Underground Maintenance Dewatering Supervisor - Newmont

About This Role:

• To coordinate, direct and lend technical support to all on-site water management operations and maintenance activities, in a safe manner, and coordinate resource allocations to effectively attain goals and realize production plans.

In This Role You Will:

Dewatering Operations and Maintenance Execution 

• Receive guidance from the General Foreman – Projects for optimal approaches to water treatment and dewatering.
• Oversee the construction and laying of pipelines into the pit.
• Install physical critical controls (i.e. demarcations), prior to dewatering activities.
• Coordinate and pair the operators and pump men with the relevant equipment required to execute tasks.
• Schedule and supervise all dewatering and water treatment activities, by overseeing and evaluating works-in-progress
• and assure that all activities meet specifications, codes and regulations.
• Identify opportunities for both short and long-term interval controls, based on the mine dewatering plan, and make any necessary adjustments and changes to the shift, to meet daily target projections.
• Oversee all water treatment activities such as:
  • areas to be dewatered.
  • rate of pumping required.
  • distribution of labour, supplies and equipment.
• Oversee all contractors assigned to designated mine dewatering work areas within the department.
• Provide technical guidance and transfer of knowledge to the operators and pump men through active coaching and mentoring.
• Examine the extent to which issued instructions are being followed and escalate any non-adherences to the General Foreman.
• Hold operators and maintainers accountable for the work completed by:
  • administering discipline and facilitating corrective actions.
  • monitoring dewatering equipment performance, in line with agreed KPI’s.
  • conducting QA/QC’s on installed piping.
  • explaining the mine dewatering plan to the crew and providing clear instructions.
  • implementing continuous improvement initiatives.
  • managing shift changeovers between crews.
• Analyse daily dewatering production and cost data to confirm that the department is operating within overall costing projections and budget; report any variances from costs and budgets.
• Make provision for capital budgeting for maintenance tools such as welders, trucks, air compressors, generators, and other associated tools.
• Oversee and coordinate the implementation of pipe fusion activities.
• Establish pump installations to pump water from the pit floor, ahead of mining operations activities.
• Oversee the coordination of water supply to Newmont water trucks and initiate the pump system to avail water supply to the mine operation.
• Oversee the steady supply of clean water to process
• Coordinate the maintenance of dewatering and water with the Maintenance Department.
• Monitor stock levels of consumables, identify critical items, place orders and manage relevant contractors in the provision of such items.
• Provide feedback reports regarding mine dewatering activities to the General Foreman – Projects for review.
• Maintain accurate records and archives of all mine dewatering activities
• Maintain a high housekeeping standard in the areas of underground mine infrastructure.

Additional Responsibilities:

Dewatering Operations and Maintenance Planning 

• Execute short, medium and long-term underground mine dewatering and water treatment plans.
• Implement goals, objectives, policies, procedures and work standards for the area.
• Oversee and coordinate the weekly plan for the initiating of dewatering schedules and activities.
• Lead and supervised shift mine dewatering teams to achieve production targets.
• Coordinate, prioritise and assign tasks for dewatering activities to meet shift target goals.
• Provide technical expertise and input into the dewatering plan.
• Conduct pre-water treatment assessments within the pit to determine water quality and ground stability.
• Send all dewatering requisition requests to the General Foreman for review and obtain sign-off from both the General Foreman and Mine Maintenance Superintendent.
• Provide input into daily operational issues regarding areas affected to the General Foreman / Management.
• Provide input into daily operational and make changes as directed by the General Foreman / P Operations Management.
• Manage and control costs within own area, where possible (i.e. reduce waste, improve operational control).
• Request services from other departments as required.
• Participate in continuous improvement programs which will assist in enhancing the performance of the process plant operation.
• Coordinate and execute smaller projects in the underground area by following the change management procedure.
• Complete all tasks identified in the Processing Operations MOS Elements to the specified quality and timeliness as assigned to this role.
• Provide input into the development and review of the underground maintenance STPs, management plans and operating procedures, guidelines.

Stakeholder Management and Engagement

• Coordinate with the Load and Haul team for the establishment and placement of dewatering infrastructure.
• Collaborate with Mine Maintenance to confirm pump availability and undertake necessary troubleshooting activities, when required.
• Liaise with various Ghanaian government authorities to assure that all national codes and standards are met and complied with in assigned blasting activities.
• Coordinate activities with all departments to ensure continuity of the total mine operation.
• Obtain suggestions from other Newmont departments, in identifying opportunities for improving dewatering and water treatment efficiency and productivity.
• Liaise with the Training Department to arrange the receipt of training schedules and times for the national workforce.
• Oversee that dewatering and water treatment shift work meets established statutory standards.

Additional Responsibilities:

Dewatering Optimisation and Continuous Improvement

• Advise on best practices relating to dewatering and water management to improve productivity.
• Investigate, report and escalate all accidents and incidents occurring in the shift to the General Foreman – Projects for immediate review.
• Participate in the weekly shutdown and commitment meetings to be informed on the maintenance scheduled activities and execution plans.

Health and Safety Management

• Assist with the adherence of fixed plant maintenance and operation to all HSLP, Environment and Social Responsibility requirements under Newmont’s Integrated Management System, Newmont vision and values.
• Oversee and manage compliance with all statutory requirements for the underground mine and associated mechanical infrastructure through the delivery of inspections, audits and reports.
• Assist with the implementation of applicable health and safety regulations and compliance programs.
• Accept responsibility for the health and safety of every employee under or assigned to his / her supervision.
• Conduct and attend periodic safety meetings, inspections and audits.
• Support and conduct risk assessments for tasks and provide expert advice on the safe operation and maintenance of fixed plant underground infrastructure.
• Actively promote safety in the workplace both within and external to the fixed plant maintenance team.
• Revert to the Engineering team to potentially change shift plans for a particular area, arising out of work hazard detection.
• Conduct periodic safety meetings and safety inspections.
• Lead daily pre-shift staff debriefings.
• Attend monthly safety inspections and meetings

Staff Supervision

• Create a suitable shift work environment to motivate Operators to achieve optimum effectiveness and productivity.
• Supervise all direct reports by:
  • participating in the recruitment and selection of staff.
  • recommending the selection of new staff.
  • conducting crew assessments.
  • developing the team to perform at their best capabilities.
  • contributing to performance appraisals.
  • participating in team performance management calibrations.
  • managing available skill sets.
  • recommending further / relevant training courses and development actions in accordance with Newmont’s people development program(s).
  • implementing training for staff.
  • coaching and mentoring staff.
  • disciplining poor performance or actions.
  • enhancing communication with staff through regular feedback, contact, meetings and briefings.

Your Training, Skills & Experience Checklist:

Formal Qualification (including Professional Registrations):

• Bachelor’s degree or Diploma in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Mine Foreman Certificate.
• Sectional Engineering Certification.

Additional Knowledge:

• Advanced knowledge of industrial work management processes.
• Advanced knowledge of defect elimination methodologies and their interpretation.
• Knowledge of and experience with Reliability Centered Maintenance programs.
• Strong working knowledge in the operation and maintenance of pumps and dewatering systems is highly desirable.
• Advanced knowledge of the statutory regulations relevant to safety and the environment for the mining industry.
• Proven working knowledge of CMMS programs.
• Strong knowledge of planning and scheduling maintenance activities.
• Fair knowledge of process water management and water balance.

Experience:

• Minimum of 4 – 5 years’ mine dewatering/civil works experience in large open pit mining environments, of which at least 2 – 3 years’ experience should be in a shift supervisory capacity.
• Proven experience with the installation, commissioning, maintenance, servicing, inspection and repair of mechanical apparatus and installations in a large-scale mining or heavy industry operation
• Underground mining experience is highly desirable.

Technical Skills:

• Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Advanced communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills.
• Advanced computer literacy skills – MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook), and SAP.
• Advanced information monitoring and management skills.
• Advanced planning, organizing and prioritizing skills.
• Strong business continuity management skills.
• Strong capacity planning skills.
• Strong decision-making skills.
• Strong time management skills.
• Strong conflict management and influencing skills.
• Strong project management skills.
• Strong personnel administration skills.
• Sound needs analysis.
• Sound change management skills