Workshop Manager

Cakum Global is recruiting a Workshop Manager for our client, an established international freight and logistics operator based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Role Overview:

This is a potential expatriate role with full accountability for a busy workshop and the fleet that it keeps running. You will own the maintenance function end to end - trucks, light vehicles, forklifts, reach stackers, side lifters, heavy equipment and mobile plant - and be measured on availability, reliability and cost.

It is a hands-on management position in an operation where the fleet is the business. When a reach stacker is down, the terminal slows. The role reports to the Port Moresby Operations Manager, with the Workshop Supervisor and Workshop Administrator reporting to you, and it carries real authority over planning, labour, parts and spend.

Key Responsibilities

• Workshop and fleet management - day-to-day operation of the workshop; servicing, preventative maintenance, breakdown response and major repairs across the full fleet and plant
• Preventative maintenance - develop, implement and monitor PM schedules; ensure servicing and inspections meet manufacturer and company requirements
• Reliability - monitor availability, downtime and maintenance performance; identify recurring faults and fix the cause, not the symptom
• Planning and job allocation - prioritise and delegate by operational criticality; schedule labour, parts and external services; close jobs out with the documentation complete
• Team leadership - lead supervisors, mechanics, inventory and administration staff; performance, mentoring, training and daily toolbox meetings
• Parts, inventory and procurement - control stock, source and negotiate with suppliers, pursue warranty claims, and hold nil variance at monthly stocktake
• Safety and compliance - WHS/OHS compliance, risk assessments, statutory inspections, incident and failure investigation, and environmental control of oils, fuels, batteries and hazardous waste
• Financial control - prepare and manage the workshop budget, control expenditure, and report on availability, breakdowns, PM completion and outstanding work
• Business continuity - contingency planning for critical equipment, identification of critical spares, and continuity cover across leave and absence

Essential Requirements

• Diploma or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Heavy Vehicle Mechanics or a related field
• Minimum 10 years' experience in workshop management, preferably in transport, logistics or heavy equipment
• Heavy forklift, reach stacker and side lifter maintenance experience
• Extensive experience maintaining trucks, heavy vehicles and lifting equipment
• Demonstrated experience managing a multi-skilled workshop team
• Extensive knowledge of mechanical faults, diagnostics, preventative maintenance, servicing and general repairs
• Strong knowledge of fleet maintenance management principles
• Demonstrated experience in budgeting and cost control
• Strong knowledge of parts procurement and inventory management, and of warranty and manufacturer service requirements
• Previous experience working and living overseas
• Exposure to the transport, logistics or international freight sector
• Strong leadership, analytical, communication and interpersonal skills; computer literate across Microsoft Office
• Ability to work under pressure and prioritise competing operational demands
• Strong commitment to workplace health and safety

Location and Mobilisation

• Residential expatriate position based in Port Moresby
• Travel and periods away from home base are part of the role, including Lae and the Solomon Islands
• Work permit and visa sponsored by the employer
• Expatriate package aligned with experience

What Will Make You Successful

This is a demanding operating environment. Parts take longer to arrive, support is thinner, and the equipment works hard. The people who do well here are practical, self-sufficient and good at developing a local team rather than working around it. If you want a role where the improvements you make are visible in the numbers within a quarter, this is one.

Referrals and confidential enquiries are welcome and can be made via Cakum Global.

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