Sawmill Operations Leader: Drive Efficiency & Quality

Mayfly Agri (Pty) Ltd

KwaZulu-Natal

On-site

ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

Mayfly Agri (Pty) Ltd in KwaZulu-Natal seeks an experienced Sawmill Production Manager to take full operational responsibility for day-to-day sawmill management, timber processing, and dispatch. You will develop production plans aligned with commercial objectives, optimise timber recovery, supervise teams, ensure OH&S, and coordinate with procurement, forestry and logistics to meet targets.

The role requires a strong track record in sawmill processes, 58 years' experience preferred, and a

Qualifications

Must have a National Senior Certificate (Matric).
A qualification in Forestry, Wood Technology, Sawmilling, Mechanical Engineering, Production Management or related field would be advantageous.
Minimum 58 years' experience in sawmill operations, timber processing and related is critical.
At least 3 years' management or supervisory experience in a production environment.
Experience with production planning, maintenance, quality and cost control is essential.
Strong knowledge of sawmill production processes and timber conversion is essential.
Experience managing production teams and industrial equipment.
Strong understanding of occupational health and safety requirements.
Experience in a rural or remote operational environment would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

Take full operational responsibility for the day-to-day management of the sawmill.
Develop and implement operational plans aligned with production and commercial objectives.
Manage the complete production process from receipt of logs to dispatch, including sawing, sorting, grading, stacking and drying where applicable.
Ensure optimal utilisation of timber, machinery, labour and other resources.
Monitor operational performance and implement corrective action where required.
Identify opportunities to improve productivity, reduce waste and increase profitability.
Establish and maintain efficient operating procedures and production standards.
Develop production schedules in line with timber availability, customer requirements and sales forecasts.
Ensure production targets are achieved in terms of volume, recovery, quality and turnaround times.
Monitor daily, weekly and monthly production against planned targets.
Analyse production losses, downtime, recovery rates and machine utilisation.
Ensure the efficient flow of timber through all stages of production.
Optimise cutting patterns and sawing methods to maximise timber recovery and minimise waste.
Coordinate production requirements with procurement, forestry, sales, logistics and other departments.
Ensure finished products are available for dispatch according to agreed schedules.
Manage the efficient utilisation of incoming logs and timber resources.
Monitor timber recovery and conversion rates.
Minimise sawdust, offcuts, slab waste and other production losses.
Ensure sorting and utilisation of different log sizes, species and grades.
Work with timber procurement and forestry teams to ensure material availability.
Monitor log quality and address issues affecting production and recovery.
Investigate abnormal timber losses or declining recovery rates.
Take responsibility for the availability and reliability of all sawmill equipment.
Ensure preventative maintenance programmes are implemented and maintained.
Monitor equipment performance and downtime.
Coordinate planned maintenance and repairs to minimise disruption to production.