Plant Manager

Role Description

The Plant Manager is responsible for planning, directing, and managing all activities of the gold processing plant to ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective production. The role includes leadership of plant operations, maintenance, metallurgical performance, health and safety, environmental compliance, quality assurance, budgeting, and workforce development.

Company Description

Nicolor®, the largest privately owned gold processing facility in South Africa, is part of a dynamic Family Office Group of Companies. Established in the 1950s, the plant has grown into a leading operation in the gold processing industry, serving diverse partners across the mining value chain. The organization is committed to supporting junior miners and entrepreneurs in environmental rehabilitation and secondary material precious metals processing. Private ownership enables agile decision-making and efficient processing of ore materials from multiple sources. Nicolor® is driven by values of empowerment, enablement, and sustainable growth, with a strong focus on developing future-ready skills among young professionals in South Africa.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in metallurgical engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mining Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Management qualification (MBA or equivalent) is an advantage.
• Professional registration with a recognized engineering council is desirable.

Experience

• 8-15 years of experience in mineral processing or gold processing operations.
• At least 5 years in a management or supervisory role within a gold processing plant.
• Experience with CIL/CIP, crushing, milling, elution, electrowinning, smelting, and tailings management.
• Proven experience managing large multidisciplinary teams.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong leadership and decision-making skills.
• Excellent knowledge of gold processing operations and metallurgical principles.
• Budgeting and financial management.
• Production planning and scheduling.
• Maintenance management.
• Health, Safety, and Environmental compliance.
• Risk management.
• Problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Computer proficiency (Microsoft Office, ERP systems, SCADA/DCS, CMMS).

Key Responsibilities

Operations Management

• Manage the daily operation of the gold processing plant, including crushing, milling, gravity concentration, flotation (where applicable), leaching (CIL/CIP), elution, electrowinning, smelting, and tailings disposal.
• Ensure production targets are achieved in accordance with business objectives.
• Monitor plant performance and optimize throughput, recovery, and operating costs.
• Develop and implement production schedules.
• Minimize plant downtime through effective planning and coordination.
• Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE)
• Promote and maintain a strong safety culture throughout the plant.
• Ensure compliance with all mining regulations, occupational health and safety legislation, and environmental standards.
• Lead incident investigations and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure emergency response procedures are maintained and tested.
• Maintenance Management

Oversee preventive and corrective maintenance programs.

• Coordinate maintenance shutdowns and equipment inspections.
• Ensure critical plant equipment is maintained for maximum reliability.
• Work closely with maintenance teams to improve equipment availability.
• Metallurgical Performance
• Monitor metallurgical performance indicators including gold recovery, reagent consumption, and plant efficiency.
• Work with metallurgists to optimize plant performance.
• Investigate process losses and implement improvement initiatives.

Financial Management

• Prepare and manage the plant operating budget.
• Monitor production costs and identify opportunities for cost reduction.
• Approve procurement of plant materials and services.
• Control inventory of critical spare parts and consumables.

Leadership and People Management

• Lead and supervise plant supervisors, engineers, metallurgists, operators, and maintenance personnel.
• Recruit, train, mentor, and develop employees.
• Conduct performance evaluations and establish development plans.
• Foster team work, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Quality Assurance

• Ensure compliance with product quality standards.
• Monitor sampling, laboratory testing, and metallurgical accounting.
• Maintain accurate production and operational records.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, recovery, equipment reliability, and operating efficiency.
• Lead process improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies where applicable.
• Implement new technologies and best practices.

Reporting

• Prepare daily, weekly, and monthly production reports.
• Report on safety, environmental performance, plant availability, recovery, and operating costs.
• Present operational performance to senior management.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Gold production target achievement.
• Gold recovery percentage.
• Plant throughput (tonnes processed).
• Equipment availability and utilization.
• Plant downtime.
• Safety performance (LTIFR, TRIFR, zero fatalities).
• Environmental compliance.
• Operating cost per tonne.
• Budget adherence.
• Employee productivity and development.

Working Conditions

• Based at a gold mining operation.
• Frequent exposure to processing plant environments.
• May require shift work, standby duties, and travel between mine sites.
• Compliance with PPE requirements and mine safety standards is mandatory.

A. Salary

Salary will be in accordance with the Nicolor salary scale.

B. APPLICATIONS

Applications may be forwarded to vacancy@newlyn.africa. Alternatively submit your applications at the Security (Nicolor®).

Certified copies of Educational Qualifications, Copy of ID document and a Copy of CV must be attached when applying for the position.

If you are not contacted within 15 days of the closing date of the Job Posting, please consider your application unsuccessful.