Area Project Manager – Non-Process Infrastructure (NPI)

Albemarle Netherlands BV; Kings Mountain (NC); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

Albemarle Netherlands BV is seeking an Area Project Manager for their Kings Mountain lithium mine project in North Carolina. This is a full-time, hybrid role focused on non-process infrastructure, ensuring safe, on-schedule construction and startup.

The ideal candidate will have over 15 years of capital project leadership experience in mining or industrial settings, with a strong background in project and risk management. A comprehensive benefits package is included.

Qualifications

• 15+ years capital project leadership mainly in mining or heavy industrial environments.
• Proven delivery of infrastructure for mining developments.
• Technical skills in interpreting engineering documents.

Responsibilities

• Develop execution plans, WBS, and integrated schedules.
• Control costs and changes throughout project completion.
• Coordinate with contractors and stakeholders for project success.

Skills

Project leadership

Infrastructure delivery

Risk management

Communication

Safety compliance

Education

B.S. in Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, or Chemical Engineering

Tools

Primavera P6

MS Project

Job description

Job Overview

Albemarle is hiring an Area Project Manager – Non-Process Infrastructure (NPI) for our Kings Mountain lithium mine project in Kings Mountain, NC. This hybrid, full-time role requires on-site presence during active construction phases.

The NPI area project manager owns end-to‑end delivery of non‑process infrastructure that enables safe, on‑schedule construction and startup of the Mine, Concentrator, and Tailings areas. NPI scope includes high‑voltage power and substations, mine haul/access roads and site earthworks, raw and process water supply, stormwater and environmental containment, site buildings, telecoms/controls backbone, geotechnical and surveying programs, and third‑party utility coordination.

What You Will Do

Project Leadership & Execution

Own scope, schedule, budget, and risk for all NPI projects supporting the Mine, Concentrator, and Tailings areas across FEL2–IFC, construction, commissioning, and handover.

Develop execution plans, WBS, and integrated schedules aligned to the overall Kings Mountain master schedule and critical path.

Control cost and change (Class 3 through completion) through estimates, commitments, contingency, change orders, and monthly performance reporting.

Maintain risk and issue registers, drive timely resolution/escalation, and lead NPI stage‑gate readiness reviews to ensure FEL maturity before sanction and execution.

Mining & Concentrator Infrastructure Expertise

Lead greenfield hard‑rock mining infrastructure delivery: access/haul roads, earthworks, ROM pad interfaces, and overburden/stockpile enabling works.

Translate concentrator needs (crushing, grinding, separation/flotation, dewatering) into coordinated NPI scope: power, water, compressed air, reagent/utility areas, and building envelope.

Manage mine‑to‑plant and plant interface points with process, OEMs, and EPCM: equipment pads/foundations, utility tie‑ins, corridors, constructability, and commissioning utility readiness.

Coordinate tailings infrastructure interfaces (ancillary works, return water, decant/pumping, access) with geotechnical and environmental teams.

Engineering & Design Oversight

Direct EPCM and specialty consultants across civil/structural, mechanical, electrical, I&C, and architectural disciplines for NPI scope.

Review/approve key deliverables (site layout, grading, foundations/structures, electrical single‑lines, underground utilities) and guide routing decisions to ensure constructability and operability.

Ensure all designs incorporate safety‑in‑design principles and satisfy requirements identified through HAZID, HAZOP, and constructability reviews.

Ensure all open action items are formally closed prior to IFC issuance.

Participate in or lead value engineering exercises to optimize NPI capital cost without compromising operability, maintainability, or regulatory compliance.

Contractor & Supplier Coordination

Manage interfaces with NPI contractors/utility providers and internal stakeholders; ensure scopes, RFPs, contracts, and changes capture technical and schedule requirements.

Ensure commercial documents – RFPs, scopes of work, contracts, and change orders – fully capture NPI technical requirements and are aligned with the contracting & procurement team’s standards.

Integrate OEM/vendor requirements into NPI execution (foundations, heavy‑haul access/laydown, pre‑install utilities, and commissioning readiness) and drive timely receipt of vendor data.

Permitting, Land & Regulatory

Maintain NPI permitting and land tracker (land disturbance, building, encroachments, utility agreements, environmental authorizations) and align construction sequencing to permit conditions.

Oversee surveying/easements/right‑of‑way and geotechnical investigations to support design, manage subsurface risk, and enable construction.

Reporting & Controls

Implement project controls for NPI scope (baseline, progress, forecasting, and change) and communicate status, risks, and milestones to project leadership and key stakeholders.

Safety & Compliance

Champion safety‑first execution for NPI, embedding safety‑in‑design and ensuring contractor plans meet site requirements.

Ensure compliance with MSHA/OSHA requirements and track closure of hazard review and PHA action items prior to construction.

What You Bring

Education

B.S. in Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, or Chemical Engineering (Mechanical/Civil preferred for mining and concentrator infrastructure scope). PE strongly preferred; PMP a plus.

Experience

15+ years capital project leadership, primarily in mining, mineral processing, or heavy industrial environments.

Proven delivery of infrastructure for at least one greenfield/brownfield mine development or major concentrator project; EPCM/owner‑side delivery experience highly valued.

Demonstrated NPI delivery in a mining context (earthworks/roads, HV power, water/stormwater, buildings, multi‑utility distribution) within a stage‑gate framework (FEL1–FEL3 / Class 5–2 estimates).

Experience executing government‑funded or incentive‑supported capital projects (e.g., federal/state grants, DOE programs) is a plus.

Working knowledge of concentrator equipment installation interfaces (crushing, grinding, flotation/separation, thickening/filtration, conveying) and associated utility/sequencing impacts.

Experience in the lithium, borates, potash, or other specialty minerals industry a plus given the Kings Mountain project’s critical mineral mandate.

Technical Skills

Interpret and challenge key engineering documents (P&IDs, layouts, grading, single‑lines, structural and I&C drawings).

Knowledge of MSHA requirements and proficiency with schedule/cost tools (Primavera P6, MS Project, or equivalent).

Leadership & Interpersonal

Lead and influence multi‑disciplinary teams in fast‑paced, greenfield mining construction environments.

Communicate complex project status and risk clearly; operate with an owner’s mindset to protect schedule, cost, quality, and operability.

Benefits

Competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package to support your professional and personal growth.

Albmarle is an Equal Opportunity Employer.