Certification Lead Assessor (Mining)

ERM: Environmental Resources Management; Calgary; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading environmental consulting firm is seeking a highly experienced Lead Auditor for its Calgary office. This role involves leading certification and assurance audits across various standards in the mining sector. The ideal candidate should have significant auditing experience, knowledge of environmental and ISO standards, and a willingness to travel internationally. Candidates with multilingual capabilities are preferred.

Qualifications

• Significant experience auditing or implementing management systems in the mining sector.
• Registered Lead Auditor for relevant ISO standards.
• Knowledge of voluntary mining standards and OECD Due Diligence Guidance.

Responsibilities

• Lead certification and assurance audits for various standards.
• Evaluate compliance and performance for mining clients.
• Prepare high-quality audit reports detailing findings.

Skills

Auditing expertise across ISO frameworks

Hands-on knowledge of mining operations

Exceptional communication skills

Ability to work in multidisciplinary teams

Willingness to travel internationally

Multilingual capabilities

Education

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science or related fields

Job description

ERM Certification and Verification Services (CVS) is seeking a highly experienced Lead Auditor to deliver certification and assurance services across internationally recognized sustainability and management system standards in the mining and metals sectors. The ideal candidate will bring proven auditing expertise across both ISO frameworks and responsible mining standards, along with hands-on knowledge of mining operations gained through direct industry or auditing experience.

Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities

• Lead third-party certification and assurance audits across standards including ISO 14001 (Environmental), ISO 45001 (Health & Safety), ISO 50001 (Energy), ISO 9001 (Quality), IRMA (Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance), Copper Mark, ICMM Mining Principles, and Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI).
• Evaluate compliance, performance, and conformance with management system and ESG criteria for mining and metals clients globally.
• Prepare high-quality audit reports that clearly communicate findings, risks, non-conformities, and areas for improvement.
• Serve as a technical leader in multi-disciplinary audit teams, coordinating audit planning, execution, and reporting phases.
• Actively engage with client personnel and key stakeholders, including community and Indigenous representatives, when required by the audit protocols.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of ERM CVS’s assurance methodologies and audit tools.
• Provide mentoring and knowledge-sharing to internal team members and developing auditors.
• Support client development through thought leadership and pre-audit consultations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in Environmental Science, Occupational Health and Safety, Mining Engineering, Law, Sustainability, Sociology, Anthropology, or Human Rights-related fields, or a related field.
• Significant experience auditing or implementing management systems in the mining sector.
• Experience in SIA, FPIC, Indigenous rights, or resettlement, and familiarity with social standards (e.g., IFC PS, SA8000, ILO conventions).
• Registered or qualified Lead Auditor status for ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 50001, and/or ISO 9001.
• Demonstrated knowledge and application of voluntary mining standards such as IRMA, Copper Mark, ICMM, or ASI.
• Knowledge of OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas.
• Familiarity with UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, OECD Conflict Minerals Guidance, and Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights.
• Understanding of ISO/IEC 17021 and related accreditation requirements for certification bodies.
• At least 10 audits or 3 years where auditing is at least 25% of assignments within the last 5 years, and participation in at least 3 on-site mining/minerals audits.
• Proven ability to work in multidisciplinary audit teams with technical, social, environmental, and human rights experts, with the ability to manage conflict and skills in fraud detection, probing risk areas, and adapting communication styles.
• Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to present findings clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Willingness to travel internationally up to 75% as required for audit delivery.
• Multilingual capabilities (e.g., Spanish, Portuguese, French, Bahasa) are highly desirable.

About ERM CVS

ERM Certification and Verification Services (CVS) partners with global organizations across diverse industries to identify risks and opportunities in their management systems, ensuring regulatory compliance, ESG performance enhancement, and stakeholder trust through certification and verification services.

We specialize in ISO certification and verification, supporting clients in industries such as Oil & Gas, Mining, Manufacturing, Technology, and Pharma. Our structured certification audits ensure alignment with international standards and help organizations demonstrate commitment to quality, sustainability, and compliance.