Production Manager (Mining – Zinc Operation)

Role Purpose

The Production Manager is responsible for leading and managing all mining production activities to ensure safe, stable and efficient delivery of ore to the processing plant.

The role drives production discipline, alignment to mine plans, grade control, equipment utilisation and cost performance. The position ensures that tonnage, grade and quality targets are consistently achieved while maintaining strict adherence to safety, environmental and operational standards.

Key Responsibilities

Production Planning & Control

• Implement short, medium and long-term mine production plans aligned to business targets.
• Deliver planned ore tonnage and grade to the plant in line with processing requirements.
• Monitor daily, weekly and monthly production performance against targets.
• Adjust production schedules in response to operational constraints, geotechnical conditions and equipment availability.
• Coordinate loading, hauling and ore control activities.
• Ensure alignment between mine production and plant demand (ore quality, tonnage and blending requirements).

Safety, Health & Environment (SHE)

• Drive a zero-harm safety culture across all production activities.
• Ensure full compliance with MHSA, site standards and legal requirements.
• Lead risk assessments, incident investigations and corrective actions.
• Enforce adherence to SOPs, safe work practices and operational discipline.
• Ensure environmental compliance including dust suppression, waste handling and water management.

Operational Leadership

• Lead, coach and manage supervisors and production teams.
• Set clear performance targets and manage accountability across shifts.
• Ensure effective shift handovers and communication of production priorities.
• Promote a culture of discipline, ownership and continuous improvement.
• Drive short interval control to manage daily production performance and deviations.

Equipment & Resource Management

• Ensure effective utilisation and availability of mining equipment.
• Coordinate closely with engineering and maintenance teams to optimise equipment performance.
• Manage manpower deployment to achieve optimal productivity and efficiency.
• Identify production bottlenecks and implement improvement initiatives.

Cost & Budget Control

• Manage production costs in line with budget targets (cost per tonne).
• Control consumption of key inputs including fuel and ground support.
• Contribute to budget preparation and forecasting.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising safety or production performance.

Quality & Grade Control

• Ensure mining activities align with grade control and mine design requirements.
• Work closely with geology and survey teams to minimise dilution and ore loss.
• Ensure proper ore and waste separation and stockpile management.
• Support blending strategies to maintain consistent plant feed quality.

Reporting & Compliance

• Prepare and present daily, weekly and monthly production reports.
• Track and report KPIs including safety, production, quality and cost performance.
• Ensure compliance with mine plans, permits and statutory reporting requirements.
• Participate in audits and regulatory inspections.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify and implement productivity and efficiency improvements.
• Drive operational discipline and adherence to standards.
• Support initiatives to improve mine-to-mill integration and overall value chain performance.

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree or Diploma in Mining Engineering or related field.
• Minimum 7–10 years' mining experience with at least 3–5 years in a leadership role.
• Proven experience in base metal mining operations (open pit or underground).

Desirable

• Experience in zinc mining operations.
• Experience in mechanised mining environments.
• Leadership or management development training.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong operational leadership and team management capability
• Solid understanding of mine production and execution principles
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making ability
• Cost awareness and commercial understanding
• High safety awareness and risk management discipline
• Strong communication and reporting skills
• Ability to perform in a high-pressure, continuous production environment

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Ore tonnage delivered to plant
• Ore grade and quality compliance
• Production plan adherence
• Equipment utilisation and productivity
• Cost per tonne
• Safety performance and compliance
• Dilution and ore loss control
• Continuous improvement implementation