Stephen Owens
Perth,Australia
Summary
Highly experienced professional with a diverse background in operations, sales, and supply chain logistics in Australia. Combining extensive experience in these areas, excels as a senior manager who cultivates productive and mutually beneficial client relationships. Focuses on structuring the organization to exceed client expectations. Strong leader in occupational health and safety (OH&S), believes safety is a moral obligation and a catalyst for creating proactive and forward-thinking organizations. Deep understanding of sales and operations requirements enables effective navigation of opposing components of a successful business. Drives teams to consistently deliver on promises. Management style is collaborative and supportive, unafraid to make tough decisions while taking full responsibility for them. Fosters accountability within team, empowering them to perform at their best. Builds strong, motivated, and empowered teams to achieve strategic corporate goals through clear and agreed-upon objectives for managers. Prioritizes equipping team with necessary tools for success.
Overview
35
35
years of professional experience
Work History
Director Operations AU
Sea to Summit
02.2017 - 04.2024
- Develop a cohesive National strategy for Inventory and Warehouse Management, Logistics, and Operational Planning that aligns with business objectives
- Design and implement standardized processes and practices for planning, Manufacturing, logistics and distribution, as well as warehousing and inventory management
- Collaborate with cross-functional and regional teams to align functional goals with broader organizational objectives, ensuring consistency and compliance in global operations
- Proactively identify potential risks and improvement opportunities and develop contingency/improvement plans whilst mitigating disruption
- Oversee the management of all aspects of warehouse operations and ensuring smooth process and procedures while adhering to regulatory requirements and internal policies
- Collaborate with other departments, including customer service, and sales, to coordinate operational activities and achieve company objectives
- Manage operational budgets, expenses, and resource allocation to achieve cost-effective operations
- Prepare operational reports, performance metrics
- Challenge, Implement and drive efficiencies to the manufacturing process to streamline processes and move towards Lean manufacturing principals
- Identify opportunities for process improvement, optimize inbound, outbound, Manufacturing, and domestic transportation and distribution networks, cost reduction, negotiation of contracts, and revenue enhancement to drive operational excellence and competitive advantage
- Strategic planning and reporting focusing on optimization efficiency, cost reductions, order accuracy, customer satisfaction, and compliance
- Ensure all WHSE requirements are being met for the handling, storage, and transportation of dangerous goods in compliance with relevant WHSE regulations and standards
- Lead by example, demonstrating professionalism and integrity
- Engage with open communication, collaboration, and innovation
- Coach and mentor team, providing professional development opportunities, cross skilling, and succession planning
- Establish clear performance expectations of team members and recognize and address performance issues promptly and effectively
- Support team members through periods of change, uncertainty, and organizational transformation, providing guidance, reassurance, and resources to navigate challenges and seize opportunities
- Foster a culture of adaptability, resilience, and agility, where change is embraced as a catalyst for growth and innovation
- Proven experience 5+ years in distribution management in a multi-site environment within the FMCG industry
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate teams to achieve goals and drive results
- Developed high-performing teams by providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Enhanced team collaboration through regular communication, goal setting, and performance evaluations.
- Established a culture of continuous improvement by fostering open communication channels and empowering employees to voice their ideas.
- Cultivated a positive work environment that fostered employee engagement, increased retention rates, and boosted overall team morale.
Operations Superintendent
Fortescue
07.2014 - 02.2017
- Foster a positive culture within the team to maintain a focus on identifying opportunities and driving continuous improvement through reduced costs, maximizing production, minimizing downtime, and eliminating waste
- Manage the daily, weekly, and monthly activities of the department to ensure that plans are effective, compliance is achieved, and the operating and capital budgets are achieved in the identified KPIs
- Ensuring continuous maximization of ore recovery and minimizing grade dilution during the mining process through effective resource and mining management
- Maintaining a high-level of safety awareness with all department employees and contractors by participating in regular workplace and system audits, safety meetings, action follow up, and general communications
- Continuous process improvements and audit compliance
- Manage the operations workforce by overseeing hiring, development, coaching and the performance assessment of relevant roles
- Monitor the systems and business processes, identify and prioritize improvement opportunities and formulate alternatives and improvements to systems and method
- Preparation & management of department budgets and forecasts ensuring that all operational and capital needs are adequately catered for
- Manage Isolation and permit to work systems to ensure works are carried out safely
- Oversee people management issues in area of responsibility including input to training and development of team members
- Monitoring team member work performance and progress throughout the shift and address any production or disciplinary issues as they arise
- Provide technical support, guidance and supervision to employees and contractors and monitor the quality of workmanship and performance against Key Performance Indicators
- Liaise with key stakeholders to ensure minimal disruption to operations while electrical and mechanical maintenance and improvements are being performed
- Appropriately allocate resources to achieve targets established in work schedules and ensure work is delivered on time
- Exposure to control systems such as DCS, Citect, SCADA with experience leading and managing large teams
- Cert 4 in training and assessing and Cert 4 in mineral processing
- Computer competency and SAP knowledge
- Crushing, screening, and heavy media experience in addition to good communication skills and safety values
Engineering Superintendent
Leighton Contractors
03.2010 - 06.2014
- Establish standardized measuring, monitoring, and reporting systems for plant performance and provide strategies and tactics to continuously improve plant reliability
- Assist with Root Cause Analysis processes into failures and provide improvement actions, monitoring the implementation of those actions
- Provide input into the development of operational and capital budgets
- Complete end of month reporting on operation activities and progress
- Scope, project manage and implement reliability engineering and capital projects
Project Engineer / Manager
North Queensland Earthworks
04.2004 - 02.2010
- Evaluated technical proposals from contractors for alignment with project objectives and provided recommendations based on cost-effectiveness and feasibility assessments.
- Coordinated with regulatory agencies to acquire necessary permits and approvals before commencing construction activities, mitigating potential delays or compliance risks.
- Managed cross-functional teams for successful completion of complex engineering projects within budget constraints.
- Facilitated continuous process improvements by conducting post-project evaluations to identify lessons learned for future application in similar contexts.
- Ensured timely delivery of projects by coordinating with stakeholders, setting priorities, and providing progress updates.
- Negotiated contracts with vendors to obtain competitive pricing while ensuring adherence to budgetary restrictions without compromising on quality requirements.
- Developed comprehensive project plans outlining scope, schedule, resources, risks, and milestones to ensure successful execution.
- Mentored junior engineers in professional development opportunities and provided guidance on best practices in the field of engineering management.
Process engineer
Yabulu Nickel Refinery
01.1998 - 04.2004
- Provided technical assistance to production team when issues arose.
- Evaluated new technologies and equipment upgrades to enhance overall process capabilities, ensuring market competitiveness.
- Coordinated with suppliers to resolve raw material issues affecting production schedules.
- Optimized manufacturing processes by implementing continuous improvement initiatives and lean methodologies.
- Participated in project reviews to enable ongoing status tracking and reporting.
- Implemented standardized work instructions, enhancing operator understanding of critical tasks and improving workflow consistency.
- Identified bottlenecks in the production line through capacity analysis studies, increasing overall throughput rates as a result.
- Reduced production downtime by conducting thorough root cause analyses and implementing corrective actions.
- Championed and facilitated kaizen events to drive continuous improvement efforts throughout the organization, resulting in a culture of operational excellence.
- Collaborated with maintenance teams on preventive maintenance programs aimed at extending the lifespan of critical equipment components.
Territory Sales Representative
M&B Marketing Services
03.1989 - 02.1993
- Organized successful promotional events within the territory that drove brand awareness and generated new leads for the company.
- Enhanced product knowledge among customers by conducting informative presentations and demonstrations.
- Optimized route planning for account visits, reducing travel time and allowing for increased face-to-face interactions with clients.
- Established trust with clients through consistent follow-ups, leading to long-term partnerships and repeat business.
- Proactively negotiated profitable contracts for product lines and performed cold-calling to senior leadership to expand territory sales.
- Improved customer satisfaction levels by addressing concerns promptly and providing tailored solutions.
Education
Graduate Certificate - Supply Chain and Logistics Management
RMIT
07.2019
Bachelor of Engineering - Mechanical
QUT
11.1997
Skills
- Supply Chain
- Logistics
- Operations Management
- People Management
- Verbal and written communication
- Strategic Planning
- Project Management
- Team Management
- Budget Management
- Negotiation
- Financial Reporting
- Charismatic Leader
- Talent Acquisition
References
Available on request
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Work Preference
Work Type
Full TimeContract WorkWork Location
On-SiteRemoteHybridImportant To Me
Career advancementWork-life balanceCompany CultureFlexible work hoursPersonal development programsWork from home optionQuote
Every problem is a gift—without problems we would not grow.
Tony Robbins
Timeline
Director Operations AU
Sea to Summit
02.2017 - 04.2024
Operations Superintendent
Fortescue
07.2014 - 02.2017
Engineering Superintendent
Leighton Contractors
03.2010 - 06.2014
Project Engineer / Manager
North Queensland Earthworks
04.2004 - 02.2010
Process engineer
Yabulu Nickel Refinery
01.1998 - 04.2004
Territory Sales Representative
M&B Marketing Services
03.1989 - 02.1993
Bachelor of Engineering - Mechanical
QUT
Graduate Certificate - Supply Chain and Logistics Management
RMIT
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