Operations Specialist

Discovery; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Discovery is seeking an Operations Specialist to manage the delivery of Discovery Green's renewable energy projects from negotiation and financial close through construction, commissioning and go-live. You will coordinate with IPPs, advisors and internal teams to keep milestones on track.

The role requires strong project management, stakeholder engagement and a focus on operational readiness, testing, metering and data integration to ensure reliable go-live for customers and plants.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years' experience in project delivery, programme management, infrastructure, renewable energy, utilities or related industries.
• Experience managing complex projects involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional teams and driving delivery through influence.
• Experience engaging with senior leadership and executive stakeholders.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Support the delivery of Discovery Green's generation portfolio from negotiation and financial close through construction, commissioning and commercial operation.
• Coordinate with IPPs, advisors, consultants and internal stakeholders to track project progress and drive delivery outcomes.
• Review and input into project agreements and commercial arrangements from an operational and delivery perspective.
• Monitor progress against key milestones, including financial close, construction schedules and COD, proactively identifying and escalating risks.
• Facilitate project governance forums, status meetings and reporting to ensure clear accountability and effective decision-making.
• Drive delivery readiness activities for generation and customer go-lives, ensuring testing, regulatory, operational and technical requirements are completed on time.
• Coordinate metering, generation data integrations and operational readiness activities across customer and generation environments.
• Track enablement plans, operational testing and key dependencies, ensuring risks are actively managed and resolved.
• Support the establishment of operational monitoring, reporting and governance processes for newly operational plants and customers.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that enhance project delivery, operational readiness and execution excellence.

Skills

Project management

Delivery focus

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Risk management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Engineering/Project Management/Commerce/Finance/Law or related field

Postgraduate qualification in Energy/Infrastructure/Project Management

Project management certification

Job description

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Operations Specialist

Business Unit: Discovery Central Services

Function: Client Service

Discovery Green

Operations Specialist

About Discovery

Discovery’s core purpose is to make people healthier and to enhance and protect their lives. We are a global leader driven by innovation, shared value, and bold thinking. Our fast‑paced, high‑performance culture enables smart, self‑driven people to do their best work while making a meaningful impact on society.

About Discovery Green

Launched in September 2023, Discovery Green is one of the newest businesses in the Discovery Group. We make it simple and affordable for businesses to transition to renewable energy. Powered by some of South Africa’s largest wind and solar plants, Discovery Green uses advanced actuarial modelling to help businesses achieve their decarbonisation goals with cost certainty and savings.

Our mission is to establish South Africa as a global leader in renewable energy, driving investment, job creation, and sustainable economic growth.

Role Summary

The Operations Specialist will play a key role in ensuring the successful delivery of Discovery Green's renewable energy generation portfolio from project negotiation and financial close through construction, commissioning and operational go-live.

The role is responsible for coordinating delivery across generation projects, monitoring progress against critical milestones, identifying and mitigating risks, and helping ensure projects achieve their Scheduled Commercial Operation Dates (SCOD) where possible. Working closely with the Generation, Legal, Commercial, and Technical teams, the successful candidate will support the progression of both current and future generation opportunities.

In addition, the role will drive operational readiness across the customer and generation portfolios, ensuring testing, metering, data integration, and operational requirements are completed ahead of renewable energy go-live. This person will help identify and resolve delivery risks to ensure Discovery Green is ready to successfully deliver renewable energy to customers.

Key Outputs / Job Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Support the delivery of Discovery Green's generation portfolio from negotiation and financial close through construction, commissioning and commercial operation.
• Coordinate with IPPs, advisors, consultants and internal stakeholders to track project progress and drive delivery outcomes.
• Review and input into project agreements and commercial arrangements from an operational and delivery perspective.
• Monitor progress against key milestones, including financial close, construction schedules and COD, proactively identifying and escalating risks.
• Facilitate project governance forums, status meetings and reporting to ensure clear accountability and effective decision-making.
• Drive delivery readiness activities for generation and customer go-lives, ensuring testing, regulatory, operational and technical requirements are completed on time.
• Coordinate metering, generation data integrations and operational readiness activities across customer and generation environments.
• Track enablement plans, operational testing and key dependencies, ensuring risks are actively managed and resolved.
• Support the establishment of operational monitoring, reporting and governance processes for newly operational plants and customers.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives that enhance project delivery, operational readiness and execution excellence.

Personal Attributes & Skills

• Strong delivery mindset with a passion for achieving outcomes.
• Highly organised with excellent project management and coordination skills.
• Strong commercial and operational acumen.
• Collaborative and relationship-oriented, with the ability to work across stakeholder groups.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and risk-management capabilities.
• Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills.
• Ability to influence and drive outcomes without formal authority.
• Proactive, self-motivated and accountable.
• Strong attention to detail combined with a focus on execution and results.

Education

• Relevant Bachelor's Degree required.
• Degree in Engineering, Project Management, Commerce, Finance, Law or a related field preferred.
• Postgraduate qualification in Energy, Business, Infrastructure or Project Management would be advantageous.
• Formal project management certification would be advantageous.

Required Skills and experience

• Minimum 5 years' experience in project delivery, programme management, infrastructure, renewable energy, utilities or related industries.
• Experience managing complex projects involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
• Demonstrated experience managing schedules, risks, dependencies and delivery performance.
• Experience working on renewable energy projects, project finance transactions, financial close processes or IPP engagements would be advantageous.
• Experience managing testing, commissioning, customer enablement or operational go-live activities would be advantageous.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship-building capabilities.
• Strong commercial, contractual and operational understanding.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional teams and driving delivery through influence.
• Strong reporting, governance and project controls capabilities.
• Experience engaging with senior leadership and executive stakeholders.

EMPLOYMENT EQUITY

The Company’s approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.