Plant Manager

STELO; Noord-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Job summary

STELO is seeking a Plant Manager to lead the processing plant through commissioning, ramp-up and steady-state operations. You will own safety performance, production targets, and cost control while embedding a disciplined operating culture.

Reporting to the site leadership, you will build a high-performing team, manage commissioning activities, and ensure compliant, reliable operations during early life and beyond, partnering with EPC/OEM stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Engineering or relevant technical degree (Mechanical, Process, Electrical or Chemical/Metallurgical preferred).
• Statutory appointment eligibility under applicable mining legislation.
• Minimum 10–15 years' experience in minerals processing or heavy industrial operations.
• Proven Plant Manager or equivalent senior operational leadership experience.
• Demonstrated commissioning and ramp-up leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Full accountability for plant safety performance and statutory compliance.
• Visible leadership of safety culture and critical risk management.
• Oversight of safe commissioning, shutdowns, and Simultaneous Operations activities.
• Enforcement of permit-to-work, isolation, and contractor safety systems.
• Leadership of serious incident response and learning.
• Delivery of production targets aligned with Phase 2 operating plans.
• Stabilisation of plant throughput, recovery, and quality post-commissioning.
• Ownership of daily, weekly, and monthly performance management.
• Oversight of mechanical, electrical, and C&I maintenance functions.
• Protection of critical assets during early-life operations.
• Transition from reactive to planned and condition-based maintenance.
• Oversight of metallurgical performance and process stability.
• Decision-making on throughput versus recovery trade-offs.
• Governance of process changes and optimisation initiatives.
• Ownership of site operating costs and cost-per-tonne metrics.
• Control of contractor spending during commissioning and ramp-up.
• Contribution to budgeting and cost optimisation initiatives.
• Building and leading a high-performing plant leadership team.
• Development of national talent and succession pipelines.
• Implementation of structured training and competency frameworks.
• Constructive engagement with unions and local communities.
• Interface with corporate, project, and technical stakeholders.
• Clear communication of plant performance, risks, and priorities.

Skills

Leadership

Safety management

Operational excellence

Stakeholder communication

Education

Engineering degree or relevant technical degree

Statutory appointment eligibility

Job description

This Job Description defines the role, accountabilities, and requirements for the Plant Manager position for the processing plant. The role is critical to the safe commissioning, ramp-up, and long-term operational success of the plant's assets.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Plant Manager is accountable for the end-to-end leadership, safety, and performance of the processing plant from commissioning through ramp-up and into steady-state operations.

The role requires a senior operational leader capable of building a plant, stabilising performance, embedding discipline, and developing a sustainable operating culture while meeting production, safety, cost, and compliance objectives.

The Plant Manager acts as the single point of operational accountability for the plant.

PHASE CONTEXT

This project represents a high-risk and high-value stage in the asset lifecycle, characterised by commissioning and early-life operational instability, ramp-up under throughput and recovery pressure, SIMOPS involving EPC contractors and OEMs, and progressive localisation of skills and capability.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Full accountability for plant safety performance and statutory compliance
• Visible leadership of safety culture and critical risk management
• Oversight of safe commissioning, shutdowns, and Simultaneous Operations activities
• Enforcement of permit-to-work, isolation, and contractor safety systems
• Leadership of serious incident response and learning

Operations & Production

• Delivery of production targets aligned with Phase 2 operating plans
• Stabilisation of plant throughput, recovery, and quality post-commissioning
• Ownership of daily, weekly, and monthly performance management

Maintenance & Reliability

• Oversight of mechanical, electrical, and C&I maintenance functions
• Protection of critical assets during early-life operations
• Transition from reactive to planned and condition-based maintenance

Process & Metallurgy

• Oversight of metallurgical performance and process stability
• Decision-making on throughput versus recovery trade-offs
• Governance of process changes and optimisation initiatives

Cost & Commercial Management

• Ownership of site operating costs and cost-per-tonne metrics
• Control of contractor spending during commissioning and ramp-up
• Contribution to budgeting and cost optimisation initiatives

People, Capability & Culture

• Building and leading a high-performing plant leadership team
• Development of national talent and succession pipelines
• Implementation of structured training and competency frameworks
• Constructive engagement with unions and local communities

Stakeholder & Governance

• Interface with corporate, project, and technical stakeholders
• Clear communication of plant performance, risks, and priorities

REPORTING STRUCTURE

Direct reports typically include Production, Maintenance, Process, HSE, Supply Chain, and HR Leads.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Engineering or relevant technical degree (Mechanical, Process, Electrical or Chemical/Metallurgical preferred)
• Statutory appointment eligibility under applicable mining legislation
• Minimum 10–15 years' experience in minerals processing or heavy industrial operations
• Proven Plant Manager or equivalent senior operational leadership experience
• Demonstrated commissioning and ramp-up leadership experience

TECHNICAL & LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

• Strong operational and technical literacy
• High personal safety standards
• Calm, structured leadership under pressure
• Strong people leadership and culture-building capability

SUCCESS MEASURES

• Safe and compliant commissioning and ramp-up
• Achievement of stable throughput and recovery targets
• Controlled operating costs and asset protection
• Embedded operating discipline and leadership depth