Operations Planner at Lekki Freeport Terminal

Lekki Freeport Terminal is the only Container Terminal Operator in Nigeria’s only deep seaport.It is set to become the largest container terminal in Nigeria and West Africa with enormous potential of becoming fully automated thereby contributing to the large trading operations of Nigeria and indeed, West Africa. The premise on which Leeki Freeport Terminal will operate is to connect global maritime trade to Nigeria and the rest of the world.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Operations Planner

Location: Lekki, Lagos
Employment Type: Full-time
Department: Operations
Reporting to: Assistant Manager - Planning

Job Purpose
Project Phase:

• As a support to the superuser team, engage in project implementation activities ensuring planning and operations departments are built, designed, and ready for the operational go live.

Operational Phase:

• Responsible for maintaining proper and efficient Operations planning in consideration of port regulations and rules, vessel particulars, optimum yard stacking and utilization, safety, cost control, and productivity as the main aspects to drive the development of the work and with proper usage of TOS and other related systems and applications. At the same time, also having proper communication with internal and external customers.

Major Job Responsibilities
Project Phase:

• Actively follow and promote the LFT Safety and Security policies and ensure that fellow employees and visitors are doing the same.
• Support LFT operations superusers in the preparation and revision of standard procedures for the operations department.
• Support LFT operations superusers in setting & configuration of different system modules.
• Be involved in several labs & live equipment tests demand during TOS (and other system`s) implementation and interfaces as a supportive role to LFT operations superusers
• Report to LFT operations superusers issues and results of executed tests and follow-up solutions.
• Involve in the implementation of best practices.
• Support LFT operations superusers in the preparation and revision of training manuals for internal training programs.
• Support LFT operations superusers on the execution of additional end-user training on overall departmental processes and terminal applications (i.e TOS).

Operational Phase:

• Actively follow and promote the LFT Safety and Security policies and ensure that fellow employees and visitors are doing the same.
• Work closely with other departments to ensure smooth process flow.
• Report all issues not described in the SOP to your supervisor in writing immediately.
• Ensure efficient handover of every shift change.
• Prepare and share a set of reports as required by management.
• Undertake all and any related planning duties within the capabilities as required.

Vessel / Barge Planning:

• Liaise with the lines in having the discharge BAPLIE and MOVINS received within the deadlines as stipulated.
• Create all vessel profiles and structures in Ship Editor when needed and/or save/rename the files received from Vessel Operators (i.e NSD) following the SOP.
• Prepare, execute, and monitor working cranes sequence by company`s needs and targets, focusing on the optimal equipment deployment and utilization.
• Prepare the discharge and load sequence by the SOP in an attempt to achieve the best productivity possible looking also to the safety and cost aspects.
• Ensure with the assistance of dispatchers that operations are running as per planning and proceed with changes in the planning every time it`s required. Advise peers of any required adjustments to crane sequence, crane allocations, ETC by the changing work priorities, etc.
• Participate in close teamwork with peers to ensure an effective overall terminal planning is maintained to high standards internally and externally.
• In charge of sharing and maintaining a set of live reports internally and to customers, related to operations progress and performance as per SOP.
• Ensure correct data capture to prevent flaws that affect berth, vessel, and yard operations productivity.
• Upon completion of vessel operation, in charge to get through the Agent and Port Control the pilot to sail the vessel in time to receive the next vessel.
• Ensure utilization of optimum planning approach during workload (i.e crane density calculation, dual cycle, and twin lift planning)
• Prepare the required set of documents and hand them over to execution.
• Ensure to get Vessel`s command approval of pre stow plan prior operations without delays and as well on post-completion departure EDI.
• Coordinate with the lines for any major changes requested by the vessel.
• Provide pre stow plan to Vessel Operator as soon as Vessel`s command approves the pre stow and final departure plan upon completion of the operation.
• Ensure shorter vessel interchange between vessels by monitoring vessel operations and smooth communication with Port Control and Vessel Operators/Agent.

Yard Planning:

• Act as a focal point for any yard planning operations-related matter.
• Lead and mentor “Dispatchers” to ensure they are properly executing their tasks and using TOS functionalities appropriately.
• Constantly monitor of dispatcher`s workload and assist on their task every time needed.
• Effectively plan yard layouts of all container categories according to segregation requirements within the yard, using a set of parameters and based on yard strategy.
• Monitor the ICDs declared for the respective vessels and check if are cleared within the allocated time frame, alternatively convert the same to the local imports and information passed on to the lines.
• Close monitoring of Special container (IMO, Reefers, OOG) segregation in the yard, taking necessary actions when required.
• Control, check and avoid daily bases Chimney stacks in the yard.
• Plan and lead the daily yard activities involving all required staff and recourses making sure all planned moves are executed and updated properly in the yard.
• Check container stacks to have proper preparation for the vessel’s operation.
• Monitoring of the export stacks while receiving exports, ensuring they are stacked as per allocation.
• Close monitoring of the import stacks for longstanding containers and sending out reminders to the lines to arrange clearance as the earliest.
• Monitoring the empty damaged unit’s evacuation from the yard to avoid longstanding, communicating with the internal staff and Lines.
• Responsible to maintain yard integrity and taking necessary action when required.

Critical Success Factors
Project Phase:

• Achieve and maintain all terminal KPIs.
• Project milestones related to operations are achieved and have no delays

Operational Phase:
Vessel Planning:

• Achieve and maintain all terminal KPIs.
• Vessel Crane Splits and loading sequence are finalized before the vessel`s berthing.
• Keep evidence of all correspondences with Agents, Vessel Operators, and Shipping Lines on vessel operations instructions.
• No delay in the mail and correspondent handling.
• All reports assigned by the management are executed without delay and fault.
• Seamless handover between shifts.
• All updates in N4 are executed by written instructions from the operation.
• Zero discrepancies between planning and execution.

Yard Planning:

• Achieve and maintain all terminal KPIs.
• All import containers in the yard are planned and stacked correctly by size, type, category, status, and the group always.
• Closely follow up on longstanding and damaged containers` evacuation.
• Proper set of allocations and in proper use.
• 100%-yard Integrity.
• Closely follow up on the daily yard activities.
• Export and transshipment containers are all located and grouped stacked according to the vessel, port of discharge, type, and weight grades before vessel berthing.
• No event of container loss. If containers are missing, to be identified, closely investigated, and followed up.
• Yard Strategy is respected.
• All yard reports assigned by the management are executed without delay and fault

Job Dimension

• Working Areas:
  • Indoor / Outdoor: Indoor & Outdoor
  • Onshore/Offshore: Onshore
• Heights: No
• Hours of Work: Shift rotation
• On-Call: Yes
• Contact after Hours: Yes

Does the job involve travel?

• Local - Lagos: Limited
• National - Nigeria: Limited
• International: Not expected

Qualifications & Experience
Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in a Logistics / Operations field, Computer Science, or any equivalent discipline;

Experience & Knowledge:

• Minimum of 2 years experience in container terminal operations.
• Experience with NAVIS N4 is preferable.
• Basic knowledge of the shipping industry and port business.
• Knowledge of vessel schemes and particulars, stowage plans, and IMDG regulations.
• Knowledge of yard layout and operating techniques.

Skills:

• Ability to work under a pressure environment with a constant change of priorities.
• Ability to communicate in English (Speaking/Reading).
• Ability to work on weekends, nights, holidays, and for long periods.
• Good communication skills with the ability to communicate across the organization.
• Capable of handling multiple tasks.

Major Competencies:

• Planning: Strategizing for both the short and the long term.
• Adaptability: Flexibility in dealing with change and overcoming obstacles in meeting job requirements.
• Analysis: Locating or extracting relevant information that is critical to problem-solving.
• Verbally skilled: Presenting ideas or information to an individual or a diverse group.
• Team-focused: Working with a group in utilizing all its resources to achieve maximum performance.
• Customer-focused: Building relationships with internal and external customers.
• Assertiveness: Confidence in expressing an opinion or requirement even when challenged.
• Decisiveness: Evaluating information or situations, assuming the risks, and making judgments.
• Quality-focused: Supporting the needs of product and service excellence.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

Application Deadline  6th May, 2022.