Operations Manager (Owner's Representative)

Www.chandlermacleod.com; Townsville City; On-site; AUD 190,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation support

Long-term project

38-hour work week

Job summary

Chandler Macleod is seeking an experienced Operations Manager (Owner's Representative) for a first-of-its-kind minerals processing facility in North Queensland, overseeing governance and readiness as the project moves from commissioning into early operations in Townsville.

You will act as the owner's on-site representative, coordinating with the contracted operator, suppliers, customers and stakeholders to ensure safe, reliable operations aligned with the owner's expectations.

Qualifications

• Experience in minerals processing or similar heavy industry environments.
• Exposure to commissioning, start-up, operational readiness or facility transitions.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management capability.
• Ability to influence outcomes without direct authority.
• Experience in operational governance, assurance, asset management and MOC.
• Strong understanding of maintenance planning and asset management systems (SAP/CMMS).
• Comfortable in ambiguous, first-of-its-kind environments where priorities evolve.

Responsibilities

• Represent the asset owner on-site and oversee operator performance.
• Establish and maintain operational governance and assurance frameworks.
• Coordinate commissioning readiness, campaign readiness and early operations activities.
• Monitor operational performance, KPIs, incidents and corrective actions.
• Provide oversight of safety systems, critical controls and high-risk activities.
• Maintain governance over MOC and asset configuration.
• Support strategic asset reliability and lifecycle management initiatives.
• Act as the key interface between operators, suppliers, customers, contractors and government stakeholders.
• Prepare executive briefings, recommendations and operational reports.
• Support procurement, contracts and commercial service delivery activities.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Governance

Asset management

MOC (Management of Change)

SAP/CMMS

Maintenance planning

Tools

SAP

CMMS

Job description

Our client is delivering a first-of-its-kind minerals processing facility in North Queensland, supporting the advancement and commercialisation of critical minerals. As the project transitions from construction into commissioning and early operations, they are seeking an experienced Operations Manager (Owner's Representative) to act as the owner's on-site representative and oversee operational governance, stakeholder coordination and readiness activities.

About the Role

This is a site-based position in Townsville, working at the centre of a brand-new processing facility as it moves toward commissioning and operational readiness.

Unlike a traditional Plant Manager role, this position is not responsible for running the plant day-to-day or managing operational teams. Instead, you will act as the owner's representative, working closely with the contracted operator, suppliers, customers and stakeholders to ensure the facility operates safely, reliably and in line with the owner's expectations.

This role is ideally suited to someone with strong stakeholder management, governance and operational assurance capability, coupled with the technical credibility to engage with complex processing operations and challenge outcomes when required.

Key Responsibilities

• Represent the asset owner on-site and oversee operator performance
• Establish and maintain operational governance and assurance frameworks
• Coordinate commissioning readiness, campaign readiness and early operations activities
• Monitor operational performance, KPIs, incidents and corrective actions
• Provide oversight of safety systems, critical controls and high-risk activities
• Maintain governance over Management of Change (MOC) and asset configuration
• Support strategic asset reliability and lifecycle management initiatives
• Act as the key interface between operators, suppliers, customers, contractors and government stakeholders
• Prepare executive briefings, recommendations and operational reports
• Support procurement, contracts and commercial service delivery activities

About You

• Experience within minerals processing, resources, energy, chemicals, heavy industry, infrastructure or other complex industrial environments
• Exposure to commissioning, start-up, operational readiness or facility transitions
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management capability
• Proven ability to influence outcomes without direct line authority
• Experience in operational governance, assurance, asset management and Management of Change (MOC)
• Strong understanding of maintenance planning and asset management systems such as SAP or similar CMMS platforms
• Comfortable operating in an ambiguous, first-of-its-kind environment where priorities continue to evolve
• Previous Owner's Representative, Operational Assurance, Asset Management or Governance experience will be highly regarded

What's on Offer

• Opportunity to shape a brand-new processing facility during commissioning and early operations
• Unique owner-side role focused on governance, assurance and stakeholder leadership
• Significant autonomy and influence without direct operational management responsibilities
• Potential relocation support available for interstate candidates
• 38-hour work week (Monday-Friday)
• AO8 Level, approximately $100/hr + super
• Long-term project through to June 2028
• Backing of a major Queensland Government initiative

At Chandler Macleod, we are committed to fostering a diverse workforce where everyone is welcome. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, women, neurodiverse, people living with a disability and the LGBTIQA+ community.

You can read more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion at https://www.chandlermacleod.com/diversity-and-inclusion.