Samuel DeMatos Lopes Perdigao
Centurion, Pretoria
Summary
Seasoned Senior Engineering Manager with rich background in leading engineering teams and overseeing complex projects in the Defence Industry. Known for strong leadership skills, innovative problem-solving abilities and deep understanding of engineering principles. Have consistently driven product development processes to successful completion, fostering improved productivity and efficiency within teams. Possess excellent interpersonal communication skills, capable of forging powerful relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Capability Manager
Directorate Technical Service Corps, South African Army Force Structure, South African Army Headquarters, Pretoria
Pretoria
11.2019 - Current
- Enhanced production efficiency across the SA Army's 2170 technical personnel and 54 workshops through the development and implementation of engineering strategies.
- Led efforts in Product Lifecycle Management and System Management for maintenance concepts.
- Conducted Research and Development of new military products and projects while also overseeing finances, Human Resource management, and maintenance engineering.
- Ensured compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, industry standards.
- Coached, mentored and trained team members in order to improve their job performance.
- Conducted regular meetings with staff to discuss progress and identify areas of improvement.
- Monitored budgets and expenditures to ensure cost-effectiveness while maintaining quality standards.
- Developed and implemented strategic plans to achieve company objectives.
- Established and monitored KPIs to evaluate performance and identify areas for improvement.
- Directed recruitment, hiring, and training of new staff members.
- Implemented process improvements, resulting in an increase in operational efficiency.
Mechanical Engineer Technologist
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria
Pretoria
04.2023 - 03.2024
- Worked at the Defence and Security Cluster, Landward Sciences (Army)
- Assisted with troubleshooting existing designs to identify potential issues or areas of improvement.
- Conducted finite element analysis (FEA) to predict the behavior of components under various conditions.
- Authored technical reports and presented findings to stakeholders, including management and clients.
- Recommended modifications to improve system reliability, performance or safety.
- Designed fixtures, tooling and experimental apparatus to assist with testing and manufacturing operations.
- Registered as a Professional Mechanical Engineer Technologist at the Engineering Council of South Africa, Registration Number 2024301870, 26 June 2024
Second in Command of the Workshop
Department of Defence Technical Service Unit (Regional Workshop Gauteng), Pretoria
Pretoria
01.2013 - 01.2020
- Conducted performance reviews and provided constructive feedback to staff members.
- Coordinated training programs for new employees as well as existing staff members.
- Evaluated risk factors associated with various business initiatives and proposed mitigation strategies.
- Communicated effectively with customers, vendors, partners and other stakeholders.
- Prepared presentations for executive level meetings and reported results at regular intervals.
- Monitored workflow processes and identified areas for improvement.
- Analyzed financial data to identify potential cost savings opportunities.
- Assisted in the development of policies and procedures to ensure efficient operations.
- Managed inventory levels of spare parts used in the repair process by ordering necessary items when stock ran low or became obsolete.
- Supervised a team of technicians responsible for performing scheduled services on fleet vehicles according to established guidelines.
- Monitored vehicle usage, mileage, fuel consumption, and service records to ensure compliance with company policy.
- Enforced compliance with all applicable laws pertaining to motor vehicle operation and safety regulations.
- Established component repair section as part of cost reduction and insourcing strategy. Sections included: Brake and clutch, Engines, Axles and gearboxes, Auto electrical, Spray-painting and panel beating.
Technical Staff Officer (Operations Manager)
South African Army Infantry Formation Headquarters, South African Army
Pretoria
01.2008 - 01.2013
- Managed and directed technical resources within the Infantry Formation's 15 workshops and coordinated with 427 skilled personnel stationed across RSA.
- Ensure that policy and procedures as prescribed by the South African Army are adhered to by the workshops
- Evaluation and staff visit workshops to monitor progress
- Coordinated with various Product System Managers within the South African Army to optimize maintenance processes concerning fleet management, capabilities, and spares
- Ensure annual budgeting and expenditure of financial resources
- Compiled statistical data from various sources in order to analyze trends or potential problems within the organization.
- Researched industry best practices related to operational procedures and made recommendations accordingly.
- Assessed the need for spare parts inventory and placed orders accordingly.
- Investigated root causes of recurring problems within the plant environment.
- Maintained records of scheduled maintenance activities.
- Replaced worn parts or components in accordance with manufacturer specifications.
- Ensured compliance with safety regulations during all maintenance operations.
- Diagnosed mechanical problems and identified appropriate solutions.
- Administered the maintenance budget, optimizing resource allocation and expenditure control.
Workshop Manager
5 South African Infantry Battalion, South African Army
Ladysmith
07.2002 - 01.2008
- Demonstrated expertise in coordinating the utilization of facility, manpower, spares, and special tools for maintaining and repairing South African Army Equipment.
- Work is captured by means of computer- generated Works Orders
- Monitored inventory levels of parts and supplies needed for operations.
- Organized and managed daily workflow of staff members in the workshop.
- Analyzed data from production logs to identify areas of improvement in efficiency or output quality.
- Maintained records of all activities related to the operation of the workshop.
- Inspected completed work to ensure conformance to specifications.
- Assessed employee skillsets and identified training needs accordingly.
- Scheduled preventive maintenance programs for tools, machines, and equipment in the workshop.
- Developed and implemented safety protocols for the workshop.
- Established policies and procedures that ensured safe working conditions in the shop.
- Implemented process improvements that increased productivity while reducing costs.
- Developed strategies for improving overall performance of shop personnel.
- Coordinated maintenance and repair actions to keep equipment and systems running at peak performance.
- Revamped policies and procedures to meet changing needs resulting in improved operational performance, quality and efficiency.
Qualified Artisan Armourer
Natal Command Workshops, South African Army
Durban
01.2000 - 01.2002
- Repair of all small arm weapons in the South African Army qualification equivalent to a Gunsmith
- Demonstrated strong problem-solving skills, resolving issues efficiently and effectively.
- Utilized advanced technical skills and expertise to troubleshoot complex problems and implement solutions.
- Managed inventory and supplies to ensure materials were available when needed.
- Conducted routine maintenance and repairs on mechanical systems and industrial equipment.
- Recognized by management for providing exceptional customer service.
- Maintained updated knowledge through continuing education and advanced training.
Apprentice Armourer
Technical Service Centre, South African Army
Pretoria
01.1997 - 01.2000
- Training consisted of practical evaluation in fitting and turning, weapon maintenance and repair course and in-service apprentice training at South African Army units
- Provided technical support to senior team members by researching solutions to problems.
- Completed daily administrative tasks such as filing documents, recording data and processing paperwork.
- Maintained organization, cleanliness and safety in work areas.
Quality controller
MegaPak Plastics
Durban
07.1994 - 07.1996
- Appointed as the Quality Controller
- Had to ensure all products conformed to ISO
- 9001 standards by inspecting and testing
- Analyzed data from experiments or tests to identify trends or areas needing improvement in the production process.
- Documented nonconformances using a corrective action system, including identification of root cause analysis and implementation of corrective action plans.
- Tested incoming raw materials against predetermined physical characteristics prior to use in production processes.
- Performed daily quality checks of finished products to ensure adherence to customer requirements.
Armoured car gunner
1 Special Service Battalion, South African Army
Bloemfontein
06.1993 - 06.1994
- Gunner 90mm Eland (Train to use the main weapon of an armour vehicle)
- Demonstrated proficiency in the tactical employment of assigned weapons systems.
- Participated in field exercises involving simulated battle scenarios.
- Inspected weapon components to ensure proper working order.
- Ensured compliance with applicable safety policies when operating weapons systems.
- Operated and maintained machine guns, small arms, and other weapons systems.
Education
Master of Business Administration Programme - Governance and Sustainability, Leadership and Human Capital Development, Accounting and Finance, Strategic and Change Management, Strategic Marketing, Managerial Economics, Information and Knowledge Management, Operations and Supply Chain Management, Global Political Economy, Fintech
Regent Business School
Pretoria03-2024
Post Graduate Diploma Management - Economics, Financial Management, Operations and Innovation Management, Business Research, General Management, Marketing Management
Regent Business School
Pretoria08.2021
SLP Project Management - Covered the life cycle of Project Management with a product launch presentation.
Varsity College
Pretoria06.2009
Tertiary - Mechanical engineering National N Diploma - Engineering Science N4, Mathematics N4/N5/N6, Mechanical Draughting N4, Mechanical Drawing and Design N5/N6, Mechanotechnics N4/N5/N6, and Strength of Materials and Structures N5/N6
Centurion College
Pretoria01.2000
Matric - English, Afrikaans, Mathematics, Physical Science, Fitting and turning and Technical Drawing
Pretoria Technical High School
Pretoria11.1990
Skills
- Strategic Planning
- Operations Management
- Financial Management
- Staff Development
- Performance Management
- Policy Implementation
- Cross-Functional Teamwork
- Product Management and Development
- Complex Problem-Solving
- Team Leadership
- Project Management
- Key Performance Indicators
- Performance Evaluations
- Root Cause Analysis
- Technical Documentation
- Technical Writing
- Continuous Improvement
Drivinglicense
EC
Personal Information
- Place of Birth: Pretoria
- Date of Birth: 10/03/72
- Gender: Male
- Nationality: South African
- Marital Status: Married
Certification
- Registered Professional Mechanical Engineer Technologist with the Engineering Council of South Africa. Registration Number 2024301870.
- Mentoring and coaching course completed at Mentornet. Perform one-to-one training on the job, Assist and support learners to manage their learning experiences, Guide learners about their learning, assessment, and recognition opportunities.
- Occupational Health and Safety completed at Proviso Training College Advanced Occupational Health and Safety in the Workplace, Incident Reporting Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment and OHS Representative Course
- Web Design course at State Information Technology Agency SOC Ltd (SITA) Adobe Photoshop CC course and Adobe Dreamweaver CC course
Languages
English
First Language
Afrikaans
Proficient (C2)
C2
Portuguese
Upper Intermediate (B2)
B2
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Mechanical Engineer Technologist
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria
04.2023 - 03.2024
Capability Manager
Directorate Technical Service Corps, South African Army Force Structure, South African Army Headquarters, Pretoria
11.2019 - Current
Second in Command of the Workshop
Department of Defence Technical Service Unit (Regional Workshop Gauteng), Pretoria
01.2013 - 01.2020
Technical Staff Officer (Operations Manager)
South African Army Infantry Formation Headquarters, South African Army
01.2008 - 01.2013
Workshop Manager
5 South African Infantry Battalion, South African Army
07.2002 - 01.2008
Qualified Artisan Armourer
Natal Command Workshops, South African Army
01.2000 - 01.2002
Apprentice Armourer
Technical Service Centre, South African Army
01.1997 - 01.2000
Quality controller
MegaPak Plastics
07.1994 - 07.1996
Armoured car gunner
1 Special Service Battalion, South African Army
06.1993 - 06.1994
Master of Business Administration Programme - Governance and Sustainability, Leadership and Human Capital Development, Accounting and Finance, Strategic and Change Management, Strategic Marketing, Managerial Economics, Information and Knowledge Management, Operations and Supply Chain Management, Global Political Economy, Fintech
Regent Business School
Post Graduate Diploma Management - Economics, Financial Management, Operations and Innovation Management, Business Research, General Management, Marketing Management
Regent Business School
SLP Project Management - Covered the life cycle of Project Management with a product launch presentation.
Varsity College
Tertiary - Mechanical engineering National N Diploma - Engineering Science N4, Mathematics N4/N5/N6, Mechanical Draughting N4, Mechanical Drawing and Design N5/N6, Mechanotechnics N4/N5/N6, and Strength of Materials and Structures N5/N6
Centurion College
Matric - English, Afrikaans, Mathematics, Physical Science, Fitting and turning and Technical Drawing
Pretoria Technical High School