Head of Maintenance and Signalling Department - W/M

A subsidiary of the Compagnie Minière de l’Ogooué (Comilog), the Société d’Exploitation du Transgabonais (Setrag) is the concession holder of the railway line connecting Owendo to Franceville. As a true catalyst for the country’s economic development, the Transgabonais is undergoing an ambitious Rehabilitation Program led by the State and Setrag. As one of the highest-rated companies in Gabon, Setrag aims to become a benchmark for rail transport in Africa by relying on an efficient and socially responsible model.

With a workforce of over 1,700 employees, 24 stations across 5 provinces, and more than 38 years of experience, Setrag transports nearly 330,000 passengers per year and over 10 million tons of freight—90% of which is mineral cargo.

Job Description :

Reporting to the Director of Signalling Systems and Projects, the Head of Maintenance and Signalling Department is responsible for managing all preventive and corrective maintenance activities for railway signalling installations along the entire Transgabonais line, from Owendo to Franceville.

In this role, he/she ensures the availability, reliability, safety and operational performance of mechanical and electrical signalling systems, in compliance with railway safety requirements, operational performance objectives and traffic constraints.

The position plays a key role in the Railway Rehabilitation and Safety Upgrade Program and actively contributes to the modernization of installations and the development of local teams’ competencies.

Responsibilities :

Signalling Maintenance Management

• Define, deploy and monitor the maintenance policy for signalling installations in line with RAMS objectives (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and Safety).
• Plan and supervise preventive and corrective maintenance operations across the entire network.
• Ensure the availability and efficiency of signalling installations while taking into account railway operating constraints.
• Define, monitor and analyze maintenance performance indicators.

Management and Organization

• Manage maintenance methods and production teams (approximately 25 employees across the Owendo, Booué and Franceville regions).
• Assess human, material and logistical resource requirements for maintenance programs.
• Ensure the delivery and monitoring of staff authorizations and certifications.
• Coordinate activities between teams, regions and internal stakeholders.

Budget Management and Tools

• Contribute to the preparation and monitoring of the department’s maintenance budget.
• Manage spare parts inventories and equipment disposal in compliance with applicable standards.
• Deploy and manage the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) for signalling activities.

Modernization Projects

• Actively contribute to projects under the Transgabonais Rehabilitation and Safety Upgrade Program (level crossings, computerized interlocking systems, centralized traffic control for stations, etc.).
• Interface with engineering and construction contractors on maintenance-related matters.
• Lead the acceptance of new installations during commissioning phases and prepare their transition to maintenance.
• Support the upskilling of local teams on new signalling systems.

Railway Safety and Continuous Improvement

• Implement and ensure the effectiveness of the Safety Management System (SMS) within the department.
• Define and monitor safety action plans, objectives and associated indicators.
• Analyze incidents and accidents, identify risks and implement corrective actions.
• Perform Level 3 safety controls and contribute to audits.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives (railway safety feedback, monitoring and prevention action plans).

Your Profile:

Education

• Master’s degree / Engineering degree in Electrical Engineering, Automation, Industrial Maintenance or equivalent
• Or experienced technician specialized in railway signalling

Experience

• 10 to 15 years of proven experience in railway signalling systems maintenance
• Experience in managing technical teams and multi-site operations is an asset

Technical Skills

• Strong command of preventive and corrective maintenance processes
• Good knowledge of railway signalling systems and railway safety regulations
• Proficiency with CMMS tools and maintenance performance indicators
• Ability to manage technical projects and interfaces with external contractors

Personal Qualities

• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage priorities
• Analytical and synthetic thinking
• Reactiveness and stress management in a demanding operational environment
• Leadership, team-building and delegation skills
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills

Our Benefits:

Every day at Eramet, we strive to be a responsible player in the mining industry and to reduce our environmental footprint. If you are looking for a dynamic, inclusive, and international work environment. Join us and become the new face of mining! 

Become part of the Eramet teams and benefit from: 

• An attractive compensation package, including an annual fixed salary, performance-based variable pay, profit-sharing, and various bonuses depending on your role.
• Access to an employee share ownership program.
• A comprehensive savings and retirement plan co-financed by the company.
• Health insurance and life/disability coverage.

With a presence on five continents and over 70 nationalities, Eramet is by nature a diverse group. Convinced that diversity is an asset, we are committed to welcoming all talents, whatever their gender, disability, age, social or cultural origin, or sexual orientation. We guarantee everyone support and development opportunities throughout their career.