group head – geology

Location:
Johannesburg, South Africa (Corporate Office)

Travel:
Extensive national & international travel (primarily Africa)

Company:
Lloyds Metals & Energy Limited (LMEL) – Africa Region

Employment Type:
Full-Time | Executive Level

Position Overview

The
Group Head – Geology
is a senior leadership role responsible for driving LMEL's geological strategy, ensuring JORC-compliant Mineral Resource estimation, and leading exploration programs across multiple African jurisdictions. This role provides specialist input into feasibility studies, due diligences, business planning, and technical audits, ensuring that all geological functions meet global best-practice standards.

Key Responsibilities

1. Leadership of the Geology Function

• Lead Group-level geology activities—exploration, resource estimation, technical due diligence, and feasibility study contributions.
• Ensure integrity, transparency, and accuracy of all Mineral Resource estimates for public reporting.
• Act as the
  Lead Competent Person
  , ensuring full compliance with JORC and other international reporting codes.
• Drive internal & external audits relating to resource estimation; resolve audit findings.
• Establish Group-wide geological standards, SOPs, and best-practice processes.
• Champion capacity building, mentorship, and local skills development across African operations.

2. Exploration & Feasibility Studies

• Develop and update LMEL's Group Exploration Strategy (greenfield + brownfield).
• Evaluate new exploration opportunities and conduct early-stage assessments.
• Oversee in-country exploration teams to ensure budget, quality, and timelines are met.
• Align exploration investments with Conceptual, PFS, and BFS study requirements.
• Ensure brownfield exploration supports operational and production needs.
• Manage prospecting right lifecycle in collaboration with legal and permitting teams.

3. Mineral Resource Management

• Direct and review all Group Mineral Resource estimation, classification, and public reporting.
• Ensure resource databases, geological models, QA/QC protocols, and classifications are audit-ready.
• Oversee 2D/3D wireframe modelling, model-to-model reconciliations, and third-party technical reviews.
• Maintain a structured framework for Competent Persons and ensure technical governance across operations.

4. Operational & Technical Support

• Provide strategic and technical guidance to mine operations.
• Lead grade control, ore accounting, and quality reconciliation initiatives.
• Improve geological information systems, digital transformation, and data governance.
• Ensure geological inputs accurately feed into Life-of-Mine (LoM) plans.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

• MSc in Geology, Geostatistics, or Mineral Economics (NQF Level 9 essential).
• Postgraduate qualification in Mineral Resource Management advantageous.
• 20+ years
  experience in mining with strong exposure to exploration, MRE, mine planning, and feasibility studies.
• Advanced skills in spatial estimation, classification, reconciliation across multiple orebody types (tabular, disseminated, lensoid, BHQ, hematite, etc.).
• Deep understanding of geology–mine planning–survey interfaces in production environments.
• Expert knowledge of
  JORC / SAMREC / NI 43-101
  reporting codes.
• Proven experience leading geological due diligences for M&A.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build high-performing geology teams.
• Willingness to travel extensively across Africa.

Key Technical Skills

• 3D Geological Modelling (Leapfrog, Datamine, Micromine, Surpac, Vulcan)
• Geostatistics & Resource Estimation Tools (Isatis, Snowden Supervisor, etc.)
• GIS Platforms (ArcGIS, QGIS)
• QA/QC, Database Management, Resource Governance
• Mineral Resource Reporting & Audit Compliance

Behavioural Competencies

• High attention to detail & analytical rigour
• Strong decision-making capability
• Results-driven & deadline oriented
• Ability to collaborate effectively across multiple countries
• High professional integrity and ethical judgement