Lead Engineer - EX Process Control

Job description:

JOB PURPOSE

Provides technical expertise and insights; plans, leads and guides a team of engineers to identify, lead and update mid to long term technical process efficiency strategy and improvement across both sites, focusing on operational excellence and target to achieve 2.7 Mt of Hot Metal Production whilst focusing on the below key deliverables in line with defined strategies:

• Execute project opportunities with stakeholders and support the reduction debottlenecking activities.

• Provide technical support to the smelter management regarding the resolution of critical issues affecting metal production and identify improvements that will contribute to overall smelter performance.

• Translate business problems into justified growth initiatives to enhance and/or, maintain EGA’s competitive edge.

• Lead governance to ensure effectiveness of change management and sustainability.

• Build business performance management systems to measure progress and performance of deployed solutions.

• Lead and facilitate the best practices across the reduction.

• Challenge existing practises, escalate critical matters and develop countermeasures for mid and long-term issues.

• Ensure continuous process improvement philosophy and maintain the company’s’ competitive edge in the aluminium industry.

• Adopt and promote of industry 4.0 and drive the scope of Smelter of the Future.

• Develop and deploy models by machine learning & AI techniques & IIOTs to derive revenue.

Strategic Contribution

• Develops and reviews medium and long-term production plan in alignment with strategic goals.

• Ensures effective cascading of the functional strategy into department business plans to ensure vertical alignment and horizontal integration with other interfacing departmental strategies.

• Leads and conducts progress reporting of the strategy execution in line to targeted timelines.

• Develops and promotes decision support system for Carbon and Port to support operational efficiency.

People Management

• Manages the effective achievement of assigned objectives through the leadership of the section by setting of individual objectives, managing performance, developing, and motivating staff to maximise sectional performance.

• Leads the talent development initiatives for the assigned department, collaborating with technical/discipline experts and thereby ensure the availability of talent to fit business requirements.

• Acts as a role model and drive adherence to organizational values and ethics by employees of the assigned department to foster a value driven culture within the organization.

• Nurtures the culture of innovation and creativity and encourages participation in business excellence programmes.

• Promotes a positive work environment and ensure growth is encouraged while integrity is developed and protected.

• Manages digitalisation trainings for operation teams.

• Provides coaching and mentoring of national trainees and subordinate staff to make their best contribution to the company.

• Supports active participation in business excellence programmes (via. Tamayaz, Suggestion scheme, TPM, AM, RCM, 5S and TAP).

• Ensures best practices are shared amongst the reduction.

Budgeting and Financial Planning

• Compiles and conducts periodic reviews of the business performance, in collaboration with Operations/Process Control to explain variance and support initiation of effective control challenging status quo through detailed understanding of operational & Maintenance aspects to optimise unit cost and improve on plant productivity and efficiency.

• Promotes a culture of value for money and sound financial practice within the team.

• Explores and uncovers opportunities for unit cost reduction through appropriate cost benefit analysis.

• Identifies opportunities for unit cost reduction and execute projects across the assigned functions.

• Conducts periodic review of the business performance KPI’s through Balance Score Card, Dashboards and Review Meetings.

• Enhances the existing IBP platform to make it more user-friendly manner & smarter system.

Policies, Systems, Processes & Procedures

• Manages and ensures effective implementation of department policies, procedures and controls covering all areas of assigned department activity so that all relevant procedural/legislative requirements, fulfilled while delivering a quality, cost-effective service.

Product Quality Assurance and Improvement

• Establishes and manages digital product accuracy specifications to meet strategic objectives of EGA.

• Ensures governance of development and implementation of adequate quality monitoring systems so that the product meets the agreed specifications and quality deviations are proactively addressed.

• Ensures developed and deployed latest machine learning models, sensors and tools is serving the purpose to meet the stakeholders’ expectations to enhance the process.

• Leads the effective synergising within EGA business units while exploring all business opportunities and implementing changes for effective utilisation of resources to improve product quality and reduce unit cost and ensures timely analysis and testing for regular maintenance of solutions over time.

• Leads the identification of opportunities and manages the execution of improvement projects for Smelter performance improvement, in consultation with concerned area management, to achieve strategic business goals.

• Leads and identifies the mechanism to capture value of products developed and align with the stakeholders on the concept.

• Ensures compliance to Quality Management Systems.

• Facilitates lean manufacturing initiatives coordinated by the Business Excellence team to achieve effective implementation of Suggestion Scheme, TPM, RCM, Kaizen, Autonomous Maintenance, Six Sigma and 5S.

• Ensures that advanced statistical and other analytical tools are used to provide actionable insights, identify trends, and measure performance.

• Ensures legal & security of data driven developments.

• Ensures confidentiality by registering data base driven models and IOTs via IPs and patents.

Operational Performance and Efficiency Improvement

• Defines productivity improvement roadmap and set milestones to achieve the goal.

• Manages collaboration between both EGA sites and with external resources to benchmark production processes, drive synergy, and achieve process & operational efficiency improvements.

• Ensures and manages latest Machine learning models are deployed to enhance the process.

• Leads synergising within EGA business units while exploring all business opportunities process control strategies and standards to sustain and improve process performance and operational efficiencies.

• Ensures that deviations in the metal production and processes have been monitored and share with stakeholders timely for proactive measures.

• Manages the execution of trials (in house or in coordination with external parties) and manages business solutions for process improvement.

• Interacts with direct reports and peers in management/stakeholders and vendors to share information and improve cross departmental processes.

• Leads the effective collaboration with internal and external parties to benchmark product quality and production processes (Product Owner) and drive initiatives to achieve breakthrough process improvements.

• Creates the next steps of auto RCA to improve business efficiency and productivity.

• Keeps alongside of technical developments in area of operation to initiate and drive process development projects.

• Manages appropriate information systems in coordination with internal/external developers to improve business efficiency and productivity.

• Proposes the acquisition and development of the appropriate IT tools for data analysis.

• Ensures documentation of in house developed solutions.

Innovation and adoption of Industry 4.0

• Leads the identification of continuous improvement opportunities and conducts workshops to drive adoption of process changes through effective collaboration and expectation setting.

• Explores the implementation of new ideas and capturing the value in the smelter and execute initiatives to achieve breakthrough process & efficiency improvements.

• Introduces plant automation and AI initiatives, and big data solutions.

• Works with external / internal consultants to establish the scope of Smelter of the Future.

• Identifies the next generation of process measurement tools focusing on product quality and safety.

• Manages IOT’s sensor and contractual specification related to EGA requirement.

• Reviews the product quality for sustainability and adhere to EHS requirements.

• Manages periodic performance evaluation of existing product to stakeholders.

Customer Experience Management

• Leads the development of standardised systems for delivery of high-quality products across both EGA sites.

• Ensures that an effective communication and feedback system is in place for prompt resolution of complaints and technical queries.

• Provides specialist support to Technology Development team by providing technical advice on design and process changes required for development of EGA smelting technology.

• Provides technical unput and supports the strategy for establishing EGA as a supplier of world class Reduction Process Technology.

• Identifies and ensures the execution of opportunities for smelter performance improvement to achieve process excellence.

Sustainability & Audit

• Ensures adherence to standard operating practices, manuals, and training procedures.

• Evaluates plant performance based on operational efficiency, reliability, and quality metrics.

• Recommends preventive action where appropriate, focusing on process adherence and data integrity.

• Guides and supports documentation relating to EGA policies for patents and copyright system.

• Supports Technology Development team by providing technical advice on design and process changes required for development of EGA smelting technology.

• Manages documentation of planned and systematic activities during product development.

Stakeholder Management

• Leads the development and maintenance of effective key business relationships with all relevant external/internal entities and all sections with the highest standards of business ethics, whilst promptly attending to all critical issues in-order to ensure the services required by the organization are delivered in the most effective manner.

• Promotes EGA brand by participating in conferences and symposiums, submitting technical papers at international forums, and organising technical conferences or seminars.

Environment, Health & Safety

• Ensures compliance with all relevant safety, health and environmental management policies, procedures, and controls.

• Ensures employee safety, legislative compliance and a responsible environmental attitude and standard within legal limits.

• Develops and deploys monitoring systems to ensure adherence to company’s EHS policies.

• Identifies the requirements from stakeholders on the key issues and potential improvements/opportunities.

• Supports and guides the model developments on environmental aspects.

• Provides technical expertise and support to reduce, reuse and recycle the waste generated by the smelting process (Waste Management).

Continuous Improvement

• Leads the identification of opportunities for continuous improvement and sustainability of systems, processes and practices considering global standards, productivity improvement and cost reduction.

• Responsible for the knowledge management of the section.

• Provides technical expertise to support Major Projects /Engineering in successful execution of Brown/Greenfield expansion projects through active participation in FEED, Technical bid evaluation, design/HAZOP reviews, start up and commissioning activities.

• Proposes and supports the research and development projects initiated by EGA in collaboration with universities and technical institutes to solve complex technical problems, improve existing processes or develop new processes.

• Interacts with external consultants and organisations in business proposals, productivity and process improvements, security of operation etc.

• Leads and supports the development of National Trainees and Graduate Trainees to develop capabilities as per the business and operational strategies.

Reporting

• Ensures that all unit reports are prepared timely and accurately and meet EGA requirements, policies, and quality standards.

• Participates in recruiting process to ensure selection of high calibre candidates for vacant/new positions.

• Recommends and endorses change to process parameters to improve processes and product quality.

• Advises on selection and design of new equipment to improve operational efficiency.

• Conducts approvals in SAP as per the workflow.

• Prescribes corrective and preventive actions to major process and quality deviations to sustain product quality and ensure business continuity.

• Leads/supports projects and synergy initiatives, which are cross functional and cross-divisional.

• Promotes EGA brand.

• Provides consultative guidance and anode manufacturing expertise when requested.

• Manage the team of engineers & technicians while fostering a culture of teamwork and job fluidity to ensure efficient resource utilization.

• Contribute to build the culture of “value for money” to ensure effective utilization of department budget.

• Provide recommendation / business solutions to ensure effective utilization of Operational budget & CAPEX and control cost drivers.

Dimensions:

• Area of impact: EGA smelter division (JA+AT)

• Production capacity: >2.7 million Ton (JA +AT)

Challenges:

• Data driven projects are very new to aluminium smelters, so no background is available.

• Highly diversified business unit, which warrants extensive knowledge of technological development for effective recommendations.

• A high throughput (world’s biggest single site capacity) continuous operation with product being produced in less than a minute, therefore instant decision making in product quality is prime requirement of the incumbent based on knowledge, experience, procedure, best industry practices & key business drivers.

• With ever changing / potential variances in the quality of major raw materials, knowledge of the producers, their source of major input raw materials and variances impacting cost is another challenge for the jobholder to track, monitor and make the decision.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in Metallurgical or Chemical or Electrical or Mechanical discipline

Minimum Experience:

• 8 years’ experience in the smelting process with 3 years’ experience with growing managerial accountability in roles within similar operations, preferably in an aluminium smelting industry in a similar capacity with an end-to-end exposure and knowledge of the process.

• At least 1 year Experience in Data science projects.

Skills:

• Knowledge on data science and tool kits. (Data Robot, Paxata, Data IKU, Python/R).

• Knowledge on Azure and Sql Query.

• Advance data analytics tools and software knowledge (e.g., Power Bi, Python/R, Data IKU, Sql, Data Robot) In depth knowledge of the aluminium industry.

• Working knowledge of pot room is preferable.

• Ability to be a change-agent in both creating and driving change

• Ability to lead a team and operate in an agile working environment

• Ability to analyse problems and develop creative and effective solutions

• Statistical & Process Analysis

• Ability to organize as well as to carry out tasks through to completion.

• Leadership

• Strategic thinking and business awareness skills

• Teamwork

• Sharing knowledge and Fostering Open Communication

• Problem solving and decision-making skills

• Planning & Organising

• Continual Improvement and Quality Focus

• Accountability

• Self-Directing

• Customer Focus

• Behaving with Integrity

• Coaching and mentoring skills

• Agile Project Management

• Product development

• Knowledge on Data mining, processing, cleansing, and verifying integrity of data,

• Understanding machine learning and algorithms.