Head of Approvals and Compliance

Gold Road Personnel; Perth; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Gold Road Personnel leads a pivotal senior role in WA, directing regulatory approvals across environmental, heritage, Native Title and land access for a major mining project. The Head of Approvals & Compliance works with executives and government bodies to shape regulatory strategy and project delivery.

You will manage a multidisciplinary team, coordinate with consultants, and ensure compliant pathways from design through DFS, with strong stakeholder engagement and strategic oversight.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and ~15 years' experience in approvals or compliance within mining or processing industries.

Responsibilities

• Lead all regulatory approvals for the project (environmental, heritage, Native Title, tenure and land access).
• Develop and deliver whole-of-life approvals strategies (Part IV, EPBC Act, works approvals).
• Manage compliance across environment, land, heritage and Native Title.
• Build and maintain relationships with Traditional Owners, communities and stakeholders.
• Lead stakeholder engagement and represent the project at forums.
• Oversee tenure and land access to keep areas in good standing.
• Maintain Major Project Status and Lead Agency Status through government engagement.
• Lead interactions with EPA, DWER, DBCA, DMIRS, DEED, IFD and others.
• Manage approvals aspects of baseline studies and reporting.
• Provide expert advice on approvals, compliance and regulatory engagement.
• Collaborate with engineering/mining teams to embed approvals in design.
• Manage approvals budgets, schedules and consultant performance.

Skills

Senior leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Engineering or related discipline

Job description

Gold Road Personnel are a West Perth based company, specialising in recruitment within the Mining & Resources sector.

The Benefits:

• Excellent salary package on offer
• Permanent senior leadership position
• Opportunity to lead approvals for a major long-life WA mining project
• High-impact role working closely with executive leadership and government stakeholders
• Join a project with strong backing, clear development pathway and significant strategic importance

Our Client:

On behalf of our client, we are seeking an experienced Head of Approvals & Compliance to join their Head Office team. The organisation is progressing a large-scale, strategically significant mining project in Western Australia, with strong government recognition and major project status. This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for securing all regulatory approvals and ensuring compliance across environmental, heritage, Native Title, land access and ESG functions. The position plays a central role in shaping project development, regulatory strategy and stakeholder engagement, working closely with Traditional Owners, government agencies, joint venture partners and internal project teams.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead all regulatory approvals for the project, including environmental, heritage, Native Title, tenure and land access
• Develop and deliver whole-of-lifecycle approvals strategies (Part IV, EPBC Act, works approvals)
• Manage compliance across environment, land, heritage and Native Title
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Traditional Owners, local communities and industry stakeholders
• Lead stakeholder engagement and represent the project at community, industry and government forums
• Oversee tenure and land access requirements to ensure all areas remain in good standing
• Maintain Major Project Status and Lead Agency Status through proactive government engagement
• Lead interactions with EPA, DWER, DBCA, DMIRS, DEED, IFD and other government bodies
• Manage approvals aspects of baseline studies (geotechnical, hydrogeology, geology)
• Deliver regulatory, statutory and internal environmental reporting
• Provide expert advice on approvals, compliance and regulatory engagement
• Collaborate with engineering and mining consultants to ensure approvals requirements are integrated into project design
• Manage environmental, heritage, Native Title and land access personnel
• Prepare and present approvals sections for the DFS
• Manage approvals budgets, schedules and consultant performance

About You:

You are a senior approvals leader who thrives in complex project environments. You bring strong regulatory knowledge, excellent stakeholder engagement skills, and the ability to guide a major project through critical development milestones. You are confident working with executives, regulators, Traditional Owners and community stakeholders, and you enjoy leading teams and building structured, compliant pathways for project delivery.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Engineering or related discipline
• ~15 years' experience in approvals or compliance roles within mining or processing industries
• Detailed knowledge of WA and Commonwealth approvals legislation, including:
  • Environmental Protection Act 1986
  • Mining Act 1978
  • Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 / Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021
  • Native Title Act 1993
  • EPBC Act 1999
• Extensive experience negotiating with government, regulators, industry and community stakeholders
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills
• Experience managing consultants and multidisciplinary teams
• Ability to interpret engineering and project documentation into approvals requirements
• Valid driver's licence
• Ability to travel to site, Kalgoorlie, interstate and overseas as required