An international mining group with operating and development assets in South America. The business is working to strengthen its corporate systems and coordinate standards across sites with different operating environments and local requirements. You will lead health, safety, environment and risk across a portfolio of operating and development sites in South America. The role will bring local systems and practices into line with a consistent corporate framework while meeting regional regulatory requirements.

The successful person will work closely with senior management and site leaders, spend substantial time at site and build a practical plan for improving safety, environmental performance, permitting and operational support.

Accountabilities

• Develop a corporate HSE and risk strategy, with clear implementation plans for the next 6, 12 and 24 months that reflect life of mine requirements.
• Align local systems with corporate standards while meeting applicable regional legislation and operating requirements.
• Lead and support a team responsible for health and safety, environment and permitting, and site infrastructure and support services.
• Standardise procedures, reporting, risk assessments and assurance across operating and development locations.
• Improve planning, initiative and accountability across the HSE and support functions.
• Establish and monitor a company wide critical risk and critical control framework, including field verification and follow up of corrective actions.
• Lead incident investigations and strengthen investigation quality, including for serious incidents and potential criminal offences.
• Oversee compliance with the organisation's crime prevention framework.
• Review and improve contractor management, security arrangements and contractor security audits.
• Lead HSE input to development projects, including accommodation, catering, transport, water, power, training and permitting requirements.
• Review life of mine plans and forecast the people, infrastructure and services required to support future operations.
• Maintain forward plans for permits to support mine plans and reduce the risk of production interruptions.
• Establish, implement and monitor management of change processes and high risk work permits.
• Review permit systems for activities such as confined space entry, working at heights, hot work, isolation and excavation. Develop and deliver isolation training and testing.
• Consolidate HSE, environmental and risk information for senior management and corporate reporting.
• Lead regulatory inspections, corrective actions and assurance activities, and maintain effective relationships with relevant authorities.
• Provide visible field leadership through site visits, workplace inspections, coaching and engagement with employees and contractors.
• Establish central reporting and information systems for incidents, actions, risks and performance.

Qualifications

• At least 10 years of experience in mining or another heavy industry, including responsibility for HSE across multiple locations.
• Demonstrated success improving or standardising HSE systems across operating, legacy or recently acquired sites.
• Strong knowledge of critical risk management, critical control verification, incident investigation and contractor management.
• Experience developing and reporting enterprise risk frameworks.
• Experience supporting mining projects through study, construction, commissioning or operational readiness.
• Working knowledge of regional mining and environmental requirements. Direct experience with local regulators would be an advantage.
• Experience managing security teams or contractor security expectations.
• Ability to develop permit systems and plan permitting requirements in line with operational and life of mine plans.
• Strong leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to build accountability across teams and sites.
• Willingness to travel regularly to remote operating and development sites, typically around 50% of the time.