Director: Operations and Maintenance (Mineral Processing)

Director: Operations & Maintenance (Mineral Processing)

Lead the Future of Mineral Processing Operations Across Africa

Location

Flexible – South Africa (Cape), Mauritius (Port Louis), France (Calvados), or Remote with extensive international travel.

About STELO

STELO is a rapidly growing international mining services company specialising in the development, commissioning, operation and maintenance of mineral processing plants throughout Africa.

Unlike traditional contractors, STELO partners with mine owners to deliver world-class outsourced Operations & Maintenance (O&M) solutions that maximise plant performance, improve reliability and optimise operating costs.

With operations and companies in Mauritius, South Africa, France, Guinea, Liberia, Morocco, Malawi, Madagascar and Angola, STELO is building one of Africa's leading specialist mining services businesses.

As our business continues to expand, we are seeking an exceptional leader to join our executive team as Director: Operations & Maintenance.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of a fast-growing company while leading some of Africa's most exciting mining projects.

The Opportunity

Reporting directly to the Executive Leadership Team, the Director: Operations & Maintenance will provide strategic and operational leadership for STELO's Operations & Maintenance Division.

The successful candidate will oversee multiple mining processing operations across Africa, ensuring world-class operational performance, safety, profitability and client satisfaction while driving the growth of the division through business development and strategic partnerships.

This role is ideally suited to an experienced executive who thrives in dynamic environments, enjoys building high-performing teams and is passionate about improving mining operations through operational excellence and innovation.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Lead and develop STELO's Operations & Maintenance Division.
• Develop and execute the Division's strategic growth plan.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across all operations.
• Build a culture focused on safety, operational excellence, accountability and innovation.
• Mentor and develop senior operational leadership teams.

Operational Leadership

Provide executive oversight of multiple Operations & Maintenance contracts, including:

• Operational Readiness
• Commissioning
• Ramp-up to design capacity
• Production optimisation
• Maintenance excellence
• Asset reliability
• Procurement oversight
• Contract performance
• Cost optimisation
• Workforce planning

Ensure all contracts consistently achieve or exceed client expectations relating to:

• Production throughput
• Plant availability
• Equipment reliability
• Recovery performance
• Product quality
• Budget performance
• Safety performance
• Environmental compliance

Business Growth

Play a leading role in expanding STELO's footprint across Africa by:

• Identifying new business opportunities
• Developing strategic client relationships
• Leading tender and proposal development
• Supporting commercial negotiations
• Developing strategic partnerships and alliances
• Identifying new commodities and geographical markets
• Working closely with the Executive Team on long-term business strategy

Client Relationship Management

Develop trusted relationships with executive client representatives by:

• Acting as the senior operational interface
• Conducting regular executive performance reviews
• Managing contract governance
• Identifying opportunities for value creation
• Ensuring long-term client satisfaction

Financial Management

• Manage divisional budgets and financial performance.
• Improve operational margins.
• Identify productivity improvements.
• Drive cost optimisation initiatives.
• Monitor contract profitability.
• Support financial forecasting and strategic planning.

People Leadership

• Recruit and develop high-performing operational teams.
• Coach senior managers and site leadership.
• Promote leadership development.
• Build a strong culture of accountability.
• Foster collaboration across international teams.

Safety & Operational Excellence

Champion an uncompromising safety culture by ensuring:

• Compliance with all legal requirements
• Adherence to company policies and procedures
• Best-practice operational standards
• Continuous improvement of HSE performance
• Strong risk management practices

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in:
• Metallurgical Engineering
• Process Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• or an equivalent engineering discipline

A postgraduate qualification (MBA or Master's Degree) will be advantageous.

Experience

The ideal candidate will have:

• Minimum 15 years' experience in mining processing operations and maintenance.
• Extensive leadership experience managing large mineral processing operations.
• Experience managing outsourced Operations & Maintenance contracts.
• Proven success leading commissioning and Operational Readiness programmes.
• Strong commercial and contract management experience.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams across multiple sites.
• International mining experience, particularly within Africa, will be highly advantageous.

Technical Knowledge

Strong knowledge of:

• Crushing
• Milling
• Flotation
• Thickening
• Leaching
• Filtration
• Drying
• Concentrator operations
• Asset Management
• Reliability Engineering
• Maintenance Planning
• TPM
• RCM
• Operational Readiness
• Commissioning
• Enterprise Asset Management Systems (EAM)
• Production Management Systems
• Continuous Improvement methodologies

Leadership Competencies

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strategic thinking
• Commercial acumen
• Inspirational leadership
• Strong business development capability
• Executive presence
• Excellent negotiation skills
• Client relationship management
• Financial management
• Change leadership
• Decision making under pressure
• Problem-solving ability
• High emotional intelligence
• Results orientation
• Integrity and accountability

Travel Requirements

This role requires frequent international travel to mining operations across Africa.

The successful candidate should be comfortable working in remote mining environments and travelling extensively.

Why Join STELO?

At STELO, you won't simply manage operations—you will help shape the future of mining across Africa.

We offer the opportunity to:

• Lead large-scale mining Operations & Maintenance contracts.
• Work with world-class mining clients.
• Build and grow an expanding international business.
• Influence strategic business decisions.
• Develop innovative operational solutions.
• Work alongside highly experienced mining professionals.
• Make a lasting impact on mining operations throughout Africa.

If you are an accomplished mining leader who enjoys building businesses, leading exceptional teams and delivering operational excellence, we would like to hear from you.

Join STELO and help redefine mining Operations & Maintenance across Africa.