Jacques Smit

ADMINISTRATOR / TRAINER

FORMER DUTY CONTROLLER / SEARCH MISSION COORDINATOR
Search & Rescue Coordination / Shift Supervision / Training / Operations Room Management

Hard working, problem-solving individual with 24 years experience in the management, training and supervision environment. Gained extensive experience in different leadership positions throughout his career, each with increasingly complex responsibilities. Part of the original team that established South Africa’s first civilian-manned Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC). Continuously at the forefront of identifying and solving problems at the MRCC.

Proven personnel management skills
Research & development skills
Advanced computer literacy
Extensive training provision skills
Financial planning skills
Media liaison skills

Professional Experience

SEARCH MISSION COORDINATOR, 2004 – 2017

MARITIME RESCUE COORDINATION CENTRE – Cape Town

Develop, implement, coordinate and revue appropriate action plans for search and rescue (SAR) incidents at sea. Communicate with state and private organisations within the South African Search and Rescue Organisation (SASAR), as well as volunteers, ships at sea and international parties and organisations, to effectively conclude the above-mentioned action plans. Ensure the operational efficiency of the duty team. Monitor the operational availability of SAR resources, especially communication systems. Provide introductory and continuation training to personnel within SASAR.

Selected Accomplishments:

* Search Mission Coordinator for 59 major incidents, relating to groundings, medical evacuations from ships, overdue vessels, fires, explosions, flooding and capsized vessels.
* Search Mission Coordinator during four high profile incidents, namely the grounding of BBC CHINA in October 2004, the search for missing yacht MOQUINI in September 2005, the helicopter crash at Cape Point in January 2006 and the medical evacuation of injured crew from fishing vessel LAI CHING in 2011. The last three incidents resulted in extensive media queries and international radio interviews.
* As chartwork / marine navigation / marine meteorology / maritime orientation specialist at the MRCC developed the navigation charts folio and Navigation Warning database to improve maritime spatial awareness, as well as initiated the purchase of relevant navigation publications.
* Delegated the training responsibilities as the MRCC’s first training coordinator. As a result, the MRCC’s Search Mission Coordinator course (12 days) was developed based on guidelines set by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). This course has successfully been presented to delegates from SASAR’s member organisations, as well as the Regional MRCCs. It has also been scaled down to a 4-day introductory course for SASAR.
* Volunteered to be the MRCC’s Distress Beacon Database Coordinator. Developed the complete database from the ground up, based on guidelines set by Cospas-Sarsat. At the time it held over 4,000 beacons.

TRAINING OFFICER, 2002 – 2003

SOUTH AFRICAN NAVY MARITIME WARFARE TRAINING CENTRE – Simon’s Town

Training officer for deep sea navigation, electronic aids to navigation, bridge management and safety and naval orientation training, training approximately 100 officers in total. As a course leader of four courses plan and monitor the progress of the course, which includes scheduling guest lecturers, coordinating the availability of training facilities and resources and acting as the point of contact for all personal and personnel-related problems of the course members. Monitor the progress of all the junior navigation officers in the Navy’s continuation training programme. As the Training Centre’s budget manager, coordinate the complete budgetary process for the Centre’s seven internal departments, totalling approximately R500,000 per annum (2003 figures).

Selected Accomplishments:

* Revamped all the training material and handouts, bringing them in line with modern training practices and the latest technological developments in their respective fields.
* Revised and presented the Navy’s naval orientation training programme for selected senior officers from the former Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) and Azanian People’s Liberation Army (APLA).
* Assistant course leader for the Navy’s first two training courses exclusively for foreign naval officers, namely from Namibia, Nigeria and Ghana.
* Implemented and trained departmental heads in the Navy’s new policy of full cost budgeting, totalling tens of millions of rands.
* Member of the coordination team to amalgamate the Maritime Warfare Training Centre and the Naval Communications Training Centre, responsible for combined training planning and the resultant building alterations.
* Officer-in-Charge of the naval contingent of the combined SA Navy – SA Police Services anti-poaching operations in Hermanus, Western Cape, during December 2003.
* Guest lecture in submarine safety at the senior naval warfare officer training course.

SEAGOING OFFICER, 1998 – 2002

SOUTH AFRICAN NAVAL VESSELS – Simon’s Town

Served as navigation officer and harbour safety officer onboard South African Naval submarines and the combat support ship SAS OUTENIQUA. Departmental head for various onboard departments, responsible for departmental training, personnel supervision and career management and departmental equipment maintenance. Guest lecture at the South African Navy’s Submarine Training Centre. Member of examination and training boards for junior navigation officers within the Submarine Service and submarine operations room supervisors and assistants.

Selected Accomplishments:

* Member of the onboard evaluation team for the submarine’s new operations room equipment, working closely with onboard personnel, naval dockyard maintenance personnel and the civilian contractors.
* First officer to attempt the Navy’s junior management course (phase one) in a modular fashion and complete three of the four modules (before resignation).
* At the time (1999), one of only a few officers to obtain the navigation officer qualification within 12 months of completing the required navigation course. (It is usually obtained within 18 – 24 months.)