General Manager Operations
Manufacturing
Durban – Kwa Zulu Natal – South Africa
A strategic, hands-on operational leader is required to take full responsibility for a high-performance processing site, ensuring safe, compliant and cost-effective production while driving profitability, operational excellence and continuous improvement.
This role oversees end-to-end operations, including supply chain, production, maintenance, quality, HSE, environmental compliance, warehousing, logistics, people leadership and financial management. Full accountability for site performance and the P&L.
The role requires strong commercial awareness and the ability to optimise costs, output, uptime and product quality. You’ll lead a compact team of ±50 employees while managing outsourced logistics and specialist contractors. Success demands hands-on involvement, operational discipline and the ability to drive continuous improvement.
Minimum Requirements
- Tertiary qualification in Production/Operations Management or Engineering (with Operations post-grad advantageous).
- 5–10 years’ leadership experience in production/processing environments, ideally minerals, mining, metallurgical or related manufacturing.
- Proven experience managing plant operations, supply chain alignment and product offtake.
- Strong stakeholder management across suppliers, communities and group affiliates is critical.
- Strong financial acumen with P&L control, budgeting, KPIs and cost-reduction initiatives.
- Demonstrated success in small/medium organisations where the GM operates as an owner-mindset leader.
- Working knowledge of regulated environments, ISO/QMS, HSE and environmental compliance.