This unit of competency covers the skills and knowledge required to optimise the process performance of a complete process, plant area or system. It requires optimising a more significant portion of a plant than would be required for one of the PMAOPS3## series. It also requires a more strategic approach to the optimisation than the routine, day-to-day optimisation undertaken as a routine part of plant operation. The optimisation may, or may not involve capital expenditure.It includes ensuring that the process/plant area complies with health, safety and environment (HSE) requirements, that process, plant and equipment improvement is planned and carried out, and that problems are solved to meet operational needs and ensure that production of finished goods meets customer requirements. It includes all items of equipment and unit operations which form part of the production process of a complete area.This unit of competency requires the application of detailed operational and process knowledge, including the principles of operation of equipment, and the chemistry and/or physics and/or biology/biochemistry of changes to materials occurring during processing. It embodies a significant breadth and depth of technical knowledge and process understanding which is applied to process improvement.This competency is typically performed by a senior operator, team leader or frontline manager.No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.