Deputy Project Director

Summary

The Deputy Project Director – Tailings Storage Facilities (TSF) is a senior leadership role responsible for supporting the Project Director in the execution of complex, high‑value TSF projects. This position provides strategic and operational leadership across engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover phases, with an emphasis on integration of multidisciplinary teams, civil and mining infrastructure, sequencing, and organizational alignment. The ideal candidate will have a strong civil/mining engineering background, demonstrated experience in TSF and heavy civil projects, and the ability to routinely interface between corporate, project teams, and site operations.

Responsibilities

Project Leadership & Integration

• Act as the second‑in‑command on TSF projects, partnering closely with the Project Director to set execution strategy and governance.
• Lead the integration of engineering, procurement, construction, and operations teams to ensure coordinated sequencing and delivery.
• Serve as a key liaison between corporate, client, regulatory agencies, and field operations.

TSF Strategy & Execution

• Drive development and maintenance of the Tailings Restart Integration Model including deposition planning, water balance, reclaim systems, and geometry control.
• Ensure TSF planning accounts for engineering alignment, construction sequencing, commissioning readiness, and safe operations handover.
• Champion robust risk management, ensuring early identification and mitigation of technical, schedule, safety, and environmental risks.

Team Leadership & Oversight

• Provide leadership to project managers, discipline leads, and functional managers across civil, geotechnical, hydraulics, operations, and commissioning.
• Mentor and develop high‑performance teams focused on safety, quality, and schedule performance.
• Strategic oversight of contractor performance and subcontractor delivery.

Program Controls & Reporting

• Oversee project controls efforts including integrated schedule, cost forecasting, change management, and performance reporting.
• Ensure schedule logic reflects integration points between engineering, procurement, and construction – with clear visibility to critical path activities.
• Lead executive reporting, status updates, and performance presentations to stakeholders.

Planning & Sequencing

• Lead development of logically linked project schedules that tie TSF earthworks, infrastructure, hydraulics, and operations together.
• Ensure work sequences support controlled deposition, stable geometry, reclaim water routing, and long‑term risk minimization.
• Provide escalation, sequencing guidance, and decision support to package leads and discipline coordinators.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Promote a strong safety and compliance culture with alignment to industry and regulatory TSF standards, site procedures, and corporate policies.
• Ensure quality oversight of designs, constructability reviews, and acceptance criteria for all TSF scopes.
• Coordinate readiness reviews and performance evaluations throughout construction and commissioning phases.

Handover & Operations Support

• Lead or support turnover planning, integrated governance handover packages, and acceptance criteria development.
• Ensure appropriate documentation is in place for ongoing operations, O&M systems, and regulatory compliance after project close‑out.

Vancouver, BC, Canada

JDS Project Execution

Qualifications / Experience / Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Mining, or related discipline.
• Professional Engineering designation (P.Eng or equivalent) required.
• 15+ years of experience in project leadership roles on large‑scale mining, tailings, or heavy civil infrastructure projects.
• Demonstrated track record leading TSF design, construction, commissioning, and handover.
• Experience integrating multidisciplinary teams across engineering, procurement, construction, and operations.
• Expertise with project delivery models (EPCM, EPC, Design‑Bid‑Build), project controls (schedule, cost, risk), and heavy civil sequencing.
• Strong commercial and contractual acumen including negotiation, claims avoidance, and change management.
• Significant site‑based experience and ability to travel frequently (70–90%) to remote locations.

Character & Capabilities

• Strategic thinker with high emotional intelligence and executive presence.
• Extremely effective communicator, able to simplify complexity and lead through influence.
• Strong decision‑making skills under pressure with a proven ability to prioritize and drive results.
• Committed to building and sustaining a positive safety culture.
• Collaborative, accountable, and focused on continuous improvement across teams and systems.

Work Schedule & Location

• Frequent travel to remote project sites (rotational—e.g., 2/2, 3/1, or as required).
• Headquarters support role balanced with extended on‑site leadership responsibilities during key execution phases.
• Flexibility in schedule required to support operational priorities and stakeholder engagement.