SKA Mid - Logistics & Planning Manager at NRF National Research Foundation

About the position

Postion Summary:
The Logistics and Planning Manager will be a hands-on part of our Engineering Operations team for SKA-Mid. They will provide leadership and coordination for the SKA-Mid Logistics and Planning team at the Engineering Operations Centre in Carnarvon and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory. They will play a key role in the success of the of the construction and operations phases of the telescope. They will maintain a database of all inventory items and track their location throughout the supply chain. Additionally, they must account for timelines and dependences regarding the availability of equipment, personnel, and site accommodation. Timelines, delays, and statuses must be communicated with several stakeholders in the project, locally and internationally.

They will work closely with the SKA Logistics Officer (UK) on coordinating shipment and delivery of SKA construction components, especially from overseas suppliers. They will be the point of contact for accepting deliveries, organising storage and preparing items for deployment to the operational location with the engineering team. They will positively contribute to reliable telescope operations through managing lead times and dependencies to ensure the availability of spares in an operational environment. They will support the observatory in areas of freight, insurance, movement of hazardous goods, customs clearance, export controls, VAT/GST, duty and excise exemptions. The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker with excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work effectively in a highly matrixed environment. They will have excellent communication skills, be able to build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders and be able to manage and motivate a team of professionals.

The incumbent will have flexibility to be based in Cape Town but will be required to frequently travel and have long duration stays on site in Carnarvon in the Northern Cape. During the construction period which will last for the first 2 – 3 years the incumbent will be mostly onsite in Carnarvon establishing the warehouse, teams and logistics functions. After the construction period the incumbent will be based in Cape Town.

Key Responsibilities:

• Logistics planning with the SKA Logistics Officer (SKA HQ UK) for the supply chain at the Cape Town Science Operations Centre (SOC), South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) and Engineering Operations Centre (EOC) in Carnarvon during construction and operations
• Responsible for coordinating, managing and planning operations including receipt of inventory, storage, and distribution of equipment and supplies for SKA-Mid during construction and operations
• Lead the team, and participate in activities including freight, insurance, movement of hazardous goods, customs clearance, export controls, VAT/GST, duty and excise exemptions; including all relevant documentation
• Assist with the storage and handling of hazardous materials ensuring all goods are located and stored in a correct manner limiting damage or loss
• Stock takes to identify any variances between physical and recorded stock levels, and to proactively plan for operational needs
• Manage a fleet of vehicles, schedule servicing, and forecast availability
• Plan, coordinate, develop and maintain operational procedures, prioritise activities and work independently to achieve service outcomes for SKA-Mid
• Provide advice on design and layout of storage facilities and warehouse systems
• Develop and sustain relationships and networks that enable effective operations support
• Responsible for building and managing an inclusive team
• Work closely with the Maintenance Manager for logistics support during planned and unplanned maintenance, construction, and special projects
• Specifically considering:Availability monitoring;Condition monitoring;Maintenance activity management; Warehouse/stores support; Ensure that all work is completed in line with SARAO and SKAO values

Minimum Qualification:

• Diploma / Advanced Certificate / NQF 6

Minimum Experience:

• 5-9 years

• Diploma (NQF 6) (+9 years’ experience) in supply chain management, logistics, transportation management, or similar equivalent qualification, orDegree (+7 years’ experience) in supply chain management, logistics, transportation management, or similar equivalent qualification, orMasters’ Degree (+5 years’ experience) in supply chain management, logistics, transportation management, or similar equivalent qualification

Experience:

• Previous experience in managing logistics and planning for a diverse range of research and support facilities
• Experience with managing logistics for facilities in remote locations
• Experience with forecasting, reporting, and high-volume inventory
• Proven experience innovating solutions to create efficient logistics and planning processes
• Ability to prioritise activities and work independently
• Demonstrated experience fostering a collaborative work environment and actively engaging external stakeholders
• Demonstrated experience managing a high-performing and inclusive team
• Forklift licence (or be prepared to undergo training to obtain a forklift licence)Experience of reporting to and co-ordinating activities with colleagues who are working remotely, ideally both locally and internationally
• Experience with Confluence, Jira, ERP and asset management software solutions

Knowledge:

• Experience with forecasting, reporting, and high-volume inventory
• Proven experience innovating solutions to create efficient logistics and planning processes
• Ability to prioritise activities and work independently
• Demonstrated experience fostering a collaborative work environment and actively engaging external stakeholders
• Demonstrated experience managing a high-performing and inclusive team

Additional Notes:
Skills/Ability/CompetenciesTeamwork and Collaboration: Cooperates with others to achieve organisational objectives and may share team resources in order to do this. Collaborates with other teams as well as industry [URL Removed] and Communication:Identifies critical stakeholders and influences them via an influential third party, for example through an established network, to gain support for sometimes contentious, proposals / [URL Removed] Management/Leadership: Provides leadership that fosters an environment that encourages new ideas and provides support for the development of emerging skills. Creates trust by displaying consistency, understanding, integrity and patience. Plans, seeks, allocates and monitors resources to achieve outcomes. Judgement and Problem Solving: Anticipates and manages problems in ambiguous situations. Develops and selects an appropriate course of action and provides for contingencies. Evaluates, interprets and integrates complex bodies of information and draws logical conclusions, synthesises proposals and defends options with reasoned [URL Removed] Assesses the risk and opportunity of identified strategies, options and actions. Overcomes problems and setbacks in achieving goals. Invariably includes consideration of value-added future impact on bottom line when determining the optimal and efficient use of resources. Adaptability: Demonstrate flexibility in thinking and adapts to and manages the increasing rate of organisational change by adjusting strategies, goals and [URL Removed] ValuesThe SKA-Mid SKA Mid Logistics and Planning Manager will be expected to demonstrate the SARAO and SKAO’s values, and to work actively to instil those behaviours in all SKA-Mid staff in South [URL Removed] values are:Diversity and Inclusion ExcellenceCollaborationCreativity and InnovationSustainabilitySARAO’s values are:Passion for ExcellenceWorld-class servicePeople-centredRespectIntegrity and EthicsAccountabilityBoth SARAO and SKAO value and respect difference and are committed to building an inclusive culture by creating an environment where you can balance a successful career with your commitments and interests outside of work. We believe that you will do your best at work if you have a work / life balance. Some roles lend themselves to flexible options more than others, so if this is important to you, please raise this during your interview, as we are open to discussing flexible working opportunities during the hiring [URL Removed] NRF website provides more details on the initiatives and activities
Applicants should submit a comprehensive CV by registering and apply online through the NRF Recruitment and Selection Portal.
Applications should be accompanied by a letter of motivation indicating the applicant·s suitability for the position.
The names and contact details of at least three referees should be provided.

Desired Skills:

• Skilled in applied field of position
• Knowledge to be relevant
• Responsible in performing duties

About The Employer:

The National Research Foundation (NRF) (wwww.nrf.ac.za) supports and promotes research and human capital development through funding, the provision of National Research Facilities and science outreach platforms and programmes to the broader community in all fields of science and technology, including natural sciences, engineering, social sciences and humanities.
The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) (www.sarao.ac.za) spearheads South Africa's activities in the Square Kilometre Array Radio Telescope, commonly known as the SKA, in engineering, science and construction. SARAO is a National Facility managed by the National Research Foundation and incorporates radio astronomy instruments and programmes such as the MeerKAT in the Karoo, the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) in Gauteng, the African Very Long Baseline Interferometry (AVN) programme in nine African countries as well as the associated human capital development and commercialisation endeavours.



The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) (www.skao.int) is a next-generation global radio-astronomy facility that will revolutionise our understanding of the Universe and the laws of fundamental physics. It is one observatory with two telescopes – SKA-Mid in South Africa and SKA-Low in Western Australia. South Africa is a co-host member of the SKAO, an intergovernmental organisation headquartered at Jodrell Bank (near Manchester in the United Kingdom) responsible for SKAO construction and operations globally.