UG Shift Manager C Shift

Job Description

Production Underground Shift Manager 

Location: Boulby Mine

The Role

The Underground Shift Manager is responsible for the safe, efficient, and compliant management of all underground operations during their shift, in accordance with current legislation including the Mines Regulations 2014. The role provides leadership across production and infrastructure activities, ensuring effective coordination of resources, adherence to operational plans, and delivery of safety and production performance standards. The post-holder operates as the on-site Head of Mining &on-shift representative of the Operations Manager (Mining), ensuring operational strategies, standards, and priorities are effectively implemented underground.

The role works closely with Production Management, Infrastructure, Technical Services, Safety, and senior mine management to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable mine performance.

Reports to: Head of Mining & Operations Manager (Mining)
Accountable to: Operations Manager (Mining)
Key Working Relationships: Safety Department, Production & Infrastructure teams, Technical Services, Engineering, Control Room, Operations managers, Mine Overseers.

The Responsibilities

The post-holder is responsible for:

1. Safety

• The safety, health, and welfare of all personnel on shift 
• Ensuring compliance with Mines Regulations 2014 and statutory requirements 
• Supporting delivery and enforcement of safety standards, policies, and “bowtie” controls defined by the Operations Manager 
• Maintaining and improving compliance with ISO 45001:2018 
• Ensuring safety audits are completed, closed out, and meet required standards 
• Ensuring Risk Assessments and Method Statements are: 
  
  • Available and task-specific 
  • Effectively communicated and understood 
  • Reviewed as required 
• Promoting a strong culture of hazard identification and risk management 
• Delivering safety briefs and ensuring engagement and feedback 
• Implementing emergency procedures and managing incidents 
• Ensuring safe havens and escape routes are maintained and understood 

2. Planning & Operational Delivery

• Coordinating and deploying resources to deliver the operational plan set by the Operations Manager 
• Ensuring shift activities align with short- and mid-term production strategies 
• Delivering daily production targets safely and efficiently 
• Liaising with Operations Manager and Technical Services to ensure alignment with mine plans 
• Supporting execution of improvement plans relating to safety, reliability, and productivity 
• Ensuring workforce competence aligns with operational requirements 

3. Manage and Lead

• Providing visible leadership across all underground operations 
• Acting as the senior operational leader on shift 
• Leading and promoting a strong safety culture and behavioural standards 
• Directly managing Overseers and ensuring effective supervision across all areas 
• Supporting performance management, coaching, and development of team members 
• Reinforcing standards, accountability, and operational discipline set by the Operations Manager 
• Chairing shift production and engineering meetings 

4. Decision Making & Problem Solving

• Making real-time operational decisions to maintain safe and efficient production 
• Applying judgement aligned with business priorities, safety standards, and operational strategy 
• Prioritising tasks and allocating resources to meet objectives 
• Managing incidents, equipment issues, and changing mining conditions 
• Escalating significant risks or issues appropriately 

5. Operational Parameters

• Taking responsibility for the mine during the shift in the absence of senior management 
• Preparing and delivering pre-shift plans and briefings aligned to operational priorities 
• Ensuring all officials are briefed prior to shift start 
• Spending sufficient time underground to manage operations effectively 
• Reviewing and countersigning statutory and production reports 
• Producing detailed shift reports including safety, performance, and key events 
• Ensuring effective structured handovers between shifts 

6. Communication

• Communicating operational priorities, risks, and changes clearly across teams 
• Reporting abnormal or significant events with mitigation actions to the Operations Manager 
• Supporting communication of business objectives and performance expectations 
• Liaising across departments to ensure coordination and interdependency management 
• Providing clear verbal and written shift handovers 
• Presenting operational performance and issues where required 

7. Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Supporting delivery of KPIs set by the Operations Manager 
• Monitoring shift performance including production, safety, and equipment reliability 
• Identifying improvement opportunities and supporting defect elimination activities 
• Driving adherence to operational standards, procedures, and best practices 
• Supporting implementation of new initiatives, technology, and operational improvements 

8. Information Management

• Using geological, survey, and operational data to guide decisions 
• Ensuring compliance with plans, instructions, and statutory documentation 
• Maintaining accurate records and contributing to performance data collection 
• Supporting effective use of operational systems (e.g. SAP, planning tools, reporting systems) 

9. Financial & Resource Awareness

• Managing shift resources efficiently to minimise waste and downtime 
• Supporting cost control through effective use of equipment and materials 
• Contributing to efficient delivery of production at optimal cost per tonne

The Requirements

Experience & Knowledge

• Ideally educated to degree level in relevant engineering discipline or to be experieneced in mining operations with relevant qualifications.
• Several years experience of working in heavy industry and significant knowldege of operations in their relevant discipline.
• Proven track record including supervision and management of operations teams and equipment.
• Knowledge of equipment relating to mining.
• Highly motivated and demonstrable history of improving safety performance, productivity and reliabilty in an operational environment.
• Capable of effective communications at all levels within the business with written, verbal, and visual presentation.
• Good working knowledge of Operational Excellence and application of lean techniques in mine production environments.
• Demonstrable leader with a high level of team skills allowing ability to lead and inspire teams.
• Proficient in PC skills, having a thorough knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and other Microsoft Applications
• Knowledge of operational techniques to improve production outputs;
  
  • Creative thinking and excellent problem-solving skills
  • Ability in solving problems in a new way, seeing past what is established and creating a new way of doing things.
  • Track record of applying innovation and technology to improve operational efficiency

Qualifications / Certificates

• NEBOSH General Certificate (or equivalent).
• Risk Assessment training 
• Degree Mine Management qualification or willing to work towards. 
• In the absence of a Degree, a recognised operational quailification with significant supervisory experience.
• Effective communication skills
• Certificate of Management Studies (CMS).

Professional Body

• Membership of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3)