Our Client, an established earth-moving/mining equipment manufacturer, is looking to strengthen their Service and Aftersales department by the appointment of a suitable leader to take the department to the next level.

Key values of the role are service orientated, safety, ethical, ambitious, energetic, motivated, intelligent with solid customer relations capability, a passion for providing cost effective service and safety solutions to the underground mining industry. An intimate knowledge of mobile machinery techniques and commercial competence to build an excellent aftermarket service team in the sub-region.

Position details:

Type: Permanent

Job description / core competencies:

Lead and manage the After Market [LCS] business the Client.
Focused on Safety, Technical Service and machine in-market performance.
All aftermarket service delivery, direct involvement in technical and labour related interventions, advisory on sales and engineering design changes.
Manage trial machine processes to ensure a positive outcome, ensure the necessary documentation, reporting and resources are available, facilitate the technical dynamics and integrational operating issues that differ from site to site.
Interpret the reporting conventions and ensure the data is in a mutually reliable form which to base the close-out and concluding report.
Ensure safety, integrity and maintenance of the asset/s. Engage with customers, including underground and site visits, on various machine technical operating issues, safety related concerns or improvements, design improvements, operating standards, Ergonomics, aftermarket enhancements etc. with the view of maintaining regulatory compliance of our equipment and feedback as part of an on-going product improvement program.
Institute a formal reporting structure to document these on-going interventions.
Research, compile technically and factually, Issue and publish Service bulletins that relate directly to the safety warnings, maintenance procedures, inspection protocols, change management incidents, potential failure and safety warnings.
Service Bulletins to be published in collaboration with our OEM suppliers, and where necessary legal advice or opinion so as to limit our liability by the issuance of such documentation.
In addition to follow-up from time to time with our field service personnel to ensure these protocols or interventions are being implemented in the field.
Promote and manage the Field Servicemen technical competence initiatives, review knowledge gaps, institute product training interventions, assist in the compilation of training material and content, periodically review competency evaluations and up-skilling progress per individuals.
Manage and control all Warranty claims, technically and commercially.
Reports and data analysed to determine failure trends, and management remedial action taken to improve quality, OEM quality, operator abuse, preventative circuit modifications, etc.
Over-inspection of service sites, and servicemen vehicles and tools to determine if the correct standards of establishment, tooling and service delivery are being maintained, including dress code, documentation and procedural compliance, audit reporting.
Urgent breakdown resolution, assume lead role where necessary to resolve urgent machine breakdown issues by coordinating resources within the company to resolve the issue expeditiously, with technical competence.
New equipment model training and parts recommendations to be proposed according to experience and OEM recommendations in liaison with management and finance directives.
Thoroughly understand the operating methodologies of the equipment, including standard operating procedures, fault diagnosis, wear trends, site maintenance peculiarities, and safety risks, operating skills requirements, and best practices in order to guide the development of appropriate training material, and site specific operating problems.
POC’s and ongoing data acquisition from operating sites, liaison with branch and mine site personnel to analyse and update comparative operating costs, make recommendations to customers, initiate interventions to remedy anomalies.
Machine population records and operating data, commissioning reports, and life cycle costing data to be archived and monitored with reports to advise when machines are due for rebuilds or replacement.
Safety risk analysis generic and site specific in consultation with customers to mitigate operating risks in accordance with regulations and SOP’s.
Build and maintain long-term solid trusted relations with customers, through reliable service levels, and constant effective intervention.
The ability to work with and lead other company and outsourced resources to achieve the sales and service goals, implement sales strategies at all levels and allocate tasks in line with the strategies, inclusive and participative management style.
Cost conscious and able to manage expenses and obtain value for the business.


Country: South Africa

Location: Boksburg

Job Qualification & Experience:
Formal Technical Qualification (BSc, BTech, Diploma Engineering) with minimum 5 years’ experience in general mobile equipment and machinery industry (mining, agriculture and earthmoving preferable.) Government Certificate of Competency (GCC) Mines and Works or Industrial preferable.
Must be capable of establishing credible relations with external/internal clients, senior and executive management, project and programme personnel as well as subordinate staff, quickly and confidently as necessary.
Computer literate and conversant with MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint and the ability to apply new data and communication Technologies to the role and information transfer, social media conversant.
Clean drivers licence and willing to travel within South Africa and regional countries occasionally as necessary.
A willingness and capability to head the LCS team as a full time, long term Team player with a thorough understanding of Mining market changes in legislation, safety regulations and customer needs.
Technical Report writing and communication skills necessary.
An understanding or experience in the underground mining industry, with mining methodologies, understanding of equipment application, and the mining production cycle is an advantage, but not essential.
General machine technical knowledge, maintenance procedures, safety controls, cost drivers is essential.
Thorough understanding of the service requirements in the industry is essential, the skills level of service technical personnel, use of specialised tools and instruments, sales cycle process.
The ability to build, train and develop a competent service team with new technologies in the industry, measure and maintain capabilities.
Execute service strategies in the market and ability to judge the critical success factors according to individual customer’s requirements, productivity, and safety and cost reduction.

Company Description:
Our Client prides themselves in the ability to offer a full suite of underground mining equipment of the highest international standards. Drawing on exclusive technology partnerships with several major industry leaders throughout the world, our Client is able to offer the latest in cutting-edge innovation and product development to the market. Through collaboration with both the client and its international partners, our Client’s engineers comprehensive, tailor-made solutions with their constantly expanding suite of mechanized mining equipment and their full range of well-established support services.