipment repairs and maintenance.
• Liaise with other departments including production, engineering and procurement to coordinate maintenance activities, share information and address issues that impact mining operations to minimise disruption of production.

Compliance, Risk and Safety

• Manage the implementation and adherence to safety protocols, regulatory compliance and environmental standards to ensure a safe working environment in line with the Mining Health and Safety Act (MHSA).
• Develop a risk register to keep record of potential risks and implement a work ethos across the section that is committed to safeguarding employee safety, health and wellbeing and take remedial actions where necessary to minimise incidents.
• Conduct regular safety audits, risk assessments and influence compliance with all relevant regulations, mining laws, by-laws and safety standards to promote a strong safety culture and ensure risk escalation within the section.
• Manage equipment handling by putting in place control measure to ensure equipment handed back to the operation is in a safe and operable condition.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• BSC/BTech Degree (NQF 7) in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering

Certifications:

• Government Certificate of Compliance (GCC) certificate

Job specific experience:

• 8 – 10 years’ experience in mining of which at least 3 years in a supervisory position