Projects Operational Readiness & Major Plant Shutdown Manager - Africa

Glencore; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1 200 000 - 1 500 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading mining company in Johannesburg is seeking a Projects Operational Readiness & Major Plant Shutdown Manager for Africa. The role requires expertise in overseeing operational readiness and managing major shutdowns across capital projects, ensuring efficient and safe operations. Candidates should have over 15 years of experience in project management within the mining and metals industry, along with a relevant degree and professional certification. This position involves frequent travel to DRC project sites.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in Project Management and Major Shutdown Management.
• Proven capability in leading complex brownfield shutdowns and multi-disciplinary execution teams.
• Excellent leadership and contractor management abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate Operational Readiness across multiple capital projects.
• Provide oversight and leadership for major shutdown projects.
• Prepare and manage OPR and major shutdown cost estimates.

Skills

Project Management

Operational Readiness

Engineering Standards

Shutdown Methodologies

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Project Management, or Business

Professional certification (e.g., PMI PMP)

Job description

Job title: Projects Operational Readiness & Major Plant Shutdown Manager - Africa

Job Location: Gauteng, Johannesburg

Closing date: 09 / 01 / 2026

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The Opportunity

• The primary purpose of this role is to lead and coordinate the Operational Readiness (OPR) and Major Shutdown Readiness strategy across Glencore Copper Africa’s projects portfolio. You will ensure that each project—particularly those requiring major plant tie-ins, brownfield interfaces, and high‑risk shutdown interventions—is fully prepared for safe, efficient, and reliable operation at handover.
• The role includes a strong focus on major shutdown planning and execution readiness, ensuring optimal alignment between project teams, commissioning, maintenance, construction, and operations to support safe tie‑ins, minimal downtime, and stable ramp‑up.

In this role, you will :

• Lead Operational Readiness (OPR) across multiple capital projects in the DRC, ensuring people, processes and assets are ready for commissioning, start‑up, ramp‑up and steady operations.
• Represent the owner/operator perspective to ensure that project design, engineering and execution practices support long‑term stable operations.
• Drive operational capability and readiness improvements across sites and projects.

Major Shutdown Management Responsibilities

• Provide oversight and leadership across major shutdown projects, including large‑scale tie‑ins, infrastructure cut‑overs, processing circuit integrations and multi‑area complex shutdown packages.
• Lead the development of Major Shutdown Execution Plans, including scope definition, critical path identification, Simultaneous Operations (SIMOPS) management, isolation strategies, barricading plans and contractor readiness.
• Integrate major shutdown schedules with Operations, Maintenance, Construction and Commissioning to ensure predictable and safe execution.
• Facilitate critical shutdown reviews (ORR, HSEC readiness, SIMOPS risk assessments, Go / No‑Go reviews) for all major shutdown events.
• Lead readiness assessments for complex brownfield interfaces and high‑risk execution environments.
• Support execution and ramp‑up activities during major shutdowns to ensure timely and stable restoration of operational performance.
• Ensure major shutdown learnings are captured, documented and embedded into future shutdown events across the Africa portfolio.

General OPR Accountabilities

• Review engineering updates, design changes and scope developments to anticipate operational impacts and mitigate risks.
• Ensure adherence to Glencore engineering standards, shutdown protocols, HSEC requirements and legal obligations across the project lifecycle.
• Develop and maintain integrated OPR and shutdown readiness schedules and ensure alignment with project milestones and operational calendars.
• Prepare and manage OPR and major shutdown cost estimates for inclusion in capital approvals and execution plans.
• Support transitions between construction, commissioning, start‑up, major shutdown execution and steady‑state operations.
• Lead OPR and major shutdown‑related audits, governance reviews and documentation management processes.

Your training, skills & expertise checklist :

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Project Management, Business or related field (asset management or operational excellence advantageous).
• Professional certification (e.g., PMI PMP) desirable.
• 15+ years’ experience in Project Management, Operational Readiness, Commissioning and Major Shutdown Management within the mining and metals industry.
• Proven capability in leading complex brownfield shutdowns, tie‑ins and multi‑disciplinary execution teams.
• Strong knowledge of engineering standards, shutdown methodologies, maintenance practices, commissioning processes and HSEC systems.
• Excellent leadership, facilitation, analytical and contractor management abilities.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen including major shutdown budgeting and cost estimation.
• Effective interpersonal, influencing and communication skills across senior and operational stakeholders.
• Johannesburg‑based with frequent travel to DRC project sites.
• French an advantage.