About the Role
Our client in the mining and explosives sector is recruiting for a Country Manager / Managing Director to provide overall strategic, commercial, and operational leadership for their business in Zambia. The role focuses on driving business performance, growth, and sustainability, including business development, financial performance, operational excellence, regulatory compliance, safety, people leadership, and stakeholder management.
The successful candidate will hold executive accountability for the country operation and will be a commercially astute and technically credible mining executive who can translate broader strategic objectives into an effective country strategy while maintaining the highest standards of safety, governance, and operational discipline.
Key Responsibilities
• Provide overall strategic direction and executive leadership for the Zambia business.
• Develop and execute the country strategy in alignment with regional and global objectives.
• Identify market opportunities, competitive threats, and emerging industry trends, translating these into actionable growth strategies.
• Position the organisation for sustainable long-term growth within Zambia and the broader African mining sector.
• Provide leadership to the executive and senior management team and ensure clear accountability for business performance.
• Lead the development and execution of the country's commercial and business development strategy.
• Drive revenue growth, market expansion, and the development of new customer opportunities within the mining and explosives sector.
• Strengthen strategic relationships with existing key accounts while developing new business partnerships.
• Oversee major commercial negotiations, tenders, contracts, and strategic customer engagements.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the Zambian mining landscape, competitor activity, and evolving customer requirements.
• Assume accountability for the financial performance and commercial sustainability of the Zambia operation.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, capital allocation, and financial planning.
• Drive disciplined cost management and ensure the prudent utilization of financial, physical, and organizational resources.
• Review financial and operational performance against agreed targets and implement corrective interventions where required.
• Ensure appropriate governance, financial controls, and accountability across the country operation.
• Provide executive oversight of mining explosives, blasting, and associated operational activities.
• Ensure the safe handling, storage, transportation, and utilization of explosives in accordance with regulatory and organizational requirements.
• Provide strategic and technical guidance on complex blasting, explosives, and mining-related matters.
• Ensure operational excellence, reliability, and continuous improvement across projects and customer operations.
• Oversee the successful delivery of major projects within approved scope, budget, quality, and timelines.
• Champion a strong safety-first culture across all operations.
• Ensure full compliance with applicable Zambian mining, explosives, environmental, occupational health, and safety legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain executive oversight of explosives licensing, handling, storage, and blasting compliance.
• Ensure appropriate governance frameworks, policies, controls, and management systems are implemented and maintained.
• Ensure safe, responsible, and compliant blasting operations across all sites.
• Establish and maintain effective systems for identifying, evaluating, and mitigating strategic, operational, financial, regulatory, and commercial risks.
• Ensure key business risks remain within approved risk appetite and tolerance levels.
• Provide executive oversight of business continuity and operational resilience.
• Escalate material risks appropriately and ensure effective mitigation plans are implemented.
• Serve as a senior representative of the organization within Zambia.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with key customers, government authorities, mining regulators, strategic partners, and industry stakeholders.
• Oversee stakeholder engagement strategies and ensure constructive relationships with local communities surrounding operations.
• Represent the organization in high-level commercial, regulatory, and industry engagements.
• Protect and enhance the organization's reputation and license to operate.
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing country leadership team.
• Establish a performance-driven culture underpinned by safety, accountability, collaboration, and ethical leadership.
• Ensure appropriate organizational capability, succession planning, and leadership development.
• Attract, develop, and retain critical technical, commercial, and operational talent.
• Provide mentorship and strategic direction to senior leaders and functional heads.
Requirements
Tertiary qualification in Mining Engineering, Explosives Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.
Minimum 12 years' senior-level experience within mining, explosives, blasting, or related mining services environments.
Minimum 10 years' leadership and management experience, including significant responsibility for complex operations, teams, and business performance.
Demonstrated experience operating within Zambia, with a strong understanding of the country's mining sector, regulatory environment, and stakeholder landscape.
Strong technical knowledge of explosives, blasting operations, and associated safety requirements.
Demonstrated experience managing significant budgets, resources, and operational performance.
Proven ability to manage senior customer, regulatory, and government relationships.