Artisanal & Small-Scale Mining Development Officer at Mintek

Job description

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:

Project Support

• Assist with guiding staff in the Section, offering basic mentorship and support to help build competence, teamwork, and good discipline within the division.
• Support the Head of Section in securing mineral-related training projects by contributing to consulting activities and engaging with clients at various technical levels.
• Provide day-to-day support to junior staff, help with their training, and contribute to team discussions and technical decisions as needed.
• Prepare technical notes and internal communications that summarises project results, procedures, and operational information.

Project Planning

• Technical and Practical Project Support: Provide practical and technical expertise to support the successful delivery of projects, ensuring optimal utilisation of research facilities to achieve defined project objectives, timelines, and outcomes.
• Client Needs Assessment & Programme Development: Engage with clients to assess needs and requirements, and design, develop, and refine new training courses and programmes aligned with industry demand, institutional priorities, and Small-Scale Mining sector development objectives.
• Documentation & Knowledge Management: Ensure accurate, complete, and up-to-date documentation of all project work, methodologies, procedures, and outcomes in line with organisational standards and audit requirements.
• Technical Reporting & Knowledge Dissemination: Prepare and deliver high-quality professional reports, technical papers, and presentations for internal stakeholders and external platforms, including local conferences and industry forums.
• Sector Intelligence & Continuous Learning: Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant mining programmes, emerging technologies, policy developments, and business initiatives targeted at supporting the Small-Scale Mining sector, and integrate insights into project planning and execution.
• Funding Mobilisation & Donor Engagement: Identify funding opportunities and actively source financial support by initiating, maintaining, and strengthening relationships with potential donors, development partners, and project sponsors through networking and follow-up on management-led initiatives.
• Contribution to Divisional Business Planning: Contribute to the Division’s business plans by providing cost-effective technical and practical input, supporting strategic objectives, and engaging with clients to enhance value creation and revenue opportunities.
• Facilities Monitoring & Asset Optimisation: Monitor, maintain, and manage existing facilities to prevent failures, sustain required service levels, and optimise facility utilisation in support of project delivery and operational efficiency.

Implementation of Projects: 

• Planned Maintenance Prioritisation: Develop, review, and prioritise planned and preventative maintenance programmes to ensure critical plant and equipment requirements are adequately identified, scheduled, and provided for within the approved budget.
• Technical Specifications & Procurement Support: Prepare accurate technical specifications for procurement of spares, materials, and services, ensuring alignment with operational requirements, engineering standards, and cost-effectiveness.
• Quality Assurance of Materials and Spares: Verify that all spares, materials, and services received comply with approved technical specifications, quality standards, and contractual requirements before acceptance and use.
• Resource Allocation & Preventative Maintenance Execution: Allocate and optimise human, financial, and technical resources to ensure effective execution of preventative maintenance activities, minimising downtime and improving asset reliability.
• ERP Time & Cost Capture: Ensure accurate capture of billable hours, maintenance activities, and associated costs on the ERP system to support financial control, reporting, and performance analysis.
• Plant and Equipment Inspections: Conduct regular inspections and condition assessments of plant and equipment to identify risks, maintenance needs, and opportunities for performance improvement.
• SHEQ Compliance: Ensure full compliance with Safety, Health, Environment, and Quality (SHEQ) policies, standards, and legislative requirements, including implementation of corrective actions where necessary.
• Governance, Discipline, and Policy Enforcement: Enforce discipline and adherence to company policies, procedures, and codes of conduct within the section to ensure operational integrity and accountability.
• Research and Continuous Improvement Projects: Undertake and contribute to technical research, improvement initiatives, and special projects as assigned by management, with clear deliverables and timelines.
• Budget Control & Cost Centre Management: Manage and control the allocated cost centre budget, ensuring expenditure remains within approved limits and that variances are identified, justified, and addressed timeously.
• Skills Gap Identification & Development: Identify technical and competency gaps within the team and contribute to skills development plans, training initiatives, and succession planning to strengthen operational capability.

Stakeholder Interaction

• Internal Client Engagement: Liaise proactively with internal clients to understand, prioritise, and resolve maintenance-related issues, ensuring alignment with operational requirements and service-level expectations.
• Client Feedback & Relationship Management: Participate in structured client feedback meetings to communicate maintenance performance, address concerns, track action items, and continuously improve service delivery.
• Regulatory & Statutory Inspection Support: Provide technical and operational support to approved inspection authorities during statutory inspections conducted on site, ensuring readiness, compliance, and timely resolution of findings.
• Training & Knowledge Transfer: Train and mentor subordinates on Mintek’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), ensuring consistent application of approved practices, compliance with standards, and continuous skills development.

Minimum requirements

Qualifications: 

• Minimum: BSc (Honours) degree in mining (specialization in Sustainable Development, Environment studies, Social Performance or related fields).
• MSc would be an added advantage.

Job Knowledge and Experience: 

• Minimum 3-5 years’ experience in mining related projects (more so, social performance, social labour plans and community development in the mining sector).
• Experience in providing training programmes specifically related to fields of mining and minerals. Must have broad experience as a professional, leading major projects.
• Project management experience is essential.

Behavioural Competencies:

• Be able to work in a team. 
• Excellent communication, presentation and organisational skills.
• Attention to detail, ability to follow up and take initiative

Apply by: 6 February 2026