General Manager – Operational Readiness Team

About the role

Our client, a leading organization in the mining and minerals processing sector, is looking for a General Manager to lead the Operational Readiness Team (ORT). Reporting to the VP of Strategic Projects, the role oversees readiness from design through commissioning and ramp‑up, ensuring safe and reliable plant start‑up.

Key responsibilities

• Lead operational readiness across design, engineering, construction, commissioning, startup and ramp‑up phases.
• Represent operations in design reviews to embed operability, maintainability, safety, reliability and quality.
• Coordinate with project and EPCM teams to secure systems, documentation, vendor support and site readiness.
• Drive startup and ramp‑up activities to achieve safe commissioning and stable performance.
• Define the operating model, including structure, headcount and shift patterns.
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, training and competency development for operations and maintenance teams.
• Ensure SOPs, maintenance strategies, laboratory, quality systems and governance are in place before handover.

Required profile

• Degree in Metallurgical, Chemical, Mineral Processing or a related engineering discipline.
• 20+ years of experience in mining, minerals processing, hydrometallurgy or chemical industries.
• Proven experience in Rare Earth Elements projects from design to commissioning and operations.
• Strong understanding of processing, product quality, laboratory control and maintenance readiness.
• Experience building teams and recruiting critical operational roles.
• Uranium processing experience is an advantage.

Required skills

• Operational readiness management
• Rare Earth Elements (REE) processing
• Uranium processing
• Hydrometallurgy
• Project‑to‑operations transition
• Design review coordination
• Startup and ramp‑up execution
• Operating model definition
• Recruitment and competency development
• SOP and maintenance strategy development