SXEW Plant Manager

Job Description

Job Title: SXEW Plant Manager

Department: Operations

Reports to: Assistant General Manager

Location: Florence, AZ

Job Summary:

The Operations Manager leads safe, reliable, compliant, and efficient production and maintenance activities at Florence Copper. This role provides leadership for SXEW Plant Operations, Tankhouse Operations, and the Maintenance Department to align plant throughput, asset reliability, and copper cathode production. 

Reporting to the General Manager, this position is accountable for achieving the site copper cathode production plan, improving operational and maintenance performance, developing leaders and teams, managing costs, and supporting continuous improvement across production and maintenance functions. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead day-to-day SXEW Plant, Tankhouse, and Maintenance operations to ensure safe, reliable, compliant, and efficient copper cathode production. 

• Accountable for achieving the site copper cathode production plan through disciplined execution of production, maintenance, reliability, and cost objectives. 

• Establish, monitor, and drive performance against key metrics including copper cathode production, plant utilization, equipment availability, maintenance compliance, recovery rates, operating costs, product quality, and safety performance. 

• Lead efforts to improve plant availability, operational reliability, maintenance effectiveness, and overall equipment performance. 

• Develop and implement action plans to address production shortfalls, performance gaps, equipment reliability issues, and operational risks. 

• Oversee SXEW Plant and Tankhouse operations, including process stability, operating standards, product quality, reagent utilization, and production efficiency. 

• Provide leadership and oversight for the Maintenance Department, including preventive, predictive, corrective, and reliability-centered maintenance programs. 

• Ensure maintenance planning and scheduling activities support production priorities, equipment availability, backlog management, and reliable execution of work. 

• Collaborate with Engineering, Technical Services, Environmental, Health & Safety, Human Resources, Supply Chain, Finance, and other site functions to achieve business objectives. 

• Develop and manage departmental budgets; monitor costs and identify efficiency improvements without compromising safety, compliance, reliability, or quality. 

• Support production forecasting, operating plans, budgets, major shutdowns, capital projects, commissioning/startup activities, and strategic initiatives. 

• Champion continuous improvement, process standardization, operational discipline, root cause analysis, and sustainable corrective actions. 

• Lead, coach, and develop direct reports and indirect employees; establish clear expectations, provide feedback, and support succession planning. 

• Communicate operational performance, challenges, risks, and improvement opportunities to site leadership in a clear and timely manner. 

Minimum Qualifications & Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or a related technical discipline; equivalent experience may be considered. 

• 7-9 years of progressive leadership experience in mineral processing, hydrometallurgical processing, SXEW operations, chemical processing, industrial manufacturing, or similar heavy industrial environments. 

• Demonstrated experience leading operations and maintenance functions in a production environment. 

• Proven ability to improve safety performance, equipment reliability, productivity, cost performance, and operational effectiveness. 

• Experience managing budgets, forecasts, workforce planning, operating systems, procedures, and performance improvement initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with SXEW operations, in-situ recovery, in-situ leach, hydrometallurgical processing, water treatment, or comparable process operations. 

• Experience leading maintenance and reliability programs within a process plant or industrial operation. 

• Commissioning, startup, optimization, or expansion project experience preferred. 

• Knowledge of mining, environmental, and safety regulations applicable to copper production operations. 

• Professional engineering registration or relevant technical certification preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong understanding of copper production processes, SXEW operations, industrial maintenance, reliability, and process optimization principles. 

• Strong leadership, coaching, team development, communication, problem-solving, organizational, and decision-making skills. 

• Ability to analyze operational data, identify trends, and use performance metrics to drive practical improvements. 

• Strong financial and business acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and resource planning. 

• Ability to build productive relationships across departments and lead in a dynamic 24/7 production environment. 

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, maintenance management systems, and operational reporting tools. 

• Must be available to support operational and emergency response needs as required. 

Work Environment:

• Work is performed in office and field settings within an operating industrial facility. The role may require travel throughout the SXEW Plant, Tankhouse, maintenance facilities, and operational areas; work outdoors in varying weather conditions; wear required PPE; navigate stairs, platforms, uneven terrain, and industrial work areas; and occasionally lift and carry materials consistent with normal operational and administrative duties.