About the Role

A leading designer and manufacturer of mineral processing equipment, supplying innovative engineering solutions to the global mining industry operating in Klerksdorp is seeking an experienced, hands-on Production Foreman – Material Preparation & CNC Manufacturing to lead their Material Preparation and Machine Shop operations. This is a senior production leadership role responsible for ensuring the safe, efficient and cost-effective preparation of materials that support our fabrication and manufacturing operations.

The successful candidate will lead a skilled team, manage modern CNC manufacturing equipment, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and play a key role in production planning through our ERP manufacturing system.

Reporting to the Production Manager, you will be responsible for leading the Material Preparation Department and ensuring production commitments are achieved safely, on time, within budget and to the highest quality standards.

You will manage people, production schedules, machinery, materials and operational performance while continuously improving productivity, material utilisation and manufacturing efficiency.



Key Responsibilities

Production Planning & Scheduling

Plan, schedule and prioritise all departmental work to meet production and project deadlines.
Coordinate workflow through the ERP/MRP production planning system.
Monitor work orders, machine loading, labour allocation and production progress.
Ensure material availability and readiness to support fabrication and assembly operations.
Manage departmental capacity and proactively identify production constraints.
Participate in daily and weekly production planning meetings.


Manufacturing Operations

Lead and supervise the safe and efficient operation of:

CNC Machining Centres
CNC Horizontal Boring Mill
Conventional Fitting & Turning
CNC Press Brakes
CNC Laser Cutting Machines
CNC Plasma Cutting Machines
CNC Tube Laser Cutting Machines
CNC Profile Plasma Cutting Machines
Technical & Manufacturing Excellence

Interpret engineering drawings, manufacturing specifications and production documentation.
Review manufacturing job packs before production.
Utilise 2D and 3D nesting software to maximise material utilisation and minimise waste.
Ensure manufacturing processes comply with engineering and quality requirements.
Resolve technical manufacturing challenges in conjunction with Engineering.
Drive standardisation and best manufacturing practices.
ERP & Digital Manufacturing

Utilise the company's ERP system to:
Manage production work orders.
Monitor production progress.
Track labour and machine utilisation.
Report production performance.
Record completed operations.
Ensure accurate production data and manufacturing records.
Support the continued optimisation and adoption of ERP manufacturing processes throughout the department.
Promote accurate data capture to improve planning, reporting and operational decision-making.
Continuous Improvement

Identify production bottlenecks and implement practical solutions.
Drive improvements in productivity, machine utilisation, material yield and manufacturing efficiency.
Reduce waste through improved nesting strategies and workflow optimisation.
Support Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
Develop and implement departmental best practices.
People Leadership

Lead, coach and develop departmental employees.
Manage attendance, performance, productivity and discipline.
Identify training requirements and mentor artisans and operators.
Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork and continuous improvement.
Conduct daily production meetings and toolbox talks.
Safety, Quality & Compliance

Promote and maintain a strong safety culture.
Ensure compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and company SHEQ systems.
Conduct workplace inspections, risk assessments and incident investigations.
Ensure all equipment is operated safely and maintained in accordance with company procedures.
Maintain excellent housekeeping standards throughout the department.
Ensure all manufactured components meet engineering drawings and quality specifications.
Performance Reporting

Monitor and report departmental performance against key manufacturing KPIs, including:

Safety performance
Production output
Schedule adherence
Machine utilisation
Labour productivity
Material yield
Scrap and rework
Quality performance
Housekeeping
Downtime
Continuous improvement initiatives