Role Purpose
The Construction Director / Site Manager is the most senior PMC representative at site and is responsible for the leadership, coordination, oversight, and assurance of all site execution activities associated with the expansion of an operating nickel smelter through the addition of a second Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace (RKEF) production train.
Working independently from both the Owner and EPC Contractor(s), the Construction Director / Site Manager acts as the PMC's "eyes and ears" on site, ensuring that engineering, procurement, construction, pre-commissioning, and handover activities are executed safely, efficiently, and in accordance with project objectives.
A key feature of the role is management of a complex brownfield environment where major construction activities must be integrated with ongoing production from the existing RKEF train. The role requires strong leadership in SIMOPS (Simultaneous Operations), contractor coordination, interface management, shutdown planning, construction quality, and operational readiness.
The Construction Director / Site Manager is accountable for ensuring that EPC contractors execute the work safely and effectively while protecting the Owner's interests and supporting successful project delivery.
Key Objectives
- Deliver safe execution with zero fatalities and serious incidents.
- Achieve Mechanical Completion in accordance with approved milestones.
- Maintain uninterrupted operation of the existing production train.
- Ensure EPC contractor performance aligns with project requirements.
- Achieve quality installation and first-time commissioning success.
- Minimize disruption during tie-ins and plant shutdowns.
- Facilitate efficient transition from construction to commissioning and operations.
Principal Responsibilities
1. Site Leadership and Project Execution
- Serve as the overall PMC site leader and primary point of contact for all construction matters.
- Direct the PMC construction management organization and establish clear responsibilities and accountabilities.
- Ensure execution activities align with approved project execution plans.
- Lead site coordination between EPC contractors, Owner representatives, operations personnel, vendors, and commissioning teams.
- Establish a high-performance execution culture focused on safety, schedule, quality, and productivity.
- Chair daily, weekly, and monthly site coordination and construction review meetings.
- Provide regular reporting to the Project Director on site performance, risks, and emerging issues.
2. EPC Contractor Management and Oversight
The role is not responsible for self-performing construction but for oversight and assurance of EPC contractor performance.
Responsibilities include:
- Monitor contractor performance against approved plans and contractual commitments.
- Assess construction manpower, supervision, equipment, and productivity levels.
- Verify contractor work sequences and construction methodologies.
- Review progress against baseline and recovery schedules.
- Ensure appropriate management of subcontractors.
- Escalate performance deficiencies and recommend corrective actions.
- Monitor contractor workforce mobilization and resource adequacy.
- Evaluate contractor readiness for critical construction activities.
3. Brownfield Integration and SIMOPS Management
This is a critical responsibility for the role.
Lead and oversee the safe integration of the new production train within an operating smelter environment by:
- Managing all construction-operational interfaces.
- Facilitating coordination between operations and project teams.
- Reviewing and approving SIMOPS plans and risk assessments.
- Ensuring safe execution adjacent to live plant operations.
- Supporting development of shutdown and tie-in strategies.
- Coordinating utility, electrical, process, and infrastructure connections.
- Monitoring permit-to-work and isolation management systems.
- Chairing brownfield interface meetings.
- Ensuring operational risks are identified and mitigated.
Key areas include:
- Utility tie-ins
- Electrical power integration
- Process connections
- Water systems
- Compressed air systems
- Fuel systems
- Material handling systems
- Control systems integration
4. Construction Planning and Schedule Performance
- Review and validate contractor execution plans.
- Ensure construction activities support project-critical milestones.
- Monitor progress against approved schedules.
- Drive early identification of schedule risks.
- Recommend acceleration and recovery measures where necessary.
- Oversee implementation of workface planning and constraint management processes.
- Ensure construction sequencing supports commissioning and operational readiness requirements.
Particular focus shall be given to:
- Rotary Kiln installation
- Electric Furnace erection
- Furnace transformer installation
- High-voltage substations
- Refractory installation
- Structural steel erection
- Utilities and infrastructure
- System completion and turnover
5. Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE)
Provide visible and active site safety leadership.
Responsibilities include:
- Promote a zero-harm culture across all contractors and stakeholders.
- Participate in site safety walks and inspections.
- Lead management safety engagements.
- Monitor contractor HSSE performance.
- Participate in incident investigations.
- Review corrective action implementation.
- Verify compliance with Indonesian regulations and project requirements.
- Ensure critical risk controls remain effective.
Key high-risk activities include:
- Heavy lifting operations
- Working at height
- Electrical energization
- Hot works
- Confined space entry
- Refractory installation
- Crane operations
- Shutdown activities
- SIMOPS execution
6. Construction Quality Management
- Ensure EPC contractors implement approved quality management systems.
- Verify compliance with engineering specifications and standards.
- Monitor inspection and test activities.
- Review quality trends and recurring issues.
- Ensure timely resolution of non-conformances.
- Oversee construction completion and documentation processes.
- Promote "right first time" construction practices.
Particular focus should be placed on:
- Kiln alignment
- Furnace installation tolerances
- Refractory quality
- Structural integrity
- Piping testing
- Electrical installation quality
- Instrument calibration and loop checks
7. Mechanical Completion, Turnover and Readiness
- Lead the PMC oversight of mechanical completion activities.
- Verify systems completion processes are robust and auditable.
- Monitor development and closure of punch lists.
- Ensure turnover documentation is complete.
- Coordinate interface between construction and commissioning teams.
- Support plant readiness reviews.
- Facilitate progressive transfer of systems to commissioning.
8. Stakeholder and Interface Management
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with:
- PMC Project Director
- Engineering Team
- Project Controls Team
- Commercial Team
- Commissioning Team
- Owner representatives
- Operations and Maintenance teams
- EPC Contractor leadership teams
- Technology licensors
- Equipment suppliers
- Regulatory authorities
- Local contractors and stakeholders
Act as the senior site-level escalation point for construction-related issues.
9. Risk and Issue Management
- Lead site risk identification and mitigation activities.
- Ensure emerging construction risks are proactively managed.
- Monitor brownfield integration risks.
- Support claims avoidance through timely issue resolution.
- Ensure lessons learned are captured and implemented.
Key risks include:
- Production disruptions to Train 1
- Shutdown overruns
- Contractor underperformance
- Labor shortages
- Weather impacts
- Logistics constraints
- Furnace installation and commissioning readiness
- Power system integration
Specific Technical Experience Required
The preferred candidate will have substantial experience with large-scale industrial and metallurgical projects including exposure to:
- Ore drying systems
- Rotary kilns
- Electric furnaces
- Furnace transformers
- Electrode systems
- Ferronickel or NPI production facilities
- Slag handling systems
- Utilities and Infrastructure
- Power generation facilities
- High-voltage substations
- Water treatment plants
- Cooling water systems
- Fuel systems
- Industrial gases
- Bulk material handling systems