Tailings Manager

The Manager – Tailings & Water Services is a key leadership position responsible for overseeing the daily operations, maintenance, and compliance of tailings pump stations and deposition systems at a large-scale mining operation.

The role is responsible for ensuring the safe, reliable and efficient transport of tailings in line with deposition plans, environmental and regulatory requirements, and engineering standards.

Education & Experience

• Minimum 7 years of experience in mining operations, including at least 3 years of experience in tailings management or slurry transport systems.
• Demonstrated leadership experience within a high-reliability industrial environment.
• High school diploma or GED required; an associate or bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related discipline is preferred.
• Experience with regulatory compliance and environmental requirements relating to tailings management.
• Relevant certifications such as MSHA, OSHA, First Aid/CPR, or incident investigation training preferred.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations of tailings pump stations, including high- and low-pressure pump systems, pipelines, sumps and distribution infrastructure.
• Monitor system performance using KPIs including pump utilisation, availability, downtime and water reclaim efficiency.
• Ensure tailings deposition activities align with approved deposition plans, TSF lift schedules and geotechnical recommendations.
• Utilise monitoring systems, including radar, piezometers and other instrumentation, to support safe tailings management.
• Develop and maintain preventative and predictive maintenance programmes covering mechanical, hydraulic and electrical systems.
• Promote and enforce site safety standards through active leadership, inspections and corrective actions.
• Respond to operational issues including blockages, leaks, overflows and equipment failures.
• Ensure compliance with applicable tailings management standards, environmental permits and industry best practices.
• Supervise, train and develop tailings personnel, including operators, shift leads and maintenance staff.
• Work closely with environmental, geotechnical and water management teams to support safe and sustainable deposition practices.
• Support budgeting, forecasting and long-term planning for tailings infrastructure and capital projects.
• Interface with regulators, auditors and external stakeholders during inspections and incident response.
• Maintain accurate operational, safety and compliance records.
• Coordinate access, readiness and availability of containment systems, emergency infrastructure and operational areas.
• Act as the primary point of contact for cross-functional communication regarding tailings system performance, reliability and availability.