Director, Operational Technology Infrastructure
Johannesburg, ZA, 2198
AngloGold Ashanti is seeking a highly skilled and visionary Director, Operational Technology (OT) Infrastructure to lead and oversee all operational tech environments across the organization. As the Director, you will be responsible for ensuring that all OT infrastructure—including industrial networks, control systems, and data platforms—is secure, reliable, and fully aligned with the company’s safety policies, production demands, and business objectives. This pivotal position will enable the modernization and integration of OT environments, drive digital transformation initiatives, and foster seamless collaboration between the Digital Technology (DT) department, operations, and engineering teams globally.
This role commands a significant budget exceeding $2 million USD annually, with oversight over a dedicated team of four or more employees, alongside multiple contractors and service providers. You will also influence an extended DT business unit budget of an additional $2 million USD. The position requires interaction with senior management across business units worldwide, ensuring global standards and shared success.
Key Responsibilities
- Operational Leadership & Performance Management
- Lead the strategic and operational direction for OT infrastructure supporting production activities.
- Drive performance standards to achieve system uptime, reliability, and safety targets.
- Champion continuous improvement initiatives focused on system resilience, risk mitigation, and maintenance optimization.
- Direct the resolution of critical OT incidents to minimize impacts and safeguard operations.
- Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement
- Build and nurture robust, trust-based relationships with OT and DT teams at corporate and business unit levels.
- Provide technical leadership and consistent guidance to ensure adherence to group-wide standards.
- Facilitate cross-site knowledge sharing and standardization to enhance operational efficiency and innovation.
- Infrastructure Management & Standardization
- Oversee the design, implementation, and lifecycle management of OT infrastructure assets.
- Ensure rigorous asset maintenance, system patching, and upgrades, aligned with change management processes to prevent production disruption.
- Lead vendor selection and engagement for outsourced OT support services, maintaining high performance and contractual compliance.
- Promote architectural and hardware standardization across sites to reduce complexity and cost.
- Cybersecurity, Safety & Risk Governance
- Embed robust cybersecurity and safety protocols into all OT practices, adhering to AGA and industry standards.
- Partner with cyber safety teams to maintain system segmentation, access controls, and incident readiness.
- Lead disaster recovery planning for OT infrastructure, ensuring readiness and effective execution.
- Conduct and oversee risk assessments, tracking and championing remediation efforts to protect operational continuity.
- Governance, Compliance & Audit
- Define and enforce governance frameworks, standardized procedures, and compliance measures for OT infrastructure.
- Manage adherence to all corporate, regulatory, and environmental health and safety obligations.
- Coordinate audit processes and implement remedial actions promptly.
- Project & Change Management
- Lead global OT infrastructure projects with a focus on aligning with operational priorities and schedules.
- Collaborate with corporate and regional project offices to meet milestones, control budgets, and ensure smooth operational integration.
- Oversee change control mechanisms for control systems, supervising commissioning and testing activities to validate readiness.
- People Leadership & Development
- Inspire, mentor, and develop a high-performing team comprising central and site-based OT professionals.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and ongoing technical excellence.
- Facilitate skills transfer and build organizational capability to strengthen the management of operational technology.
- Performance Monitoring & Continuous Improvement
- Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) for system availability, incident response, and operational effectiveness.
- Provide insightful reporting and recommendations to senior leadership based on operational data and industry advancements.
- Identify opportunities to automate processes, improve cost efficiency, and leverage digital technologies for enhanced operational outcomes.
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering with active registration with relevant professional bodies such as the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE) or the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM).
- Over 10 years of experience in operational technology, industrial automation, or control systems, preferably within mining or heavy industry sectors.
- A minimum of 5 years in a senior leadership capacity managing large-scale OT infrastructure environments.
- Proven expertise in digital transformation initiatives within the mining industry, network design for underground and open-pit mining environments, and disaster recovery in OT contexts.
- Strong skills in operations management, process control enhancements, continuity planning, strategic and budget planning, stakeholder engagement, and project management.
- Postgraduate qualifications such as a master’s degree in a technical discipline or business leadership (MBA/MBL) are strongly preferred.
- Project Management certification (PMP, PRINCE2) is preferred.
AngloGold Ashanti Limited
Reg No: 1944/017354/06
AngloGold Ashanti is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from qualified individuals regardless of gender, race, religion, nationality, or disability.