Operation Section Head

Job description

Job Purpose:

The Operation Section Head is responsible for leading and managing safe, reliable, and efficient plant operations to achieve production, quality, safety, and cost objectives. The role oversees day-to-day operations of the Soda Ash and Calcium Chloride production facilities, ensures stable operation of the Solvay process and associated units, coordinates operational activities with Maintenance, Technical, Engineering, and HSE functions, and drives continuous improvement in plant performance, reliability, and operational discipline.

Key Accountabilities:

• Lead and manage daily plant operations to achieve production targets while maintaining required product quality, safety, reliability, and environmental performance.

• Oversee the safe and efficient operation of Soda Ash and Calcium Chloride production units, including associated utilities, material handling, and supporting systems.

• Ensure stable operation of the Solvay process and monitor key operating parameters, process conditions, equipment performance, and production rates.

• Review daily operating reports, production performance, process deviations, equipment status, and operational constraints, and ensure timely corrective actions.

• Provide leadership and technical guidance to Shift Supervisors, Production Engineers, DCS Operators, Field Operators, and other operations personnel.

• Ensure compliance with approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), safe operating limits, operating manuals, and production instructions.

• Coordinate with Maintenance and Planning teams to prioritize equipment maintenance, minimize downtime, and ensure operational readiness for maintenance activities.

• Coordinate with Process Engineering and Technical teams to troubleshoot process problems, optimize operating conditions, improve yields, reduce losses, and enhance plant efficiency.

• Lead operational response to process upsets, equipment failures, emergencies, and abnormal operating conditions and ensure safe stabilization of the plant.

• Participate in HAZOP, HAZID, PHA, LOPA, Management of Change (MOC), Pre-Startup Safety Review (PSSR), incident investigations, and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) activities.

• Ensure effective shift handover, communication, operating logs, and reporting of plant status, abnormalities, production losses, and critical issues.

• Support plant start-up, shutdown, commissioning, turnaround, and major maintenance activities and ensure safe execution from the Operations side.

• Monitor consumption of raw materials, chemicals, utilities, energy, and other operating resources and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs.

• Monitor product quality and coordinate with Laboratory and Quality teams to address off-spec conditions and maintain product specifications.

• Develop and monitor operational KPIs including production achievement, plant availability, downtime, quality performance, energy consumption, raw material consumption, and operational losses.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on production optimization, reliability, safety, quality, cost reduction, and operational excellence.

Policies & Procedures:

• Ensure all operational activities comply with company HSE policies, Process Safety requirements, environmental standards, operating procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements.

• Ensure strict adherence to SOPs, operating envelopes, permit-to-work requirements, isolation/LOTO procedures, and emergency response procedures.

• Review and support development and improvement of operating procedures, work instructions, checklists, and operational standards.

• Ensure proper implementation of Management of Change (MOC), PSSR, incident reporting, and other applicable operational and Process Safety procedures.

• Maintain high standards of housekeeping, operational discipline, and compliance throughout the assigned plant areas.

Budget:

• Provide input for annual operating budgets, manpower requirements, consumables, chemicals, utilities, and operational improvement initiatives.

• Monitor operational costs and resource consumption and identify opportunities to optimize production cost without compromising safety, quality, or reliability.

• Support evaluation and prioritization of operational improvement projects and capital expenditure requirements.

• Monitor overtime, contractor utilization, consumables, and other controllable operational expenses within approved budgets.

Leadership:

• Lead, supervise, coach, and develop the Operations team to ensure high performance, accountability, and operational discipline.

• Set clear performance expectations for Shift Supervisors, Engineers, and Operators and monitor achievement against agreed objectives.

• Promote a strong safety and Process Safety culture and ensure proactive identification and reporting of hazards and operational risks.

• Ensure adequate competency, training, succession planning, and development of Operations personnel.

• Lead daily operational meetings and support effective coordination across the plant.

• Manage and mentor team members to ensure continuous professional development and succession planning.

• Drive accountability for achieving production targets and maintaining high reliability and safety standards.

Requirements

• Minimum 10-20 years of experience in industrial plant operations, preferably in chemical or mineral processing environments.

• Proven leadership experience in managing operations teams in a multi-unit facility.

• Strong knowledge of process safety, HSE regulations, and best practices in continuous improvement.

• Experience with Solvay process or similar chemical processes is a plus.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with a track record of delivering improvements in efficiency and reliability.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to coordinate across functions and with stakeholders.

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, or a related field (preferred).

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package.

• Career development opportunities and exposure to large-scale industrial operations.

• Supportive and safety-focused work environment.

• Note: This description is taken from the original posting on Bayt and reflects the responsibilities and requirements as published.

• Industry: Accounting