SNR Specialist, Shipment & Expediting

Job description

At First Quantum, we free the talent of our people by taking a very different approach which is underpinned by a very different, very definite culture – the “First Quantum Way”.

Working with us is not like working anywhere else, which is why we recruit people who will take a bolder, smarter approach to spot opportunities, solve problems and deliver results.

Our culture is all about encouraging you to think independently and to challenge convention to deliver the best result. That’s how we continue to achieve extraordinary things in extraordinary locations.

Job description:

Job title: Specialist, Expediting

Site: Kansanshi Mining Plc, Solwezi.

Department: Commercial

Section: Expediting

Position reports to: Superintendent Expediting and Logistics

Purpose

The Expediting Specialist leads and oversees the Expediting function to ensure effective management and progression of purchase orders, supplier performance, material availability and supply chain risks in support of safe, reliable and cost-effective mining operations. The role is accountable for the performance and development of Expediting Officers, governance of expediting processes and data, timely escalation of supply risks, and continuous improvement of the procure-to-delivery process. The role provides operational leadership, prioritisation, coaching and management visibility while ensuring expediting activities remain aligned with operational requirements, maintenance, shutdowns and production continuity.

Key Responsibilities

Expediting Function Leadership & Team Oversight

● Lead, coach, mentor and develop Expediting Officers to achieve individual and team objectives.

● Allocate workloads and priorities based on operational requirements, criticality and supply risk.

● Monitor individual and team performance against agreed KPIs and implement corrective actions.

● Conduct regular coaching and support competency development, succession planning and performance management.

● Ensure consistent application of expediting procedures, standards and escalation protocols.

● Promote an accountable, collaborative, solution-oriented and customer-focused team culture.

Purchase Order Oversight & Supply Assurance

● Oversee purchase orders from supplier acknowledgement through supplier readiness and logistics handover.

● Lead weekly reviews of ageing, overdue and high-risk orders and ensure recovery actions are assigned and tracked.

● Ensure timely supplier acknowledgements, production schedules and firm delivery commitments.

● Prioritize critical, breakdown, shutdown and production-critical materials with Procurement and End Users.

● Monitor PO cycle time, back orders and delivery performance and drive corrective action.

● Ensure potential delays are identified early and escalated before impacting operations.

Supplier Performance Management

● Lead supplier performance management and quarterly supplier performance reviews.

● Analyze supplier delivery, responsiveness and lead-time trends and identify recurring issues.

● Develop and monitor supplier improvement plans for poor-performing or strategic suppliers.

● Engage OEMs, buying houses and strategic suppliers on significant delivery risks.

● Ensure suppliers remain accountable for delivery commitments and corrective actions.

● Support Officers in resolving complex supplier challenges and delivery constraints.

Supply Risk, Stock-Out & Critical Spares Management

● Provide overall oversight of stock-out and potential stock-out risks and recovery plans.

● Maintain visibility of critical operational spares and high-priority materials.

● Review stock-out, potential stock-out, backorder and ageing trends to identify systemic risks.

● Coordinate recovery actions with Procurement, End Users, Warehousing, Finance and suppliers.

● Support operational readiness for maintenance, shutdowns, breakdowns and production-critical requirements.

Freight Coordination & Logistics Handover Oversight

● Oversee timely and accurate handover of supplier-ready cargo to Logistics/Shipments.

● Ensure required readiness information, packing lists and export documentation are secured.

● Review shipment consolidation and freight optimization opportunities with Logistics.

● Escalate logistics constraints affecting critical deliveries.

● Promote cost-effective and time-efficient logistics solutions.

Stakeholder Engagement & Service Delivery

● Act as the primary escalation point for significant expediting matters and supply risks.

● Maintain strong relationships with Procurement, Finance, Warehousing, Logistics, Maintenance, Operations, Projects and End Users.

● Provide clear communication on order status, risks, recovery actions and expected delivery dates.

● Engage suppliers, OEMs and freight partners professionally and hold them accountable.

● Ensure responsive and professional service to internal customers.

ERP Governance, Data Integrity & Reporting

● Oversee accuracy, completeness and timeliness of expediting information in the ERP system.

● Audit due dates, promised dates, supplier commitments, expediting notes and order status updates.

● Ensure workflow compliance and reduce repeated data errors.

● Validate weekly expediting reports, KPI data and management information.

● Analyze aging, DIFOT, backorders, supplier performance, lead times and stock-out data.

● Promote effective use of Pronto, Power BI, Cognos and approved reporting tools.

Continuous Improvement & Process Optimization

● Identify operational gaps and recurring constraints in the procure-to-delivery process.

● Lead initiatives to improve PO cycle time, supplier responsiveness, data quality and delivery performance.

● Standardize best practices across the Expediting function.

● Improve workflows, reporting and stakeholder communication.

● Implement practical improvement initiatives that enhance service, cost efficiency and reliability.

Leadership, Safety & Compliance

● Promote a strong safety culture and required safety participation.

● Monitor team compliance with mandatory competencies, training and company requirements.

● Lead by example in applying company safety rules, standards, policies and procedures.

● Support audits, investigations and corrective actions relevant to Expediting.

● Promote the FQM values of Bolder, Smarter, Driven and Together.

Qualifications

All Academic qualifications and results must be verified by the Zambia Qualifications Authority (ZAQA).

● Diploma or Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Procurement, Logistics, Business Administration or a closely related field (Required).

● Professional certification such as CIPS Level 4 or higher,

● valid membership of an accredited national procurement institute such as ZIPS, is highly desirable.

Experience

● 5–8 years of progressive experience in procurement, expediting, logistics or supply chain management.

● Minimum 2 years of supervisory, team leadership or equivalent functional leadership experience.

● Direct experience working within a mining, processing, heavy industrial or manufacturing environment is highly advantageous.

● Experience managing local and international suppliers, OEMs and freight forwarders.

● Demonstrated experience in supplier performance management, supply risk management and cross-functional stakeholder coordination.

BEHAVIOURAL TRAITS

• Teamwork
• Bold initiative
• Thinking safety
• Driving quantity and attendance to initiate and achieve results

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

● Strong working knowledge of ERP systems such as Pronto, SAP or Oracle and procurement-to-pay workflow tracking.

● Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, lookups and data analysis.

● Experience using Power BI, Cognos or similar business intelligence and reporting tools.

● Strong analytical, negotiation, problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.

● Excellent leadership, communication, stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.

● Ability to interpret supply chain data and translate trends into practical corrective actions.

● Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver results in a high-intensity operational environment.