Head – Drilling Operations
Location: Central Africa
Department: Mining / Exploration / Drilling
Operations
Reporting To: General Manager
Position Overview
The Head – Drilling Operations provides strategic,
technical, and operational leadership across all drilling programmes for Our
clients in the Central Africa. This role oversees the end-to-end
execution of exploration, resource definition, and grade-control drilling
across a mineral portfolio.
The successful candidate will ensure all operations are
conducted safely, cost-effectively, and on schedule, aligning drill performance
with geological targets, quality standards, and regulatory requirements in
remote, complex environments.
Key Responsibilities
- Operational
Management: Oversee end-to-end planning, scheduling, and execution of
multi-rig drilling programmes (Diamond Core and Reverse Circulation).
- Exploration
& Resource Drilling: Collaborate closely with the Geology and
Exploration teams to hit target depths, optimize core recovery, and
protect sample integrity.
- Contractor
& Fleet Management: Manage drilling contractors, negotiate
service-level agreements, evaluate performance metrics, and oversee rig
selection, mobilization, and maintenance.
- Cost
& Budget Control: Formulate operating budgets, track
cost-per-metre targets, monitor consumable usage, and implement efficiency
initiatives to eliminate downtime.
- HSE
Leadership: Enforce strict health, safety, and environmental standards
across all sites, embedding a zero-harm operational culture.
- Logistics
& Field Support: Direct supply chain coordination for fuel, drill
bits, spare parts, and consumables in remote field locations.
- Team
Development: Build, mentor, and lead high-performing, multi-national
drilling teams and technical personnel.
- Reporting:
Deliver accurate operational performance reports, utilization metrics, and
cost analytics to executive management.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Planned
vs. actual drilled metres and programme milestone completion.
- Rig
productivity (metres per rig/day) and overall equipment availability.
- Core
and sample recovery rates meeting geological specifications.
- Variance
against budget, focusing on cost-per-metre benchmarks.
- Rig
downtime and contractor non-productive time (NPT) reduction.
- Total
Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) and adherence to HSE protocols.
- Timely
procurement, inventory turnover, and deployment of critical drilling
consumables.
Candidate Profile & Qualifications
Education & Credentials
- Bachelor’s
Degree in Mining Engineering, Geological Engineering, Drilling
Engineering, or a related field.
- Postgraduate
qualifications in Mining, Exploration, or Drilling Management are highly
regarded.
Experience
- 15+
years of progressive drilling operations experience within the mineral
exploration or mining sectors.
- Proven
leadership over large-scale, multi-rig exploration and resource definition
campaigns.
- Direct
operating experience with hard-rock commodities, particularly Tin,
Tantalum, Tungsten (3Ts), Gold, or Niobium.
- Prior
operational experience within Africa—specifically in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) or similar challenging, remote environments—is
strongly preferred.
- Substantial
background in contractor performance management, commercial tendering, and
budget accountability.
Technical & Leadership Skills
- Advanced
technical mastery of Diamond Core (DC) and Reverse Circulation (RC)
drilling methodologies.
- Deep
knowledge of drill rig mechanics, tooling selection, and down-hole problem
resolution.
- Commercial
acumen with strong negotiation and cost-containment skills.
- Decisive
leadership style with the ability to manage diverse, multicultural teams
under field conditions.
- Fluency
in English is required; operational French proficiency is highly
advantageous.
Working Relationships
- Internal:
General Manager, Geology & Exploration, Mining Operations, Engineering
& Maintenance, HSE, Supply Chain, Finance, and Human Resources.
- External:
Drilling contractors, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), third-party
technical consultants, regulatory authorities, and local community
stakeholders.
Interested candidates, forward an updated resume
dharmendra@karmaasolutions.com
