VP, Operations Leader SSA

Wabtec; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 4,500,000 - 7,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Wabtec is seeking a Vice President, Operations Leader for Johannesburg to oversee service obligations and P&L across SSA, ensuring revenue targets, profitability and customer satisfaction in a multi-country footprint. The role drives growth, safety, and lean initiatives while coordinating with commercial teams to develop new service offerings.

The position requires a engineering degree, 5+ years P&L leadership, and experience managing teams across SSA.

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.

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.

Skills

P&L leadership

People leadership

English fluent

Matrix organization experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Job description

Vice President, Operations Leader - Johannesburg

Role Summary/Purpose

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.

Qualifications/Requirements

• 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

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 .. French and Portuguese an advantage.
• Established project management skills.

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.