Operational Readiness Senior Engineer

Introduction

Minopex delivers Operational Readiness services globally, supporting mining and processing projects across all phases of development, execution, and operations.

This role is based at the Head Office in Woodmead, Johannesburg, and will require periodic national and international travel depending on project requirements.

The Senior Engineer: Operational Readiness (OR) will support the General Manager: OR, in delivering high-quality readiness services, functional leadership, and project execution across the regional and global OR portfolio

Description

The Senior Engineer: Operational Readiness (OR) plays a key technical and project leadership role within the OR team. This position will be responsible for leading one or more OR functional workstreams as a Subject Matter Expert (SME), supporting project scoping, planning, and execution.

The Senior Engineer will manage one or two OR projects concurrently (depending on scope), while providing technical depth and cross-functional integration aligned with Minopex OR standards and methodologies.

This role works closely with the GM: OR to ensure consistent delivery, functional standardisation, and technical quality across all OR initiatives

Duties & Responsibilities:

Project Execution & Delivery

• Lead one or more OR functional areas as SME, providing technical guidance, readiness assessments, gap analysis, and action planning.
• Manage and deliver OR activities for assigned projects, ensuring alignment with Minopex OR standards, client requirements, and project milestones.

Project Management Support

• Manage project schedules, budgets, risks, deliverables, and reporting for one or two OR projects.
• Support the GM: OR and Regional OR Project Managers with tracking, decision-making, and stakeholder alignment.
• Ensure appropriate SME and functional support is engaged for each project.

Functional and Technical Contribution

• Support continuous improvement of OR tools, processes, templates, and methodologies.
• Contribute to the development of OR products, digital solutions, and knowledge systems.
• Participate in HAZOP, Operability, Maintainability, Risk Reviews, and Design Reviews.
• Manage, coordinate, and collaborate with Minopex supporting teams/services enabling efficient project delivery.

Stakeholder Engagement & Governance

• Engage with clients, EPCMs, and internal teams to ensure alignment on OR scope, risks, and readiness requirements.
• Prepare and facilitate key OR engagements including Kick-Off Meetings, Progress Reviews, Planning Workshops, and Close-Outs.
• Support escalation and resolution of technical or stakeholder issues, aligning with GM: OR governance expectations.

Business Development & Advisory Support

• Support proposal development, scoping activities, and early engagement with potential clients, aligning OR opportunities to business strategy.
• Represent the OR function professionally to enhance client relationships and strengthen the Advisory pipeline.

Qualification Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Metallurgical, Chemical, Mechanical, or Mining Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• Postgraduate qualification in Project Management, Business Administration, or similar (advantageous).
• Strong technical understanding of operational and processing principles, with ability to translate operational needs into OR planning and execution contexts

Experience and Skills Requirements

• Minimum 8–10 years' experience in mining and/or mineral processing operations, with demonstrated technical and cross-functional exposure.
• Minimum 3–5 years' experience in project environments, including studies, execution, commissioning, or Operational Readiness.
• Experience leading OR functional workstreams (such as Processing, Engineering, AMM, Tailings, Mining, Supply Chain, HSE, HR/Training, ESG, ICT/Systems).
• Ability to manage one or two OR projects concurrently, including schedule integration, scope alignment, risk reviews, and readiness tracking.
• Proven ability to work within multidisciplinary teams and interface with clients, EPCMs, and internal stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and planning capabilities, with ability to integrate complex information into structured OR plans.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder-engagement skills.
• Experience contributing to proposals, scopes of work, and advisory products (advantageous).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and planning tools such as MS Project.