Principal: Mining

Job description

The Mining team's role within Technical & Sustainability at De Beers Group is to ensure that mines are designed, developed, and operated to deliver maximum value and allow De Beers Group to meet its strategic, operational and compliance requirements. In collaboration with Processing and Engineering & Maintenance disciplines, Mining enables tangible value delivery across the business by improving stability, reducing variation, and removing constraints across operations. This role reflects the consolidation of three previous Principal Mining Engineer roles into one, requiring agile, adaptable, and resilient leadership to contribute to the development and execution of De Beers Group's strategy. The purpose of this role is to provide technical leadership across De Beers' mining portfolio, ensuring safe, sustainable, and value-maximising outcomes through effective mine planning, technical governance, operational support, assurance, and continuous improvement aligned to business strategy. Technical Leadership & Mine Planning Serve as the Group technical authority for mining practices across Open Pit and Underground operations. Provide expert technical support to Managed Operations and Non-Managed Joint Venture Operations across mining, planning, productivity, operational performance, and value optimisation. Support development and optimisation of mine designs, mining methods, production strategies, and operating practices to maximise asset value delivery. Identify key technical issues, risks and opportunities for business risk mitigation and value add within core mining systems as a process expert. Ensure alignment between Life of Asset Plans, medium-term plans, operational execution strategies, and technical discipline objectives. Lead cross-discipline integration inputs into business plans and operational execution through the upstream diamond value chain. Continuous Improvement & People Development Facilitate continuous improvement and modernisation at operations aligned to defined priority areas based on monitoring and review of operational performance and reliability across De Beers Group. Drive optimisation of mining systems, equipment utilisation, operational performance, and technical standards across the consolidated portfolio. Drive people development within the mining discipline across Managed and Non-Managed Joint Ventures, including identifying knowledge gaps, coaching, identifying potential employees, and planning succession for critical roles Governance, Assurance & Risk Management Develop, maintain and implement technical standards related to business level catastrophic risk. Conduct technical 2nd line assurance activities and support governance processes for managed entities. Review and challenge mine plans, production strategies, capital projects, operating costs, and technical assumptions. Identify and manage key technical, operational, and strategic risks, constraints, opportunities and improvement initiatives impacting asset performance and long-term value creation. Ensure compliance with applicable mining, safety, environmental, rehabilitation, and closure requirements. Studies, Projects and Reporting Deliver techno-economic modelling of the integrated business plan and trade-off scenarios. Maintain the De Beers Supply Strategy, running scenarios and updating it with changes to the business. Lead study implementation for managed operations, including tactical transition plans. Support Resource and Reserve reporting; review production processes and conduct iterative optimisation of the LoM forecast to maximise the reserve-to-resource ratio and achieve optimum NPV+. Qualifications and Experience Degree in Mining Engineering or equivalent. Preferred certification: Mine Manager's Certificate of Competency (where applicable). Preferred: Postgraduate qualification (Honours/Master's degree, MBA or equivalent) in Mining Engineering, Mine Planning or a related discipline. Preferred certification: Professional registration with SAIMM, ECSA (Pr Eng), or equivalent recognised professional body. Minimum 12-15 years' mining industry experience, including at least 5 years at Mining Manager or Technical Services Manager level (or equivalent), leading massive mining production environments (Hard Rock, UG and Open Pit) and managing contractor-driven mining operations (drilling, blasting, load & haul). Demonstrated experience integrating mine planning with operational execution, and driving safety, production and cost performance at scale across a consolidated, multi-site portfolio (reflecting the combination of three previous Principal Mining Engineer roles). Strong commercial understanding of mining operations and demonstrated leadership of multidisciplinary operational teams and contractor partners in complex mining environments. Knowledge & Technical Skills Strong safety leadership and risk management capability, ensuring safe, compliant, and sustainable mining operations. Deep mining operational expertise across planning, open pit, and underground mining to deliver production targets and mine plan adherence. Drives productivity, fleet performance, and operational efficiency through data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement. Optimises mining costs and evaluates value-enhancing opportunities through sound commercial acumen and techno-economic analysis. Effectively manages contractors, suppliers, and stakeholders across an expanded portfolio to ensure alignment with operational and business objectives. Builds high-performing teams through workforce capability development, engagement, problem-solving, and disciplined execution. Our Values Put Safety First We consider all risks to people and the environment before proceeding with any activity. We address risks before beginning any activity, even if this means stopping a task. Zero Harm is always our goal. Be Passionate We are exhilarated by the product we sell, the challenges we face and the opportunities we create. Pull Together Being united in purpose and action, we will turn the diversity of our people, skills and experience into an unparalleled source of strength. Build Trust We will always listen first, then act with openness, honesty and integrity so that our relationships flourish Show we Care The people whose lives we touch, their communities, nations and the environment we share, all matter deeply to us. We will always think through the consequences of what we do so that our contribution to the world is real, lasting and makes us proud. Shape the Future We will find new ways. We will set demanding targets and take both tough decisions and considered risks to achieve them. We will insist on excellent execution and reward those who deliver. Closing date: 16 September 2026 #LI-LN1 At De Beers Group our purpose is to Make Life Brilliant. We believe that a sustainable business is purposeful, competitive, resilient and agile – it’s a business that thrives through both economic and social cycles. By understanding the context and listening to stakeholders we stay ahead of evolving trends and provide the solutions to societal expectations. By solving the physical challenges of mining through relentless innovation, and constantly searching for more responsible ways to do business, we are changing the way our employees and stakeholders experience our business – creating enduring value for all stakeholders. Sustainability is at the heart of our decision-making – it is how we do business.