Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certificates And Licenses
References
Timeline
Generic

Dion Papoulis

Whyalla

Summary

Operations professional with over 20 years of experience in the processing and operations industry, recognized for driving high productivity and efficient task completion. Specialized in production operations, budget oversight, and safety compliance, ensuring production consistently meet deadlines and quality standards. Proven leader with exceptional communication and problem-solving skills, dedicated to fostering collaborative team environments. Career goal includes continuing to advance within the field while maintaining excellence in operational execution.

Overview

21
21
years of professional experience

Work History

Superintendent - Pelletizing (Secondment)

Simec Minning
Whyalla
01.2025 - Current
  • Maintained accurate records, such as daily logs, time sheets, and inspection reports.
  • Kept production team moving forward for progress in daily site operations.
  • Monitored project progress to enforce adherence to deadlines and quality standards.
  • Maintained a safe work site by implementing safety requirements and governance.
  • Evaluated and recommended new procedures to upgrade and refine existing programs.
  • Provided leadership, insight and mentoring to newly hired employees to supply knowledge of various company programs.
  • Communicated effectively with clients regarding project status updates, budgeting concerns and timeline adjustments.
  • Worked on strategies for internal and external customer deadlines.
  • Came up with cost-saving continuous improvement strategies.
  • Managed a team with nine direct and forty-eight total team members, including two metallurgists, two project coordinators, and five processing leads.
  • Worked with maintenance superintendent to provide a more integrated approach between operations and maintenance.
  • Created and executed project plan and schedule, complying with budget and quality measures.
  • Developed and maintained strong customer-focused relationships with stakeholders.
  • Developed strategies for cost control, scheduling, quality assurance and problem solving.

Blast Furnace Technical Specialist (Secondment)

GFG Australia
Whyalla
10.2024 - 12.2024
  • Collaborated with a team of Blast Furnace experts to implement recovery strategies for chilled hearth issues.
  • Supported restoration of furnace stability post-prolonged shutdown.
  • Provided technical assistance to clients by troubleshooting system problems.
  • Analyzed performance metrics to recommend optimizations for enhanced system efficiency.
  • Performed troubleshooting activities to identify the root cause of furnace issues.
  • Worked alongside production teams to coordinate smooth transitions and resolve quality issues.
  • Implemented recovery and business continuity plans to mitigate risk.
  • Facilitated stakeholder meetings to gather requirements and align project objectives with business goals.

Processing Team Leader - Pelletizing

Simec Minning
Whyalla
01.2022 - 01.2025
  • Coordinated and ran the shift operations team.
  • Ensured optimal workforce allocation through effective roster management.
  • Conducted thorough investigations.
  • Meet production targets.
  • Act as a liaison between the processing team and other departments within the organization.
  • Lead team of processors in daily workflow activities, ensuring quality standards and deadlines are met.
  • Monitored data inputs to manage and maintain accuracy.
  • Conduct regular audits of internal controls over document handling processes.
  • Safety reporting (ICAM investigations).
  • Responsible person.
  • Led implementation of isolation procedures.
  • Project control.
  • Developed and implemented process improvements to increase efficiency.
  • Create reports summarizing daily productivity levels for senior management review.

Team Leader - Blast Furnace

LIBERTY PRIMARY STEEL
Whyalla
01.2021 - 11.2021
  • Enhanced operational efficiencies through strategic planning.
  • Coordinated Furnace operations and supervised a 12-person team.
  • Oversaw Liquid management operations for Treadwell’s.
  • Run safety meetings and toolbox meetings.
  • Create and manage rostering.
  • Directed all crisis management activities.
  • Enhanced problem-solving capabilities through sound decision-making.
  • Oversaw and maintained optimal furnace conditions.
  • Compiled detailed incident reports.
  • Plant inspections.
  • Report to the Operations Manager.
  • Achieve goals and accountabilities on time.
  • Isolations and purging of gas systems.
  • Report maintenance issues.
  • Achieve production targets.
  • Responsible for the plant on a rotating shift pattern: days, afternoons, and nights.
  • Work with other departments, including contractors.
  • Payroll
  • Run investigations for work incidents.
  • Leveraged SAP to streamline operations.
  • Analyzed key performance indicators to identify effective strategies.

Process Technician/Team Leader - Blast Furnace

LIBERTY PRIMARY STEEL
Whyalla
12.2016 - 01.2021
  • Comprehensively analyzed company structure and operations.
  • Maintained secure operations in charging zones.
  • Conducted thorough accident investigations.
  • Perform compliance checks for safety standards.
  • Executed effective purging processes for system maintenance.
  • Conduct safety meetings.
  • Attendance at safety meetings.
  • Coordinated with train control, exhauster house, blast furnace, pellet plant, Brambles and Wharf.
  • Surveillance of plant conditions.
  • Plant inspections
  • Initiate investigations and maintenance.
  • Shut down/restart of the blast furnace.
  • Oversaw and regulated filling levels, charge rates, and burden distributions.
  • Accumulate and update charging, casting, and furnace data.
  • Help the shift team leader with running the shift.
  • Responsible person.

Control Room Operator - Blast Furnace

LIBERTY PRIMARY STEEL
Whyalla
01.2014 - 11.2016
  • Oversaw operational efficiency of blast furnace systems.
  • Ensured optimal performance of blast furnace stoves.
  • Operate pumps and compressors efficiently.
  • Assessed periodic metrics to detect emerging movements.
  • Completed furnace shutdown process.
  • Coordinate operations with gas control and powerhouse departments.
  • Liaised with coke ovens and BOS operators to ensure operational efficiency.
  • Managed gas systems and operations efficiently.
  • Managed thermal control of blast furnace stoves.
  • Ensure consistent monitoring of furnace pressures.
  • Collaborated directly with foreman.

Cast House Floor Operator

LIBERTY PRIMARY STEEL
Whyalla
01.2004 - 01.2014
  • Performed duties with cast house floor equipment.
  • Procured iron samples.
  • Recorded thermal readings of the iron.
  • Ensure tidy facilities.
  • Clean runners.
  • Managed the process of Treadwell's filling.
  • Maintain communication channels with hot metal operations.
  • Operated forklift to load materials onto the floor.
  • Managed overhead crane operations.
  • Conducted safety audits.

Education

Primary school reception- year 7 -

St Teresa’s primary school

High school year 8-11 -

St Johns college

year 12 -

Eyre high school

Pre industry course -

tafe mechanical pre voc

Skills

  • Project management
  • Safety compliance
  • Process improvement
  • Data analysis
  • Quality assurance
  • Cost control
  • Effective communication
  • Stakeholder management
  • Operational efficiency
  • Professionalism
  • Relationship building and management
  • Performance management
  • Environmental awareness
  • Risk assessment
  • Coordinate team operations
  • Continuous improvement
  • Site safety management
  • Performance monitoring
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Planning and coordination
  • Business strategy
  • Attention to detail

Certificates And Licenses

  • Conduct forklift operations
  • Gas regulations are trained
  • Working safely in a confined space
  • Asco level 1
  • Asco Level 2 (lockout)
  • Class C drivers licence
  • SAP trained
  • Various other Liberty Onesteel safety components
  • Isolation trained yellow lock, green lock
  • First Aid
  • Confined space
  • Working at heights
  • Managing performance training
  • Various GFG management units were conducted by the GFG HR department at UniSA
  • Starting the performance management diploma in January

References

  • Haydn Meyers - Manager pellet plant - Simec
  • Damien Trenwith, Shift Team Leader, Liberty OneSteel, Whyalla, SA, 0412370780
  • Garry Anderson, Trainee Locomotive Driver, One Rail, 0422096440

Timeline

Superintendent - Pelletizing (Secondment)

Simec Minning
01.2025 - Current

Blast Furnace Technical Specialist (Secondment)

GFG Australia
10.2024 - 12.2024

Processing Team Leader - Pelletizing

Simec Minning
01.2022 - 01.2025

Team Leader - Blast Furnace

LIBERTY PRIMARY STEEL
01.2021 - 11.2021

Process Technician/Team Leader - Blast Furnace

LIBERTY PRIMARY STEEL
12.2016 - 01.2021

Control Room Operator - Blast Furnace

LIBERTY PRIMARY STEEL
01.2014 - 11.2016

Cast House Floor Operator

LIBERTY PRIMARY STEEL
01.2004 - 01.2014

Primary school reception- year 7 -

St Teresa’s primary school

High school year 8-11 -

St Johns college

year 12 -

Eyre high school

Pre industry course -

tafe mechanical pre voc

Similar Profiles

CREATE PROFILE
Dion Papoulis