Commissioning and Operational Readiness Manager

Short Description

On behalf of our client, a Canadian-based international gold mining company, Dundee Precious Metals, Manpower Serbia is searching for a motivated candidate to take the challenge and successfully fulfill the position of Commissioning and Operational Readiness ManagerJob Location: Žagubica

Description

1.People Management

• Hires, directs, and manages a multidisciplinary OR team, and coordinates shared services support from the DPM regional offices;
• Sets goals and priorities for the team based upon the achievement of the OR plan;
• Selects employees (external and internal); assigns, directs, and evaluates their work;
• Trains and mentors OR team and supporting staff;
• Ensures continuous development of skills and knowledge through measurement of team outputs and carries out performance planning and reviews;
• Delegates tasks, sets clear objectives, and follows up on delivery of objectives;
• Ensures adequate workforce resource planning is developed within approved HR processes and DPM policies & procedures

2.Commissioning

• Build and lead the OR Team: Hire, train, mentor, and manage a multidisciplinary commissioning and operational readiness team, setting clear goals and evaluating performance.
• Develop and execute the OR Plan: Prepare and continuously update the operational readiness and commissioning plan aligned with project phases, ESG strategies, and corporate procedures to ensure a smooth transition to operations.
• Operational Workforce Planning: Oversee workforce planning, hiring, training, and mobilization of operations staff and a start-up team to support commissioning and ramp-up activities.
• Systems and Process Implementation: Define and establish operating policies, procedures, standards, and planned maintenance systems to support operational excellence.
• Project and Risk Integration: Actively participate in project design, risk reviews, and commissioning strategy development, ensuring operational and commissioning needs are integrated into project development.
• Cost Planning and Budgeting: Prepare capital and operational cost estimates for feasibility studies, pre-commitment phases, and commissioning activities.
• Pre-Commissioning and Commissioning Management: Plan, coordinate, and oversee pre-commissioning and commissioning activities, including system checks, equipment testing, and operational validation.
• Interface Management: Act as the primary liaison between project/construction management, vendors, and the owner’s team during pre-commissioning and commissioning phases.
• Commissioning Systems Readiness: Ensure all commissioning documentation, system completions, and readiness certifications are prepared, reviewed, and approved to support a safe and efficient start-up.
• Materials and Spare Parts Management: Plan and ensure the procurement of tools, equipment, and spare parts required for commissioning, start-up, and steady-state operations.
• Handover and Ramp-up Readiness: Manage handover package preparation, ensuring all systems, documentation, equipment, and personnel are ready for pre-commissioning, commissioning, and production ramp-up.

3.Planning

• Prepares the OR plan for the preparation of a successful takeover of the completed facility, ramping up and achieving nameplate production levels;
• Aligns planning with corporate ESG and Innovation strategies, EPMO processes and procedures, and DPM Operating model and organizational structure
• Reviews and Updates OR plans and schedules during the project initiation and execution phases to ensure plans are aligned with any project development phase or changes;
• Prepares capital and operating cost estimates to implement the plan, suitable for inclusion in the Feasibility Study and Pre-Commitment phases

4.Operations Preparation

• Hires, mobilises, and trains all key Operations staff by the beginning of the testing and commissioning stage;
• Identifies a special Operations Start-up team and mobilises them to be incorporated into the commissioning team. This operations start-up team becomes the primary interface between the project/construction management and the project owner during the commissioning and start-up stages of the project;
• Targets the project's early completion target date as the completion date of process implementation, personnel training, and equipment readiness;
• Defines and specifies operating systems, including policies, procedures, and standards, that are required during the operations phases.
• Attends and provides input to the project design and risk reviews.

5.Preventative Maintenance schedules, Operating & Maintenance Manuals

• Procures and implements planned maintenance systems based upon coordination with maintenance teams on DPM operations and standard DPM requirements;
• Prepares and/or approves operating and maintenance manuals, in conjunction with DPM Operations and Maintenance personnel, prior to the end of the construction stage;
• Identifies the need and ensures planning and procurement of mechanical and electrical maintenance workshops tools, and equipment;
• Plans, prepares, and manages all handover packages throughout the execution of the project to ensure completeness and ability to fit the operations systems;
• Oversees the preparation of the recommended operations spare parts in conjunction with the project owner’s team and equipment vendors;
• Ensures spare parts identification systems are aligned with systems in place on existing DPM operations;
• Ensures spare parts are physically in place by the end of the commissioning, i.e. for the initiation of Start-up and production ramp-up.

6.Operations Training

• Completes all training, including safety and environmental compliance training, for all personnel prior to the Commissioning and Start-up stages, i.e. prior to completion of construction.

7.Environment, Health, and Safety

• Ensures close collaboration with the Corporate Sustainability department with regards to Environmental, Health, Safety, and Community Relations requirements;
• Confers with and shares information with stakeholders and, where required, with officials and the public, and solicits support for projects with regards to HSE rules and obligations;
• Ensures that Occupational, Health and Safety (OH&S) requirements are met for all OR activities, and in relation to consultants and contractors engaged during the production ramp-up;
• Investigates and coordinates investigations relating to incidents, accidents, and near misses, and ensures remedial action is taken and all outcomes are communicated and understood;
• Councils subordinates on safety and keeps the required records.

8.Stakeholder Engagement

• Liaises closely with DPM Operations teams during project FEL, Execution, and Commissioning phases to ensure a seamless transfer of operations activities from the project commissioning team to the Operations team;
• Develops an intimate knowledge of the operation, maintenance, technical services, accounting, procurement, warehousing, and integrated management systems.
• Engages and closely collaborates with the project engineering, commissioning team, DPM shared services teams, and operations teams throughout the various project phases.

9.Permitting and Social Engagement

• Works closely with the permitting and social engagement teams for technical support of their activities;

Requirements

• University degree in Engineering;
• Over 10 years of experience in operations, mineral processing, technical services, or maintenance in open pit mining and or in heap-leach mineral processing operations
• Experience in managing or implementing large mining projects.
• Proven mining operations and or projects experience in senior roles within multinational settings;
• Proven experience in the management of Stakeholders and legal permitting processes within multinational projects in Eastern Europe;
• Negotiation with external stakeholders and State authorities;
• Good knowledge and understanding of mining and mineral processing activities and regulations associated with these activities in Serbia;
• Good understanding of Serbian permitting requirements for the construction and operation of a new mining project;
• Good knowledge and understanding of Project Management processes and routines;
• Good understanding of budget preparation, estimating, and scheduling;
• Native Serbian language skills;
• Very good knowledge of English (oral and written);
• Computer skills: MS TEAMS, Outlook, MS Word, MS Excel, MS Project,
• Ability to work with multi-disciplinary teams;