FORESTER: HARVESTING X3

Status: Permanent
Location: Blyde, Tweefontein and Wilgeboom Plantation
Grade: C3
Reporting line: Plantation Manager

Role Mandate
To plan, coordinate, and control all plantation harvesting, thinning, and clear-fell operations.

Key Accountabilities

• Monitor the transport of timber, ensuring timely collection and delivery
• Ensure Operating Harvesting Plan (OHP) is available for each active harvesting compartment
• Monitor production and Micro-forest reports on a daily basis
• Ensure compliance with internal audit requirements related to harvesting operations
• Ensure the Planning Section completes compartment enumeration prior to the commencement of harvesting operations.
• Complete volume reconciliations per compartment and submit to the Planning Department
• Report completed activities on Micro forest and review log quality audits on a daily basis
• Complete management checklists for all operations on a weekly basis
• Ensure supervisors complete Best Operating Practices (BOP) quality checklists daily for their respective operations
• Conduct regular toolbox talks and monitor compliance with forestry best practices
• Ensure post-harvesting audits are conducted with the Senior Forester/Plantation Manager immediately upon compartment completion
• Follow up on all customer complaints promptly
• Control contractor daily operations, ensuring adherence to production, quality, and safety standards
• Ensure compliance with Safety, Health, and Environment (SHE) standards; report all incidents onto the data management system (DMS)
• Mark trees for thinning, ensure alignment with the thinning regime, and verify thinning controls are in place before operations commence
• Perform weekly checklists and post-harvesting audits on completion of operations
• Report volume variances greater than 10% to the Plantation Manager and Planning Manager
• Sign Goods Received Vouchers (GRVs) to confirm work completion and quality standards
• Ensure no damage occurs to remaining stands during operations
• Control plantation road team operations and perform road condition assessments as part of post-harvest monitoring
• Monitor maintenance schedules for vehicles and equipment to ensure timely servicing, licensing, and compliance without penalties
• Identify and address training needs for subordinates
• Complete field checklists and perform in-field quality checks for all operations as per BOPs
• Enforce safety standards in all aspects of work and control environmental management in the field according to the Environmental Management
  System (EMS)
• Manage staff performance and productivity
• Monitor and control training programs to ensure compliance with safety standards; maintain and update all safety registers
• Supervise safety committee inspections, meetings, and reporting activities

Minimum Requirements

• Grade 12
• National Diploma in Forestry (NQF level 6)
• B-Tech or BSc Degree in Forestry (NQF level 7) will be added advantage
• 2 Years’ experience as a Field Forester or similar level
• Previous experience in harvesting operations will be an added advantage
• Valid driver’s license

Leadership Competencies

• Driving change
• Operational delivery
• Self-awareness
• Business acumen
• People management

Behavioural Competencies

• Planning and organizing
• Attention to detail
• Stress tolerance
• Team player
• Stakeholder management

Technical Competencies

• Silviculture practices
• Safety management
• Incident investigation
• Quality management
• Weed management

SAFCOL Group is an equal opportunity company with the focus on gender equality and people with disabilities.
Employment Equity will be taken into consideration in terms of all appointments within SAFCOL.
Interested qualified individuals can e-mail a concise CV and must submit relevant copies of qualifications in confidence to:

Mr Douglas Malope, Human Capital Practitioner, Douglasrecruitment@safcol.co.za Tel no: 013 754 2700

Closing date: 19 February 2026

Should you not have received a response within 30 days of the closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful.

We wish you all the best with your applications