Remanufacture Workshop Manager

Hitachi Construction Machinery Zambia Co., Ltd. (HCMZ) is a subsidiary of Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., a globally recognized OEM of construction and mining equipment, offering equipment sales, after-sales service, technical support, parts support and remanufacturing. HCMZ is recruiting a Remanufacture Workshop Manager to lead its Remanufacturing Workshop, based in Lusaka on a fixed-term contract, reporting to the Director – Supply Chain and Remanufacturing.

Purpose of the role

• Manage and lead the Remanufacturing Workshop responsible for the end-to-end rebuilding of components (disassembly, cleaning, repair, assembly and testing) for mining dump trucks and excavators, ensuring safe, high-quality, reliable and cost-effective production output.
• Provide middle management leadership over experienced technical professionals, translating short-term operational strategy into executable production plans while driving continuous improvement, OEM compliance, HSE excellence, cost efficiency and national capability development, in line with HCMZ's localisation, sustainability and profitability objectives.

Key duties and responsibilities

Core operational responsibilities (80%)

Production planning and control, remanufacturing quality assurance, workflow management, inventory and equipment control, process discipline, workshop asset care, HSE leadership, cost and downtime control, and cross-functional coordination, including:

• Planning, directing and monitoring the full remanufacturing workflow (planning, teardown, cleaning, repair, assembly, testing and delivery) to meet approved production schedules, volumes, quality and cost targets.
• Translating short-term operational strategy (one year or less) into daily and weekly production plans.
• Allocating labour, tooling and workshop resources to optimise throughput and efficiency.
• Managing work-in-progress (WIP) with Planning and Supply Chain to ensure flow and timely delivery.
• Monitoring productivity, capacity utilisation, schedule adherence, rework and wastage trends, and implementing corrective actions.
• Identifying bottlenecks and implementing process improvements to enhance output.
• Ensuring all remanufactured components meet OEM specifications, tolerances and quality standards.
• Implementing quality control checks (QC gates) at all stages of the rebuild process.
• Overseeing inspection, testing and acceptance processes prior to release.
• Leading root cause analysis (RCA) for defects, repeat failures, rework or customer complaints.
• Driving continuous improvement initiatives to enhance component life, reliability and First Pass Yield (FPY).
• Enforcing compliance with approved SOPs, work instructions and remanufacturing standards.
• Using ERP/workshop systems to track production, WIP, costs and material consumption, and ensuring data accuracy, integrity and reporting discipline.
• Working with Manufacturing Engineering on process improvement, tooling and layout optimisation.
• Driving data-based decision-making using workshop performance metrics and dashboards.
• Planning and prioritising maintenance of workshop plant, machinery and tooling to minimise downtime.
• Overseeing equipment readiness, calibration and maintenance compliance.
• Coordinating shutdowns, repairs and upgrades to avoid production disruptions.
• Ensuring proper use, care and availability of workshop equipment and tools.
• Providing visible, active leadership in HSE compliance and safe work practices.
• Maintaining a safe, clean and compliant workshop environment aligned to ISO and OHS standards.
• Ensuring risk assessments, toolbox talks and incident investigations are conducted.
• Enforcing compliance with statutory, OEM and HCMZ HSE standards.
• Liaising with Operations, Supply Chain, Logistics, Technical Advisory and Sales on production planning and priorities.
• Supporting customer joint inspections, audits and confidence-building visits as required.
• Influencing stakeholders outside the workshop on policies, practices and procedures affecting production.
• Managing component inventory and ensuring availability of critical materials.
• Controlling scrap, rework and consumption to drive cost efficiency.
• Supporting budget adherence, cost tracking and reporting of workshop KPIs, and contributing to annual budget preparation and operational cost optimisation.
• Developing and managing the annual workshop budget in line with operational targets.
• Preparing and submitting reports on production performance, cost vs budget, KPI performance, and operational risks and improvements.

People development and capacity building (20%)

Coaching and mentoring supervisors and technicians, structured on-the-job training, skills gap analysis, Individual Development Plan (IDP) support, localisation and successor development, recruitment, performance management, and systematic knowledge transfer, including:

• Recruiting, coaching and mentoring workshop supervisors and senior technicians to strengthen leadership and technical capability.
• Conducting skills gap analysis and supporting the development and execution of IDPs.
• Facilitating structured on-the-job training (OJT) and formal knowledge transfer processes.
• Setting performance goals, conducting appraisals and driving accountability across teams.
• Identifying and developing national successors for critical technical and supervisory roles.
• Working with Learning & Development to implement targeted technical, safety and leadership training interventions.
• Ensuring retention and documentation of critical remanufacturing knowledge and best practices.

Qualifications and experience

• Degree or Diploma in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, Electro-Mechanical Engineering, Production Engineering or equivalent.
• Grade 12 Certificate.
• 10+ years' experience in heavy equipment maintenance, manufacturing or remanufacturing.
• At least 5 years in a supervisory or managerial role.
• Engineering Institute of Zambia membership.

Desirable

• OEM or reliability engineering certifications.
• Experience in mining or heavy industrial environments.
• Exposure to ERP-based production systems and workshop analytics tools.
• Valid and unendorsed manual driver's licence.
• ZAQA-validated qualifications.

Key competencies

Technical/functional

• Heavy mining equipment components (dump trucks, excavators).
• Remanufacturing and rebuilding processes.
• Strong knowledge of mechanical, hydraulic and component repair systems.
• Reliability engineering and failure analysis.
• Production planning and workshop management.
• Quality assurance and inspection standards.

Leadership/managerial

• Middle management leadership.
• Team performance management.
• Staff supervision, recruitment and development.
• Cross-functional coordination and influence.
• Problem solving and decision-making.

Behavioural

• Safety-first mindset.
• Accountability and integrity.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability.
• Continuous improvement orientation.
• Clear communication and coaching ability.

How to apply

• Apply using the Apply button on this page. Include a detailed CV, certified copies of certificates, and a cover letter in a single document.
• Closing date: 2nd November 2026.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.