SIMBARASHE NERUPFUNDE

Experience

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  The Wattle Company

  Nov 2007 - Dec 2010

  The Wattle Company Limited is an agribusiness with vast forestry resources in each of its 3 Strategic Business Units (SBUs) located in the Eastern Districts of Zimbabwe namely Nyanga Pine Division, Vumba Timbers Division and Wattle Mimosa Division. Each SBU has a modern production plant where different products are produced; these include rough sawn timber, finger jointed timber, creosote treated wood poles, wattle extract, charcoal and roofing trusses.Reporting to General Manager, key duties & responsibilities included:• Leading daily operations of the Production & Engineering team, maintaining a culture of teamwork.• Production planning and scheduling.• Ensuring a cost-effective production system through application of decision-making tools.• Implementing Preventive Maintenance system for plant equipment, utilities and workshop equipment.• Coordinating quality circles focused on enhancing OEE among other issues.• Equipment installation, qualification and commissioning.• Ensuring 100% adherence to environmental, safety, quality and productivity standards in line with ISO14001 and ISO45001 guidelines and company policy.• Staff recruitment, training and performance management.• Preparing and updating SOPs for Production and Engineering departments.• Technical report writing and chairing scheduled meetings. Show less Reporting to General Manager, key responsibilities included:• Implementing Preventive Maintenance programs in line with Annual Maintenance Plan.• Monitoring and promoting the improvement of overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).• Attending to breakdowns, leading investigations and implementing action plans to avoid recurrence.• Managing Machine shop operations, ordering materials, preparing working drawings and machining.• Managing statutory equipment maintenance register comprising lifting equipment, steam boilers and air compressors.• Addressing Production bottlenecks through machinery redesign for fabrication.• Carrying out periodic maintenance audits and inspections.• Managing the documentation of maintenance, repair and service records for plant equipment.• Equipment installation, qualification and commissioning.• Formulating and controlling departmental budget.• Ensuring total adherence to health, safety and environment guidelines at plant in line with ISO45001 and ISO14001.• Leading accidents and incidents investigation sessions and technical report writing. Show less Reporting to Sawmill Engineer, main duties included:• Updating equipment maintenance schedules.• Formulating and updating SOPs for equipment operation and maintenance.• Updating equipment maintenance records from time to time.• Analyzing breakdowns trends using scientific methods such as Pareto among other methods.• Equipment installation, qualification and commissioning.• Compiling bankable project proposals and business plans.• Supervising Technicians during maintenance or projects work. Show less

  • Production & Engineering Manager, Vumba Timbers Division

    Jun 2010 - Dec 2010

  • Factory Engineer, Wattle Mimosa Division

    Nov 2009 - May 2010

  • Graduate Engineer - Maintenance & Projects, Nyanga Pine Division

    Nov 2007 - Nov 2009
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  ZUPCO Limited

  Jun 2013 - Nov 2018

  Engineering Manager, Southern Region

  Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) is a Zimbabwean parastatal mandated to administer safe and reliable road transport to the people. The company services local and regional routes within SADC with a fleet of 800+ conventional buses & luxury coaches of different makes that include SCANIA, VOLVO, FAW, ISUZU, VW and MERCEDES BENZ. ZUPCO owns 19 depots countrywide and 7 state of the art automobile workshops. Reporting to Division Operations Manager, key duties included:• Implementing Planned Maintenance system on fleet aided by SAP Fleet Management system.• Servicing and repairing fleet components such as engines, gearboxes, fuel injection pumps etc.• Ensuring high fleet availability through quality maintenance and quick breakdown recovery.• Ensuring all buses and trailers had valid Certificates of Fitness as per statutory regulations.• Managing the maintenance of utilities including boilers, compressors and lifting equipment.• Preparing bankable project proposals and presenting to executive management.• Managing fabrication and construction projects, monitoring key performance indicators at all phases.• Participating in quality circles focused on improving fleet reliability.• Presenting fleet reliability reports focused on breakdown analysis, MTBF and MTTR to the executives.• Performing RCA on major fleet faults using 6 Sigma tools such as FMEA, Ishikawa and Pareto Analysis.• Analyzing breakdowns using 80/20 rule, drew action plans and implemented them.• Managing critical fleet spares and company tools inventory.• Ensuring total compliance with occupational health and safety in line with ISO18001 and ISO45001.• Ensuring 100% compliance with environmental health in line with ISO14001.• Recruiting, training, mentoring and developing talents in the department.• Formulating departmental budgets and controlling costs. • Chairing departmental progress and safety meetings. Show less

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  Plus Five Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd.

  Nov 2018 - Oct 2022

  Engineering & Maintenance Manager

  Plus Five Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd. is a leading manufacturer and distributor of quality medicine in Zimbabwe and the SADC economic bloc with 40+ registered pharmaceutical formulations in solid, liquid and semi-liquid dosage forms.Reporting to Chief Executive Officer, main responsibilities included:• Day-to-day tracking of plant performance.• Implementing the Risk-based Planned Maintenance system for fixed plant equipment.• Developing and constantly updating maintenance strategy using RCM and Six Sigma tools.• Evaluating maintenance effort impact on equipment availability and maintenance costs.• Developing and managing critical spares inventory for fixed plant equipment and utilities.• Maintaining world class OEE through quality maintenance and prompt breakdown recovery.• Maintaining good housekeeping in line with 5S.• Performing RCA on breakdowns using FMEA, FMECA, 5 Whys, 8Ds, Pareto analysis etc.• Plant reliability reporting, MTBF, MTTR, OEE, Weibull analysis and capacity utilization.• Developing, implementing and constantly updating Standard Operating Procedures.• Drafting business plans and project proposals for plant upgrade projects and presenting.• Managing CAPEX projects ensuring total adherence to plan and set quality standards.• Carrying out equipment qualification in line with Validations Master Plan i.e. DQ, IQ, OQ and PQ.• Validating the HVAC system periodically.• Drawing URSs for CAPEX equipment prior to design and manufacture in-house or by Vendors.• Maintaining a safe and risk-free environment in working areas in line with set safety standards.• Enforcing current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) on equipment, processes and premises.• Participating in internal and regulated GMP audits.• Addressing CAPA following GMP audits.• Budget formulation and cost control.• Staff recruitment.• Developing talents on Technicians and Plant Operators.• Performance appraisal using RBM and BSC tools.• Chairing departmental meetings. Show less

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  Wild Leaf Farms Pvt. Ltd.

  Nov 2022 - Jul 2023

  Plant Manager

  Wild Leaf Farms Pvt. Ltd. is a Swiss-Canadian pharmaceutical company that grows medicinal cannabis and hemp for processing into Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) that include Cannabidiol (CBD), Cannabinol (CBN) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) using world class techniques in its advanced laboratory located on site.Reporting to Chief Executive Officer, key responsibilities included:• Directing Production, Engineering & Maintenance functions.• Plant Engineering. • CAPEX projects management. Construction, equipment installation, process improvement, GMP upgrades.• Equipment qualification (DQ, IQ, OQ & PQ), calibration and verification in line with VMP.• Solving bottlenecks by process redesign, automation, equipment modification etc.• Championing RCA sessions focused on curbing recurrence of wastes such as breakdowns, rejects etc.• Compiling URSs prior to equipment purchase and representing company in FATs and SATs.• Participating in Quality Circles focused on kaizen, productivity and zero waste mantra.• Enforcing cGMP on processes, equipment and premises.• Participating in internal and regulated GMP quality audits as guided by QMS and policy. • Addressing Corrective Action Preventive Action (CAPA) issues following GMP quality audits.• Formulating and managing Production, Engineering and Maintenance annual budget.• Ensuring 100% adherence to SHEQ policies at the plant.• Recruiting, training and mentoring subordinates.• Presiding over scheduled departmental meetings. Show less

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  BioNTech SE

  Jul 2023 - now

  Director Engineering & Maintenance

  BioNTech SE is a global immunotherapy giant committed to enhance people’s health worldwide by harnessing the full potential of the immune system to develop novel therapies against cancer and infectious diseases. BioNTech runs sites in Europe, Africa, USA, Australia, and Asia.Reporting to Site Head, main responsibilities include.:• Build & grow a competent team of engineering & maintenance professionals.• Develop staff in Plant Engineering, Automation, Calibration, C&Q and Site Operations teams.• Formulate and update Engineering strategies, policies and procedures.• Advance a collaborative and growth-oriented work environment filled with continuous learning.• Set performance objectives, provide regular feedback and conduct performance evaluations.• Develop, oversee the implementation of Planned Maintenance programs for site equipment.• Resolve equipment malfunctions and champion RCA to avoid recurrence.• Ensure full functionality of Siemens PCS7 Process Control system for BMS, EMS and MES at site.• Ensure complete usage of digital applications, COMOS, CMX, SAP PM and eQMS.• Manage equipment critical spares inventory.• Maintain up-to-date Engineering documents in eQMS.• Manage CAPEX projects at site ensuring successful completion, commissioning and qualification.• Manage equipment/systems qualification lifecycle including DQ, IQ, OQ & PQ and decommissioning.• Coordinate Contractors/Vendors activities during project execution.• Recommend and implement technology upgrades at site and managing the change control process. • Draw and manage annual Engineering budget.• Collaborate with stakeholders including RFDA, REMA and other service providers.• Participate in cGMP quality audits and addressing CAPAs thereof.• Ensure 100% compliance with environmental, health and safety (EHS) standards at site. • Recruit, train, and mentor staff. Show less