Leonard Mbuyiselo Mafanya
Operations Manager
Johannesburg,GP
Summary
Exceptional Operations Manager focused on successful team building, cost-cutting and operational improvements. Determined to cut costs without impacting quality of products and services. Reliable team player committed to building high-performing teams.
Forward-thinking team leader skilled at operating departments efficiently to meet goals. Successful background matching employees with roles for maximum performance. Proactive and hardworking individual focused on continuous operational improvement.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
8
8
Certifications
Work History
Operations Manager
Bosworth (Hudaco)
03.2022 - Current
- Track and review performance across the factories and support department against targeted KPIs
- Maintaining constant communication with management and staff to ensure proper operations of the organization.
- Develop, implement, and maintain quality assurance protocols.
- Growing the efficiency of existing organizational processes and procedures to enhance and sustain the organization’s internal capacity.
- Doing weekly, monthly and quarterly cost and performance reviews to identify improvement areas and projects
- Actively pursuing strategic and operational objectives
- Ensuring operational activities remain on time and within a defined budget.
- Tracking of staffing requirements, hiring new employees as needed.
- Leading, motivating, and supporting a large team within a time-sensitive and demanding environment, including setup and implementation of career development plans for all direct reports and problem resolution.
- Managing timely data collection to updating operations metrics to achieve productivity targets, reduce cost per unit, eliminate errors, and deliver excellent customer service.
- Working closely with legal and safety departments to make sure activities remain compliant.
- Overseeing materials and inventory management.
- Conducting budget reviews and report cost plans to upper management
- Educating staff in the principles and opportunities arising from WCM.
- Present Operations performance to the Board quarterly
- Role: 1
- Position: Operations Manager (Pulleys, fabrication and idler plants) - Reporting to the Managing Director
- Led operational initiatives to streamline workflows, resulting in improved efficiency and enhanced team productivity.
- Developed and implemented process improvements that reduced operational delays, fostering a more responsive work environment.
- Oversaw daily operations, coordinating cross-functional teams to ensure alignment with organizational objectives and timelines.
- Conducted regular performance evaluations, providing constructive feedback to promote professional growth and operational excellence.
- Analyzed operational metrics to identify trends, informing decision-making processes and optimizing resource utilization.
- Conducted regular performance reviews, identifying areas for improvement and developing action plans to address them.
- Increased profit by streamlining operations.
Production Manager
Davita Division (Tiger Brands)
01.2020 - 02.2022
- Management of and reporting out of control situations, e.g. budget, safety, quality, manpower shortages, industrial relation etc.
- Planning of the manufacturing operation and managing all manufacturing operations on site.
- Maximize productivity and quality
- Implementation of corrective actions where nonconformities were found.
- The management of health and safety, production efficiency, quality, stock management and demand.
- Consistently review the needs of the site introducing new technology as well as setting out the capital investment requirements in line with Group best practice policy.
- Managing performance, training and development of staff
- Empower growth and care growth of people by providing people with the means the ability and accountability
- Ensure the Plan adherence Schedules targets are achieved
- Investigate stock variances and implement countermeasures
- Reports and investigate material usage variance (MUV)
- Clarify roles and tasks – Develop and empower team members.
- Full World Class Manufacturing (WCM) function: Manage and expand WCM strategy at plant level, maintaining a consistent approach and ensuring targets including cost reduction are met.
- Educating staff in the principles and opportunities arising from WCM.
- Role: 2
- Position: Production Manager - Reporting to the Unit manager
- Led production teams to optimize workflow efficiency, resulting in streamlined processes and reduced operational downtime.
- Implemented quality control measures that enhanced product consistency, fostering improved customer satisfaction and compliance.
- Spearheaded cross-training initiatives, increasing team versatility and adaptability to fluctuating production demands.
- Analyzed production data to identify bottlenecks, developing solutions that improved throughput and minimized waste.
Unit Manager (Acting role)
Davita Division (Tiger Brands)
06.2019 - 12.2019
- Create, execute and maintain the Unit vision.
- Approve unit stock levels.
- Determine Staff compliment.
- Analyse processing facility.
- Implement measurement standards.
- Implement and monitor quality measurements across the processing facility.
- Analyse actual production versus the master production schedule and availability of product requirements.
- Analyses of preventative maintenance requirements.
- Determining bottlenecks in process.
- Communicate the strategy. Effective and on time implementation.
- Manage the process.
- Ensure the investment required for the strategy is obtained.
- Create and maintain a healthy IR and ER climate conducive to the formation of positive teamwork.
- General Management of department and staff.
- Investment into Safety prevention.
- Establishment and control of a safe facility and environment.
- Implementation of safety measurement system.
- To represent the unit in all negotiations.
- Involvement of suppliers in areas of expertise.
- HACCP team leader and SHE committee chairman for the site
- Role: 3
- Led cross-functional teams to streamline operations, resulting in improved efficiency and enhanced workflow processes.
- Implemented robust training programs for staff, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.
- Managed inventory control systems, ensuring optimal stock levels and reducing waste through effective resource allocation.
- Developed and monitored key performance indicators, driving accountability and enhancing overall team performance.
Manufacturing Excellence Manager
Davita Division (Tiger Brands)
07.2016 - 05.2019
- Through self-driven learning and development acquire detailed knowledge and skills on the Tiger MECP program by attending the relevant training courses and participation in communities of best practice
- Strategize with management to initiate projects. Determine the scope, objectives, metrics, costs, schedule and necessary resource requirements.
- Develop the MECP implementation plan for the site and obtain sign-off from the Site Leadership Team
- Coordinate the planning and execution of MECP projects by working with Line Management, Pillar Leaders and Project Teams to implement and ensure sustaining mechanisms are in place.
- Support teams with the implementation of MECP applying prescribed methodologies - Drive implementation of various initiatives like 5S, TPM Methodology, Visual workplace Management,Gemba and Kaizens to improve total employee involvement
- Facilitate working of various Pillar committees within the overall framework of MECP
- Role: 4
- Position: Manufacturing Excellence Manager - Reporting to the Unit manager
- Streamlined manufacturing processes by implementing Lean methodologies, resulting in increased operational efficiency across multiple production lines.
- Led cross-functional teams to identify and eliminate waste, enhancing productivity and optimizing resource utilization in manufacturing operations.
- Developed and executed training programs focused on best practices and safety protocols, significantly reducing workplace incidents and improving employee engagement.
- Analyzed production data to drive continuous improvement initiatives, leading to enhanced product quality and reduced cycle times.
Business Improvement Manager
Anglo American (Thermal coal)
07.2010 - 06.2016
- Co-ordinate Asset Optimisation (AO) processes at the operations including building support and commitment for AO projects on the operations
- Fast track capital and mine capital plan analysis and management
- Provide input to the AO Strategy and ensure alignment of all improvement ideas and projects through knowledge sharing / guidance and advice
- Effective People management, ensuring that roles are well defined and clarified and that competencies and learning paths are developed to human capacity and capability
- Ensure that Asset Optimisation strategies are implemented effectively into the operation
- Identify, implement and monitor new asset optimisation projects
- Facilitate asset optimization meetings on site with specific emphasis on improvement groups
- Build and maintain stakeholder relationships ensuring that all internal and external stakeholders are kept up to date regarding information required and progress made on various project
- Ensure scoping and maintenance of asset optimisation project pipeline along with appropriate tracking and reporting mechanisms
- Role: 5
- Continuous Improvement Specialist (Oct 2008 to May 2010) - Reporting to the General Manager
- Led cross-functional teams to identify process inefficiencies, significantly improving operational workflows and enhancing productivity.
- Developed and implemented strategic initiatives that streamlined processes, resulting in reduced operational costs and increased efficiency.
- Conducted comprehensive analyses of business operations, providing actionable insights that informed decision-making and drove continuous improvement.
- Collaborated with stakeholders to design and execute training programs, fostering a culture of innovation and enhancing team performance.
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) Consultant
TAC GROUP in Consulting industry
12.2007 - 09.2008
- Launch the TPM program, following the Implementation strategy
- Supervise the adoption and/or modification of the TPM documents developed in Plant
- Oversee the creation of TPM documents for different equipment and ensure consistency of form and content aligned with Global TPM leader
- Support the identification and engagement of a TPM facilitators in the Plant
- Ensure alignment between TPM programs in the group
- Act as a change agent responsible for driving a CI culture of problem solvers dedicated to proactive and preventive techniques to achieve optimal equipment reliability
- Develop partnerships with Area Managers to drive the TPM way into the Plant
- Participate in monthly cadence reviews to address TPM KPIs and monitor program milestones
- Work with SAP Unity team to ensure TPM can be successfully implemented and sustained using this ERP system
- Develop creative solutions to roadblocks surrounding implementation of TPM
- Train area managers, key team members and plant employees in TPM
- Perform plant TPM assessments with TPM Pillar owners and eventually handover
- Role: 6
- Spearheaded Total Productive Maintenance initiatives, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and reliability across multiple client sites.
- Facilitated comprehensive training programs, empowering teams to adopt best practices in maintenance and operational excellence.
- Implemented data-driven analysis to identify equipment inefficiencies, leading to optimized maintenance schedules and resource allocation.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop and execute continuous improvement strategies, resulting in enhanced productivity and reduced downtime.
Manufacturing Excellence Coordinator – TPM
UNILEVER South Africa in FMCG industry
01.2003 - 11.2007
- Introduces, sells and champions WCM best practices as per the 10 Technical WCM pillars.
- Customizes the best practices from different industries to suit the needs of the environment.
- Provides support for WCM implementation by planning and coordinating meetings, workshops and team building
- Ensures the safe operation of the plant within the WCM Guidelines.
- Determines the safe cleaning and hygiene operational procedures which facilitates the drafting of SOP’s (Standard Operating Procedures) in the plant
- Prepares CAPEX annual plan and proposals for WCM improvement projects based on the loss trees
- Control and execution of work against a budget and authorization of work within authority limits.
- Investigate areas of improvement within the plant to optimize system and reporting functionality
- Actively pursue opportunities for improvement within the plant, which are highlighted in terms of WCM / 5S and co-ordinate the rollout on the improvements.
- Ensure that all continuous improvement projects are documented and visualized in terms of WCM.
- Ensures that all plant-based performance measures are sourced, updated and displayed on the WCM Board.
- Identifies Training and develops needs by conducting needs analysis. Schedules, tracks, reports and records training
- Role: 7
- Led the implementation of Total Productive Maintenance initiatives, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing downtime across manufacturing lines.
- Developed and executed training programs for staff, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and adherence to TPM principles.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to identify process bottlenecks, resulting in streamlined operations and improved production throughput.
- Conducted root cause analysis for equipment failures, implementing corrective actions that significantly minimized recurrence and improved reliability.
Production Supervisor
UNILEVER South Africa in FMCG industry
07.2001 - 12.2002
- Ensuring that the production lines operate efficiently, safely, and manufacture a high-quality product.
- Engaging manufacturing personnel in terms of leading, coaching, and promoting the values of the business. All personnel should be mindful of what a workplace culture is and how to maintain it in a positive manner.
- Ensuring that Unilever's policies (handbook) and procedures are communicated and understood. Disciplinary actions, when necessary, are administered in a way that is consistent with the coaching approach of the business.
- Providing the governance function for a cluster of semi-autonomous teams, delivering management and leadership support for performance monitoring, overtime allocation, working patterns and dispute resolution.
- Understanding the factory’s financial situation and using training in World Class Manufacturing methodologies and processes to drive the semi-autonomous team’s work to counter losses and eradicate waste. Lead project work to support factory initiatives.
- Providing a common standard of communication and engagement across the factory and liaising closely with the core factory functions, including Manufacturing, HR, Quality and Safety to achieve this.
- Role: 8
- Led production teams to achieve operational efficiency, improving workflow processes and minimizing downtime across multiple shifts.
- Implemented quality control measures that enhanced product consistency and reduced defects, ensuring compliance with industry standards.
- Developed and conducted training programs for staff, fostering skill enhancement and increasing team productivity in manufacturing operations.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to optimize resource allocation, effectively balancing production demands and inventory levels.
Design Draughtsman
BALTIMORE AIRCOIL in Engineering industry
02.1999 - 06.2001
- Produce 3D models and related 2D drawings to appropriate engineering standards
- Maintain drawings via Enterprise Change Process
- Design pump systems/packages
- Assist manufacturing department to solve any design issues during build
- Design fabrications
- Report writing and creating/presenting presentations
- AutoCAD design drawings
- Administering the drawing office & keeping all project drawings & records up to date
- Produce standard legends & notes for drawings
- Compiling all HVAC design work for site monitoring
- Role: 9
- Developed detailed mechanical drawings using advanced CAD software, enhancing design accuracy and improving project timelines.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to interpret design specifications, ensuring alignment with engineering standards and client requirements.
- Conducted comprehensive design reviews, identifying potential issues early and facilitating timely resolutions to maintain workflow efficiency.
- Mentored junior draughtsmen in best practices for drafting techniques, resulting in improved team performance and enhanced project outcomes.
Education
BTech Degree - Mechanical Engineering
University of South Africa
Pretoria, South Africa12-2012
National Diploma - Mechanical Engineering
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Cape Town, South Africa12-1999
Pg Dip BMA - Business Management and Administration
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa12-2025
Skills
Experienced in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Oracle and SAP experience
Quality control management
Stock level optimization
Financial planning and oversight
Efficiency optimization
Cost management and analysis
Health and safety oversight
Implementing performance review processes
Operational productivity improvement
Certification
Program for management excellence, Certificate by the Gordon Institute of business studies.
Timeline
Operations Manager
Bosworth (Hudaco)
03.2022 - Current
Production Manager
Davita Division (Tiger Brands)
01.2020 - 02.2022
Unit Manager (Acting role)
Davita Division (Tiger Brands)
06.2019 - 12.2019
Manufacturing Excellence Manager
Davita Division (Tiger Brands)
07.2016 - 05.2019
Business Improvement Manager
Anglo American (Thermal coal)
07.2010 - 06.2016
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) Consultant
TAC GROUP in Consulting industry
12.2007 - 09.2008
Manufacturing Excellence Coordinator – TPM
UNILEVER South Africa in FMCG industry
01.2003 - 11.2007
Production Supervisor
UNILEVER South Africa in FMCG industry
07.2001 - 12.2002
Design Draughtsman
BALTIMORE AIRCOIL in Engineering industry
02.1999 - 06.2001
BTech Degree - Mechanical Engineering
University of South Africa
National Diploma - Mechanical Engineering
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Pg Dip BMA - Business Management and Administration
Stellenbosch University