Alistair Group is one of East and Southern Africa’s fastest-growing service companies, providing a variety of self-delivered logistics solutions across several geographies, aimed with the vision to Make Africa Work Better! With core competencies in road freight, warehousing, commodity trading and operational hire of material handling equipment, the Group strives for continuous expansion of innovative ancillary services to grow the business vertically, complimented by a healthy dose of entrepreneurial flair. The business has gone from strength to strength, growing quickly in both its geographical coverage and variety of services offered to clients. In 2024, the Group exceeded the 1000 employee mark and managed a fleet of well over 1000 trucks. With Alistair’s aggressive and exciting growth strategy, the Group is poised for significant further expansion and a greater impact in Africa.

Core Services:

• Freight Forwarding
• Clearance & Forwarding
• Energy Industry Support Services
• Equipment Rental
• Commodity Trading
• Integrated Solutions
• Warehousing
• Ocean Freight

Industries:

• Mining
• Oil & Gas
• Agriculture
• Construction
• Explosives
• Renewables

Mission

To make Africa work better

Company Values

Honesty, Customer Focus, Continual Improvement, Humility, and Safety
 

Role Purpose

This position serves as an active, field-based operational supervisor tasked with ensuring secure, optimal execution of dispatch and lifting functions throughout Pemba.

Accountable for daily dispatch schedules and lift plan management in Pemba, the incumbent directly manages crane teams, collaborates closely alongside Workshop and Operations units, and guarantees all tasks align fully with client requirements and safety guidelines.

Additionally, the role delivers critical operational backing to the Head of Operations Mozambique, standing in to maintain leadership coverage during periods of leave or absence.

This post requires hands-on involvement rather than desk work. The selected individual must maintain a strong presence on-site, guiding field staff and deploying to Afungi as operational needs arise.

Operations Planning & Dispatching

• Remain primarily site-based in Pemba while maintaining flexibility to deploy to Afungi regularly when operational requirements dictate.
• Support lifting and dispatch activities at Afungi and other designated client locations as required.
• Maintain consistent operational standards across Pemba and Afungi deployments.
• Owns all lift plans and daily dispatch for Pemba operations, reporting to the Head of Operations.
• Plan and coordinate daily crane, lifting and transport activities to ensure resources are deployed efficiently.
• Coordinate the Pemba crane crews, including crane operators, assistants, forklift operators and crane truck operators.
• Ensure equipment and crews are available and mobilised on time for scheduled activities.
• Monitor operational progress and proactively address delays, resource constraints and changes to planned activities.
• Provide operational cover and support to the Head of Operations when required.

Crane & Lifting Operations

• Own all lift plans for Pemba operations and ensure 100% of lifts have an approved lift plan before execution.
• Ensure lifting activities are properly planned, resourced and executed in line with company and client requirements.
• Verify that appropriate equipment, personnel and lifting accessories are available and fit for purpose.
• Monitor lifting activities on site and intervene where unsafe practices or deviations from approved plans are identified.
• Maintain accurate records of lift plans and related documentation

Team Supervision

• Coordinate closely with the Workshop on equipment availability, pre-use inspections and preventative maintenance requirements.
• Ensure equipment defects and breakdowns are reported promptly and followed through to resolution.
• Monitor equipment uptime and work with the Workshop to minimise operational downtime.
• Ensure equipment is inspected and fit for use before deployment.
• Escalate recurring equipment issues and operational constraints to the Head of Operations.
• Directly supervise the Pemba crane crews and ensure clear allocation of daily responsibilities.
• Assess the competency and performance of riggers and operational crews.

• Identify training and development requirements and support ongoing competency development.
• Assess and train riggers and crews, including personnel supplied through SVT, to ensure they meet required operational and safety standards.
• Promote a strong culture of accountability, safety, teamwork and operational discipline.
• Provide regular feedback on crew performance and escalate performance concerns where necessary.

Client Coordination & Documentation

• Work closely with clients to coordinate lifting, dispatch and mobilisation requirements.
• Ensure client timesheets and job cards are completed and signed off accurately on a daily basis.
• Ensure all operational paperwork is complete, as these records form the basis for invoicing.
• Follow up on outstanding client sign-offs and resolve discrepancies promptly.
• Maintain accurate daily operational records and provide updates to management.

HSE & Compliance

• Ensure all activities comply with AGM and client HSE requirements.
• Work within client HSE systems and processes, including:

1. Permit to Work (PTW)
2. Job Safety Analysis (JSA)
3. Toolbox talks and pre-task briefings
4. Stop-work authority

• Ensure crews understand and comply with applicable HSE procedures before commencing work.
• Exercise stop-work authority where an activity is unsafe or conditions differ materially from the approved plan.
• Support incident reporting, investigations and corrective actions where required.
• Promote a zero-harm culture across all lifting and dispatch activities.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Equipment uptime and effective management of equipment availability.
• 100% of lifts executed with an approved lift plan prior to commencement.
• 100% daily timesheet sign-off and accurate completion of operational documentation.
• Client job cards signed off accurately and on time to support invoicing.
• On-time mobilisation of equipment and crews.
• Zero Lost Time Injuries (LTIs) and strong compliance with HSE requirements.
• Timely and accurate platform/system updates.
• Effective crew competency, training and performance management.
• Timely reporting and follow-up of equipment breakdowns and operational issues.

• Proven experience in lifting operations, dispatch, logistics, heavy equipment or a similar operational environment.
• Strong practical understanding of lifting operations and lift planning.
• Experience supervising crane crews, riggers and/or heavy equipment operators.
• Ability to work confidently in a hands-on site environment.
• Strong understanding of HSE requirements and client-controlled work environments.
• Experience working with Permit to Work, JSA and stop-work procedures.
• Strong planning, coordination and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage competing operational priorities and respond quickly to changes.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to lead, assess and develop operational teams.
• Experience working in Afungi/Pemba or similar remote, high-demand project environments would be advantageous.
• Comfortable working closely with clients, Workshop, Operations and other support functions.

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