Plant Operations Manager

About the role

The client is looking for a Plant Operations Manager to take full operational accountability for a ferrochrome recovery plant in the Rustenburg area. The role involves overseeing production, metallurgical performance and cost control while ensuring safety, reliability and regulatory compliance.

Key responsibilities

• Full accountability for plant production, operational performance and metallurgical results.
• Leadership and management of plant personnel, including operators, supervisors and technical staff.
• Ensuring safe, reliable and efficient plant operations.
• Monitoring and optimisation of ferrochrome recovery performance.
• Identification and resolution of process bottlenecks and operational challenges.
• Coordination with engineering, metallurgical and maintenance teams to maintain plant reliability and availability.
• Implementation of operational systems, production reporting and performance monitoring.
• Development and management of plant operating budgets and cost‑control systems.
• Oversight of financial performance, budgeting and expenditure control.
• Driving continuous improvement initiatives to enhance throughput, recovery and efficiency.
• Ensuring compliance with safety, environmental and regulatory requirements.

Required profile

• Proven experience managing metallurgical or mineral processing plant operations.
• Experience in ferrochrome recovery, slag processing or ferroalloy‑related operations is advantageous.
• Background in chromite processing or ferrochrome industry operations is beneficial.
• Strong leadership and people‑management capability.
• Demonstrated problem‑solving and operational decision‑making ability.
• Experience managing production targets, plant budgets and operational costs.
• Engineering qualification preferred (Mechanical, Metallurgical, Electrical or similar).
• Technical qualification at Technician or Technologist level with significant operational experience.

Required skills

• Ferrochrome recovery from slag streams.
• Metallurgical processing technologies.
• Budget and cost management in an industrial setting.