WE ARE HIRING
EXECUTIVE TALENT FOR ENERGY INDUSTRY
Our client is a giant Energy utility in the process of a turnaround with a clear direction to improving its service delivery to the country through provision of electricity for households, businesses, and industries using modern methods. The company is embarking on a modernisation journey that seeks to use environmentally safe methods of generation and transmission of high quality and reliable electricity in Lesotho. To achieve this, the company strives to attract talented employees who are innovative and efficient in delivery to its customers.
The following executive positions require excellence-oriented, challenge-driven and innovative individuals to join the executive team and add value in this change journey.
HEAD OF OPERATIONS
Reporting directly to the Managing Director, the incumbent will be leading the review and implementation of the company’s technical operations strategy to improve and advance its service delivery with quality, availability and reliability of energy services to the customers across the country. They will lead and direct maintenance programmes and implement appropriate rehabilitation and network upgrades. Plan, organise, and control operating activities, through the Departmental Managers, including use of systems and tools used in Transmission and Distribution (T&D).
Duties
Operations strategy development and operational planning
- Provides input into the development of the LEC business strategy and plan that ensure alignment with short-term and long-term objectives.
- Partners with IT to develop a robust operations modernisation and efficiency strategy.
- Provides input into the development, implementation, and annual review of an overall Strategic Plan for the department.
- Provides input in determining and setting specific key performance indicators and measures against outcomes detailed in the departmental strategic plans.
- Oversees and guides the implementation of the LEC plan as approved, including as appropriate any special tasks or projects requested by management.
Policy reviews and implementation
- Oversees the development and implementation of policy, procedures, and processes.
- Works with appropriate structures to ensure effective execution of policy and practices.
- Provides advice and guidance to the Policy department on legislative compliance, emerging issues, risks, and the implementation of changes required on policy matters.
- Identifies, analyses, and improves upon existing business processes within LEC for optimization and to meet new quotas or standards of quality.
Governance, Risk and Compliance
- Leads the mapping of the operations department goals with individual responsibility and accountability.
- Manages daily policy activities and standardises everyday processes to ensure smooth operations.
- Identifies existing and potential risks that LEC faces from a transmission, distribution, and generation perspective.
- Develops an operations Risk Management Program using best practices in Risk Management and frameworks.
- Alignment with best practices around applicable regulations, conduct rules, and expectations.
- Leads ways for LEC to pursue demonstrable integrity, trust, and legal compliance.
- Develops and implements operations safety and security measures and protocols.
Regulatory Compliance
- Establishes and directs an effective T&D safety program consisting of training, systems, and processes to promote safety and minimise the division’s liability and costs.
- Develops, implements and consistently reviews LEC’s Regulatory Compliance Framework in line with LEC’s core business and operations.
- Remains current concerning regulations, laws, and policies relating to transmission, distribution, and generation issues.
- Ensures compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
- Investigates upcoming regulatory/legal changes; participates in the development of regulations and legislative actions.
- Defines appropriate level of environmental stewardship and manages the demands and resources associated with being environmentally responsible.
Transmission and Distribution
- Develops and implements processes which will result in the improvement of the T&D system and prepares directives and regulations and standard operating procedures which will assure that the construction, operation, and maintenance functions of the T&D departments will, to the maximum extent possible, result in the highest continuity and reliability of service with the minimum expenditure consistent with sound engineering practices and safety standards.
- Pursues T&D innovations or strategies where these have technical and financial merit resulting in improved reliability, quality of service or financial savings.
- Maintains detailed records of all maintenance, repair activities, and provide reports, with recommendations where further action may be warranted.
- Develops and implements a plan to maximise the utilisation of available technical skills within the various region and the company in achieving maintenance targets.
- In collaboration with Strategy and Growth reviews, advises, and makes recommendations related to system expansion to meet demand, continuity of service through application of technological advances and administration of preventative maintenance schedules by trained personnel.
Network Performance
- Ensures that the service performance targets pertinent to the Division are achieved consistently.
- Strategically reviews network capability and load forecasts and makes recommendations on developments/ improvements, including reduction in technical losses.
- Implements a system of evaluating effectiveness of maintenance activities, correlate with industry standards and recommend / implement changes where necessary.
- Reviews line equipment/hardware specifications and updates LEC standards where necessary.
- Ensures all T&D as well as generation locations within the Division operate consistently within the LEC’s Quality, Occupational Safety, Health, and Environmental Standards.
- Reviews systems and methodologies for harnessing and evaluating vital system data and recommends / implements changes as necessary.
- Reviews systems to ensure that additions/modifications to the network are done to LEC Standards.
- Power System Control
- Sets policy and oversees the reliable control of electric transmission and distribution systems and operation of LECs’’ generation assets.
- Ensures adherence to all applicable regulations and procedures governing the electricity sector more specifically compliance with LEWA regulations and government policy.
- Establishes policy for planning and approving all non‐emergency switching schedules, including creation and implementation.
- Supervises maintenance and support of communication and computer tools to enable Transmission, Distribution and Generation monitoring and control, particularly the Energy Management System (EMS).
- Supervises collection, consolidation, and reporting of hourly generation, interchange, and system load for energy accounting and statistical reporting purposes internally and with Southern African Power Pool.
- Coordinates with Transmission and Resource Planning to identify and address electric system reliability concerns.
Asset Management
- Leverages new technologies to enable new asset management business processes.
- Bring together information from operational and business systems using internet of Things (IoT) for scalable transparency.
- Oversees the use of proven methodologies like Reliability Centred Maintenance (RCM), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Risk Based Inspection* (RBI), Root Cause Analysis* (RCA) to identify the optimal maintenance strategies for assets.
- Continuously monitors the performance and effectiveness of maintenance strategies.
Reporting
- Ensures preparation and submission of regular reports.
- Ensures monthly, quarterly, annual, and special reports as required are prepared and reviewed within statutory requirements.
- Reports quarterly on progress with implementation of operational plans.
- Ensures development of functional reporting systems, project, or performance reporting for management.
- Ensures the development of reports/ policies/ procedures and guides the process through the alignment of these documents to the overall LEC’s strategy.
- Ensures regular and periodic reports are prepared and submitted as and when required to provide progress updates and/or inform management decisions.
Financial Management
- Ensures that the periodic financial and strategic goals of LEC as well as the performance expectations of the various teams are achieved.
- Reports and reviews operations financial and non-financial goals.
- Ensures sufficient internal control measures are implemented for adherence to Public Finance Management, LEC and other relevant legislation and regulation.
- Manages, monitors and controls the department expense budge.
Stakeholder Management
- Maintains proactive and progressive relationships with key stakeholders.
- Engages with relevant internal stakeholders.
- Recognizes underlying problems, opportunities or the political forces affecting the organisation.
- Makes presentations to the Board of Directors at statutory and Sub-Committee meetings.
- Represents LEC in relevant external activities and events.
- Communicates with all levels of stakeholder contact.
- Delegates inquiries and requests for information from both internal and external stakeholders.
Effective and Efficient Human Resource Management
- Ensures sourcing, development, and retention of a high-performing team.
- Ensures the motivation, cohesiveness, and alignment of the organisation’s team members.
- Ensures that recruitment of operational workforce is in line with LEC requirements and strategic direction.
- Leads staff in the department to ensure that they are well developed, empowered and achieve their objectives in line with the strategic objectives of the LEC.
- Ensures Implementation of human capital processes and procedures to control/regulate workplace conflict and/or institute corrective measures and consultation processes to address deviations from standards.
- Develops IT training content & material for all staff and regions.
- Ensures adequacy of continuous customer experience training programs to update customer knowledge and enhances behavioural service skills.
Qualifications and Experience
- Masters, Post Graduate Diploma and/or Honours Degree in electrical engineering/ industrial engineering/ mechanical engineering.
- An MBA is highly advantageous.
- Minimum of 10-15 years industry experience within energy or power utilities.
- Minimum 5 years senior-level managerial experience.
- Familiar with Renewable Energy Project Development.
- Sound technical knowledge of the power generation sector and utility plant operations.
- Experience in project management.
Key Competencies
- Business Acumen
- Team leadership
- Decision Making
- Strategic Thinking
- Research
- Negotiation and Influencing
- Stakeholder Management
- Ethics and Integrity
- Problem Solving
- Fault ratification
- Customer centric
- Policy development
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants should send their detailed CVs and certified copies of their academic and professional/development certificates to recruitment@strativance.com by 13th June 2024. Late applications will not be accepted. No physical applications will be accepted. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.