Mining specialist with technical and financial expertise (BSc (Hons) Geology), Ref: 1190936 – Online Interview Questions

Mining specialist with technical and financial expertise (BSc (Hons) Geology), Ref: 1190936 – Online Interview Questions

Current / most recent job title?

Independent Consultant

1. Primary purpose of current/most recent position:

Establishing a business in an emerging market by consolidating early stage assets. Developing the business plan, strategy, funding solution.

The ideal outcome would be to generate stakeholder returns through the consolidation of a pipeline of attractive assets into an investment vehicle, funded sufficiently to advance the assets through relevant study processes.

2. Core elements or functions that must operate effectively in order to achieve primary purpose:

1. Data acquisition, analysis, interpretation, and communication
2. Problem solving – logistics, planning
3. Stakeholder management – ability to coordinate people, align to common goals, increase collaboration
4. Communication skills – ability to deliver an engaging and compelling narrative

3. Description of self, along with greater purpose and passions:

Mining specialist with technical and financial expertise. Partner to leadership teams developing business strategies, seeking improvement in internal processes, and targeting optimisation of asset value throughout the life-cycle.

Natural ability to partner with senior leadership teams to advise on impactful and pragmatic initiatives to deliver value. Highly motivated and engaged when collaborating with talented colleagues in a high-performing team, while solving complex challenges. A well-rounded skill set, pressure-tested in fast-paced and challenging organisations. Sound technical knowledge and strong commercial acumen, with a proven ability to evaluate business processes holistically, linking financial and operational performance, and partnering with corporate and asset teams to improve efficiencies. Excels in roles that involve engaging across boundaries, with the opportunity to drive improvements in performance, processes, and through people. Demonstrated ability to align senior leaders, strong problem-solving capabilities, and capacity to generate engaging communication materials. Exceptional stakeholder management and relationship building abilities, comfort operating with ambiguity, and a passion for continuous learning – keen to join an organisation that values these traits.

4. Key responsibilities and accountabilities of ideal position:

1. Developing strategy to establish/enhance competitive advantage
2. Aligning organisational capital expenditure with strategic objectives
3. Optimising capital efficiency through integrated long-term planning, best-practice asset management, establishing/managing processes to ensure rigour and quality, etc.
4. Managing business improvement initiative portfolios that facilitate step-change in operating practice i.e. strategic or technological investments (inception of projects, development of solutions, establishing business case, gaining approval, delivering project, capturing learnings into feedback loop)

5. Skill area of competence:

The combination of strong strategic, financial and technical skills, coupled with an engaging communication style, result in me being adept at building credibility and trust with stakeholders of any level, both internally and externally.

Technical & Projects
* Proven ability to manage strategic initiative / continuous improvement portfolios, evaluate project feasibility studies (scoping through to detailed engineering), and lead governance of stage-gated approval processes
* Deep exposure to technical mining disciplines: ore-body modelling, life of mine planning, beneficiation, etc.
* Adept at absorbing, simplifying, and communicating technical information to non-technical audiences

Financial & Analytical
* Astute with the analysis of key metrics in terms of business and operational performance, benchmarking these metrics, and developing actionable recommendations to achieve improvements
* Experienced performing valuations across the life-cycle (cash-flow models, comps, transaction analysis)
* Strong Excel skills with demonstrated ability to develop and maintain corporate & asset level financial models

Business Improvement
* Contributed to numerous optimisation / continuous improvement initiatives from pit-to-port, optimising the extraction of value from the resource (details available on request)
* Experienced at managing and improving complex workflows across geographical boundaries

6. Career summary:

5 years mining (operations): 5 years platinum
2 years investment banking: natural resource focus (multiple commodities)
3 years mining (corporate): iron ore, coal, gold, base metals
1 year consultant: gold, lithium

7. Achievements:

Successfully delivered an optimisation of the extraction strategy, unlocking US$50m worth of ounces not incorporated in the original strategy.
* Typical extraction was a narrow (< 1m) tabular orebody – identified geological anomalies within the resource boundary (>1.5m “thick reef” zones). Developed the drill programme and undertook underground mapping to increase data points. Revised the ore-body model which revealed an opportunity to optimize the extraction strategy for the local variations. Modelled geotechnical parameters to develop a revised extraction strategy.
* Led business case development incorporating SMEs from adjacent disciplines and across business unit silos (e.g. metallurgy), risk evaluation work-streams, training requirements, and standard and operating procedure updates.
* Executed the revised strategy, coaching teams on the face to deliver safe and efficient production. Delivered additional $50m of revenue to the asset.

Developed the acquisition strategy for a European-based battery metal asset (transaction completed)
* On an exceptionally tight timeframe, undertook the due-diligence including site visit, legal appraisal, technical evaluation, and critical flaws assessment ahead of the transaction
* Involved with geological appraisal of the ore-body, mineralogical evaluation and processing plant requirements, mine design potential as well as all commercial aspects to determine valuation * Presented valuation paper to the board of the potential acquirer, highlighting risks and opportunities

Improved the governance and process efficacy of the capital allocation process at a global mining company
* After stabilizing the process, I identified opportunities to enhance engagement and improve the quality of submissions
* Engaged with corporate & site teams to identify their pain points, establish baseline, and evaluate “what good looks like”
* Developed process documents and improved workflows to maximise transparency (governance/assurance) and collaboration, thereby expediting the capital allocation process by >35% year on year

8. What do you absolutely love doing?

* Solving challenges
* Facilitating collaboration to enhance business integration & innovation across silos
* Getting the job done (well) – an urgency to improve the business by making data-driven decisions and taking action

9. Ideal company (culture and values):

A meritocracy, collaborative, continuously learning, and burning desire to be the best they can possibly be. Ideally, a company with the ambition to be all of the above, but currently lacking the roadmaps and ability to bridge the gap (an opportunity for me to deliver value from day one).

“I am seeking the opportunity to collaborate with talented colleagues in a high-performing team, solving complex challenges. I have developed a well-rounded skill set, which has been gained in fast-paced and challenging organisations. With sound technical knowledge, strong commercial acumen, and hands-on operational experience, I am able to holistically evaluate all aspects of the value chain. I excel in roles that involve owning a business process, engaging across functions, and in roles with the opportunity to drive improvements in performance, processes, and people. I possess excellent analytical capabilities, exceptional stakeholder management skills, and a proven ability for effectively communicating complex results.

Leveraging these skills, I am able to operate effectively within both strategic and tactical roles. I am exceptionally motivated by delivering value to an organisation, especially by enhancing capital efficiency, improving asset management, developing strategy, and managing business improvement initiatives.”

If you are looking for a mining-focused corporate professional with technical, financial and governance experience gained in roles at leading corporates and in advisory; highly analytical, an engaging communicator, strategic, and passionate about developing the collaborative relationships that deliver optimal outcomes in the organisations in which he operates, then do get in touch. Click to email our Agent or call us: Head Office – Gauteng, SA. + 27 10 597 0862. 

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