VP, Operations Leader SSA

Wabtec Corporation; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 3,000,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Wabtec Corporation invites a Vice President, Operations Leader to oversee service obligations and P&L for locomotive service across SSA. The role requires leading multi-country teams and shaping growth in distribution, maintenance, and customer satisfaction.

The candidate should have an engineering degree with at least 5 years of P&L leadership, global matrix experience, and strong communication skills. Domestic and international travel are expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited university.
• Minimum of 5 years P&L leadership experience.
• Experience leading teams across multiple SSA countries.
• Fluent in English (writing, reading, speaking, listening).
• Experience in a matrix international organization.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally; medical fitness may be required.

Responsibilities

• Achieve revenue, profitability and cash collection targets for SSA region.
• Lead development and execution of the Services growth strategy for SSA.
• Assure timely resolution of customer issues and satisfaction.
• Build long-term relationships with key customers and industry stakeholders within SSA.
• Lead complete field resource management efforts and operations.
• Support all operations and maintenance processes and safety policies.

Skills

P&L leadership

Strategic planning

Leadership

Communication skills

Government customers

Problem solving

Project management

Multi-country leadership

French Portuguese

Education

MBA degree

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Job description

Vice President, Operations Leader – Johannesburg

Role Summary

The VP for Services will be responsible for the P&L and execution of service obligations for locomotive service agreements across South Africa, Guinea, Mozambique, Angola & Liberia. This is a $150M annual turnover business.

Essential Responsibilities

• Achieve business financial targets, responsible for the revenue, profitability and cash collection for region contracts.
• Participate in development and lead the execution of the Services growth strategy for SSA
• Assure timely resolution of customer issues and customer satisfaction
• Responsible for building strong long-term relationships with key customers and industry stakeholders within SSA.
• Lead complete field resource management efforts.
• Support all operations and maintenance operational processes.
• Provide accurate and timely information to assigned personnel regarding salary planning, performance appraisals, career coaching and disciplinary action as required.
• Lead efforts to ensure customer service excellence for assigned customers.
• Lead service engineering to accomplish effective support of region customer service objectives.
• Manage cost control, quality, and operations-oriented customer communications.
• Implement Operation Safety Policy Instructions, conduct field work in compliance with local EHS policies and applicable regulations and encourage good employee safety practices.
• Participate and lead business Lean processes.
• Interface regularly with commercial team to review the progress of growth initiatives and participate in the development of new service offerings.

Desired Characteristics

• Business and finance acumen.
• MBA degree.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills.
• Commercial experience with government customers
• Experience in managing multi-year service agreements, Rail industry a bonus
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and resolve problems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead programs / projects.
• Additional language skills such as French and Portuguese are advantageous.
• Established project management skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited university or college.
• Minimum of 5 years P&L leadership experience
• Experience in people leadership roles covering multiple countries across the SSA region.
• Fluent in English language (writing, reading, speaking, listening).
• Demonstrated experience in a matrix international organization
• Applicants must be South African citizens, permanent residents, or otherwise legally authorized to work in South Africa at the time of application.
• This position requires frequent domestic and international travel, extended periods of standing, walking, and other activities associated with field-based work.
• Candidates must be medically fit and capable of performing the inherent physical requirements of the role, with or without reasonable accommodation, where applicable.
• Appointment may be subject to verification of work authorization and, where permitted by law and relevant to the role, a medical fitness assessment.

Additional Information

No Agency Submissions

The Company does not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies or search firms. Please do not forward resumes to employees, hiring managers, or any other company location. The Company will not be responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes and reserves the right to hire candidates submitted through unsolicited means without obligation to pay a fee.

What could you accomplish in a place that puts People First?

At Wabtec, it’s not just about a job - it’s about the impact you make. When our people come together, we’re Expanding the Possible by continuously improving what we do and how we do it - for our clients and each other.

If you’re ready to revolutionize how the world moves for future generations, Wabtec is the place for you.

Who are we?

Wabtec is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions, and value-added services for the freight and transit rail sectors. Drawing on more than 150 years of experience, we are leading the way in safety, efficiency, reliability, innovation, and productivity. Whether it’s freight, transit, ports, logistics, mining, industrial, or marine, our expertise, technologies, and people together – are accelerating the future of transportation. With roots that date back to George Westinghouse, Thomas Edison, and Louis Faiveley, Wabtec has always built technologies and implemented solutions for a variety of sectors that are critical to meeting the needs of customers and governments alike.

Our global team of about 30,000 employees worldwide delivers performance that moves the world forward. We’re lifelong learners, obsessed with better. Learn more at www.WabtecCorp.com.

Culture powers us and the possibilities.

We believe the best ideas come from a mix of experiences and backgrounds. At Wabtec, we strive every day to create a place where everyone belongs. We’re building a culture where leadership, inclusion and your unique perspective fuel progress.

We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome talent of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities, including race, gender, age, disability, veteran status and more.

Need accommodation? Just let us know - we’ve got you.