Ama-Tabu Mozagba
Senior Manager: Project Management
Rooihuiskraal
Summary
A highly experienced nuclear, chemical engineering and project management professional with over 25 years in project management, project engineering and operations management within South Africa’s nuclear sector. Currently serving as Senior Manager: Project Management at Necsa, responsible for leading governance, standards, and strategic delivery of major nuclear projects such as the Multi-Purpose Research Reactor. Skilled in PMO leadership, systems engineering, compliance, and capability development, with a strong background in nuclear facility design, commissioning, and quality assurance. Holds a B-Tech in Chemical Engineering, a Management Advancement qualification from Wits Business School, and is completing a BSc (Hons) in Applied Science at the University of Pretoria. Forward-thinking Senior Manager adept at managing teams of 60 employees with 8 direct reports to accomplish challenging objectives. Imparts clear vision to guide cohesive, high-performing teams.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
2
2
Certifications
Work History
Senior Manager: Project Management
NECSA (Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa)
11.2022 - Current
- Ensure all team members consistently uphold the company’s project management standards, methodologies, and ethical practices throughout all stages of project development and execution.
- Provide strategic guidance on PMO policies, frameworks, and processes to ensure alignment with organizational objectives and compliance requirements.
- Lead project planning activities, including defining timelines, setting priorities, allocating resources, and assigning team members to key deliverables.
- Ensure that all project management personnel are selected based on the required technical competencies and behavioural attributes to meet project demands.
- Drive skills development initiatives to ensure PMO personnel effectively apply knowledge and expertise, fostering a productive and high-performance project management environment.
- Guide talent identification, succession planning, and professional development processes within the PMO to build long-term capability.
- Provide direct leadership and coaching to first-line managers and supervisors, ensuring clear communication of priorities, deliverables, and performance expectations.
- Promote collaboration across departments, ensuring cross-functional alignment and shared ownership of strategic goals.
- Facilitate goal setting across the PMO and ensure cascading of objectives throughout all levels of the project organization.
- Address and resolve disputes or challenges within the PMO in a fair, transparent, and constructive manner, reinforcing a culture of accountability and respect.
- Partner with senior management to define strategic priorities, develop execution plans, and monitor delivery against organizational objectives.
- Lead the consolidation and presentation of program and project performance reports to senior leadership, ensuring accurate and timely information flow.
- Collaborate with other departmental leaders to define, prioritize, and oversee the development and implementation of projects and programs executed under the PMO.
- Ensure all project creation, development, and execution processes—including scope definition, budgeting, justification, and documentation—are thoroughly developed and maintained.
Senior Specialist: Fuel Fabrication
Necsa
11.2015 - 10.2022
- Programme Manager Decommissioning and
Decontamination. - Project manager of the Multi-Purpose
research Reactor for Stage 1 and 2: Prefeasibility
and Feasibility studies - Feasibility of Nuclear Fuel system design
relating to the Nuclear Fuel Cycle for Power
Reactor. - Technical specialist in the project
management team of corporate strategic
projects. - Enterprise risk management risk champion.
- Perform/ co-ordinate technical studies as part
of pre-feasibility, feasibility and plant
establishment initiatives for the production of
nuclear products. - Provide support and technical input for the
procurement of nuclear and Controlled Items
in accordance with Necsa, national and
international statutory and regulatory
requirements. - Manage Operations strategic projects when
required in accordance with corporate
requirements (SHEQ-INS-0800, PRINCE II,) - Provide support systems to ensure
compliance of the Operations division relating
to technical engineering, project, quality,
security, safeguards, U accounting, safety
and health requirements to be implemented
throughout the project lifecycle within the
Nuclear Fuel Cycle group in accordance with Company Name and Summary national procurement standards applicable
law and regulations (both National and
international). - Manage and ensure the provision of
specialist technical support (process/
engineering) and guidance to management,
contractors in respect of operational
processes to improve the quality of project
deliverables in line with relevant SHEQ
requirements, are made available. - Identify and interpret applicable SHEQ-INS
requirements in order to develop and
implement relevant and effective systems to
implement throughout all project lifecycle
within the Nuclear Fuel Cycle group. - Advise and manage the implementation of
the Quality Management System and
configuration management within the NFC
group. - Investigate and manage the resolution of
non-conformance, nuclear
occurrences/events and audit findings and
ensure the accurate and timeous reporting
thereof when required. - Provide support when required to production
processes and equipment for continuous
improvement and optimization for MTR
Facilities. - Prepare, review and update Level 2
Operation project process documentation, to
ensure consistency and effective project
management implementation. - Establish and maintain the Quality
Management System documentation for all
processes defined for the operation group,
specifically for the NFC group.
Material Test Reactor Fuel System Manager
Necsa
08.2013 - 10.2015
- Establishment and management of QMS according to
ISO9001 & RD0034 Requirements - Management Review
- Manage the maintenance of document/records
systems - Establish and manage internal auditing and GAP
analysis capability - Establish and manage internal surveillances to ensure
compliance with SHEQ conventional safety
requirements - Manage statutory & IDP training
- Successful SHEQ audits
- Coordination of Safety Awareness Program
- Manage the provision of operational support
- Manage the provision of operational support wrt Waste
treatment Project - Manage the provision of operational support wrt PTFE
Project - Manage the implementation of monthly Operational Technical Specification (OTS) inspections
- Implement skills development for Plant Support
personnel - Training of operational, engineering and technical
personnel to ensure competent qualified personnel - Effective management of Plant Support personnel
Management of Plant Support subaccount according to
budget limits - Manage U accounting maintained at an effective level
(accuracy, timeously) - Maintain communication with Safeguards /IAEA
Project Engineer
NECSA (Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa)
07.2010 - 03.2013
- Project management of the construction of a sand blasting facility for the abrasive cleaning of large vessel (120 t) that are manufactured in one of Necsa’s division.
- Project management of the extension of an existing steel platform standing above a floor area that will have to withstand substantial amount of force This project is still in the feasibility study.
- Project management of a facility upgrade to manufacture dry cask for spent fuel storage.
- Assistance of various NTP projects.
- Quality Assurance Representative.
- Health and safety representative.
- Project engineer for the procurement of SAFARI-2 research reactor for the replacement of SAFARI-1.
- Project engineer for the establishment of Beautiful assembly line.
- Operation Manager (July 2010-June 2011)
- Establish a nuclear manufacturing component capability within the PWR fuel development group to meet the necessary international standard through the Necsa process of Project Approval as guided by safety, health and quality requirement.
- Commission and hand over for operation the chemical cleaning facility, designed for the chemically cleaning of nuclear grade component for advance research.
- Commissioning of the Aerodynamic Isotope separation on a laboratory scale ensuring that all requirement are met in terms of nuclear compliance and safety.
- Quality insurance implementation as per ISO 9001:2008 for the Nuclear Engineering Department.
Senior Process Technologist
PBMR (Pty) Ltd
10.2005 - 07.2010
- Production supervision in the Kernel laboratory
- Scheduling of work operation according to availability of personnel to ensure continuous reaching of targets
- Keeping the team informed of all changes relating to processes, parameters or schedule.
- Uranium mass balance on kernel production runs.
- Laboratory development work, technical studies and technical support.
- Analysis of QC (quality control) lab results.
- Conforming to and maintaining conventional and nuclear safety.
- Sampling of final batches according to approved procedure.
- Equipment commissioning and maintenance.
- Equipment layout drawings.
- Writing of technical reports.
- Uranium accountability.
- Supervision of action processes and products.
- Quality control of final products.
- Identification of high risks areas and problem solving (troubleshooting).
- Hazop Studies on new plant and modified existing plant.
- Raw material controller, acquisition and registration of all material used in the process.
- OTHER DUTIES: Acting section manager for the Kernel Laboratory when required
- Management of operational activities and processes
- Writing of laboratory document (monthly report, test plans, technical reports)
- Conforming and maintaining conventional safety
- Plan and schedule laboratory development work, technical studies and provide technical support
- Follow the QA system Fuel Development Laboratory
- Involved in Budget planning and preparation.
Senior Engineering Process Technician
NECSA seconded to PBMR
05.2002 - 02.2005
- Same as in company 1 above, as I was transferred from NECSA to PBMR to perform the same duties on a senior level with more management responsibilities.
Engineering Technician
NECSA (METOX)
08.2000 - 12.2001
- Determination of digestion efficiency as a QA method for the production of AZST.
- Planning of the production of ZrO2
- Design of pigment plant for ceramic tiles.
- Design of highly pure ZrO2 plant
Education
BSc (Hons) - Applied science: Chemical technology
12.2025
(in progress)
Management Advancement Programme - undefined
08.2009
Distinction in Principle of Finance and Accounting
B-Tech - chemical engineering
12.2001
Distinction in process control IV
National Diploma - chemical engineering
06.2001
Distinction in thermodynamic, mathematic I, chemistry IA, inorganic chemistry, computer skills, physical science and engineering physics
Senior National Certificate - Matric
11.1996
Award for best female in science, award for best student in history and biology. Prefect and deputy head girl in 1996
Skills
Certification
First aid level 1, 2 and 3
Timeline
Senior Manager: Project Management - NECSA (Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa)
11.2022 - Current
Senior Specialist: Fuel Fabrication - Necsa
11.2015 - 10.2022
Material Test Reactor Fuel System Manager - Necsa
08.2013 - 10.2015
Project Engineer - NECSA (Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa)
07.2010 - 03.2013
Senior Process Technologist - PBMR (Pty) Ltd
10.2005 - 07.2010
Senior Engineering Process Technician - NECSA seconded to PBMR
05.2002 - 02.2005
Engineering Technician - NECSA (METOX)
08.2000 - 12.2001
Wits Business School - Management Advancement Programme,
Tswane University of Technology - B-Tech, chemical engineering
Tswane University of Technology - National Diploma, chemical engineering
Cornerstone College - Senior National Certificate, Matric
University of Pretoria - BSc (Hons), Applied science: Chemical technology