Construction Manager – Mining Projects

University of Fort Hare; Noord-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Fort Hare is seeking a Construction Manager for a major mining project in Postmasburg, Northern Cape. You will oversee construction planning, mobilization, site establishment, and execution, coordinating multidisciplinary teams and contractors to deliver safe, on-time outcomes within budget.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree (or diploma) in Construction Management or related field, 10+ years of experience in mining/heavy industry, strong leadership and stakeholder skills, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or National Diploma in Construction Management, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical or Mining Engineering, or related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years’ relevant construction experience, preferably in mining or heavy industrial projects.
• Significant experience in site leadership and multidisciplinary construction management.
• Experience with contractor, subcontractor and site-interface management.
• Strong understanding of construction quality assurance, completion management and commissioning interfaces.
• Knowledge of project controls, construction schedules, progress measurement, cost control and change management.
• Owner-team or EPCM environment experience.
• Knowledge of SA mining, construction, occupational health and safety and environmental requirements.
• Ability to interpret drawings, specifications, models, work packs and method statements.
• Multidisciplinary knowledge across civil, structural, mechanical, piping, electrical, instrumentation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Leadership, communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders, contractors and priorities.
• Valid medical fitness certificate for mine/site access.
• Willingness to work on construction-site roster.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee construction execution across the mining project.
• Develop and maintain Construction Management Plan, site establishment plan and integrated schedule.
• Coordinate contractors, subcontractors, engineering teams and project controls.
• Ensure activities are safe and compliant with designs, quality and standards.
• Review lift plans, method statements, and ITPs before execution.
• Verify readiness: materials, access, permits, resources, drawings and interface clearances.
• Lead constructability reviews and ensure safe, cost-effective methods.
• Maintain quality, inspection, testing, completion and handover requirements.
• Monitor progress, productivity, schedule and cost; implement corrective actions.
• Manage contractor performance to contracts, schedules and safety standards.
• Review progress claims and payment recommendations.
• Support change management, risk management and commercial aspects.
• Prevent unauthorized scope growth and rework.
• Assess safety, scope, quality, cost and schedule impacts of changes.
• Identify risks relating to methods, interfaces, temporary works, logistics, site conditions and performance.
• Develop risk mitigation and recovery actions.
• Ensure accurate construction records and documentation.
• Coordinate with Project Controls on critical path, forecasts and recovery.
• Provide construction support to engineering, commissioning and operations.
• Prepare and present safety, progress, quality and cost reports.
• Ensure compliance with SA mining, environmental and safety regulations.
• Lead site safety inspections and risk assessments.
• Maintain relationships with contractors, regulators, operations and stakeholders.
• Lead and develop construction supervisors and teams.
• Drive accountability and continuous improvement.
• Advise management on risks, progress and recovery needs.
• Ensure alignment with project objectives and client requirements.
• Perform other duties as required.

Skills

Bachelor’s Degree or National Diploma

10 years’ experience

site leadership

construction planning

contractor management

quality assurance

project controls

EPCM environment

South African mining regs

MS Office proficiency

leadership & stakeholder mgmt

medical fitness for mine site

roster readiness

Education

Bachelor’s Degree or National Diploma

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Construction Manager – Mining Projects
A leading mining and engineering company is seeking an experienced Construction Manager to join its project team on a major mining project based in Postmasburg, Northern Cape. The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing construction planning, execution, quality, contractors and site activities, ensuring the project is delivered safely, within the approved scope, schedule, quality and cost requirements.

• Bachelor’s Degree or National Diploma in Construction Management, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical or Mining Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years’ relevant construction experience, preferably within mining or heavy industrial projects.
• Significant experience in site leadership and multidisciplinary construction management.
• Demonstrated experience managing multidisciplinary contractors through construction, completion and handover.
• Strong experience in construction planning, mobilisation, site establishment and execution.
• Experience with contractor, subcontractor and site-interface management.
• Strong understanding of construction quality assurance, completion management and commissioning interfaces.
• Knowledge of project controls, construction schedules, progress measurement, cost control and change management.
• Experience working within an owner-team or EPCM environment.
• Knowledge of South African mining, construction, occupational health and safety and environmental requirements.
• Ability to interpret issued-for-construction drawings, specifications, models, work packs and method statements.
• Strong multidisciplinary construction knowledge across civil, structural, mechanical, piping, electrical and instrumentation
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders, contractors and competing priorities.
• Valid medical fitness certificate for mine and construction-site access.
• Willingness to work on a construction-site roster and maintain a strong site presence.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree or National Diploma in Construction Management, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical or Mining Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years’ relevant construction experience, preferable within mining or heavy industrial projects.
• Significant experience in site leadership and multidisciplinary construction management.
• Demonstrated experience managing multidisciplinary contractors through construction, completion and handover.
• Strong experience in construction planning, mobilisation, site establishment and execution.
• Experience with contractor, subcontractor and site-interface management.
• Strong understanding of construction quality assurance, completion management and commissioning interfaces.
• Knowledge of project controls, construction schedules, progress measurement, cost control and change management.
• Experience working within an owner-team or EPCM environment.
• Knowledge of South African mining, construction, occupational health and safety and environmental requirements.
• Ability to interpret issued-for-construction drawings, specifications, models, work packs and method statements.
• Strong multidisciplinary construction knowledge across civil, structural, mechanical, piping, electrical and instrumentation
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders, contractors and competing priorities.
• Valid South African driver’s licence.
• Valid medical fitness certificate for mine and construction-site access.
• Willingness to work on a construction-site roster and maintain a strong site presence.

Advantageous:

• Postgraduate qualification in Construction Management or Project Management.
• Professional registration with ECSA, SACPCMP or an equivalent recognised professional body.
• Previous owner-team construction management
• Experience on iron ore, mining infrastructure, materials handling or process plant projects.
• Formal qualification in Project Management or Contract Management.
• PMP or equivalent project management certification.
• Construction safety, lifting or contract management certification.
• Experience with open-pit mining infrastructure and large-scale multidisciplinary projects.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Lead and oversee construction execution across the assigned mining project.
• Develop and maintain the Construction Management Plan, site establishment plan and integrated construction schedule.
• Coordinate contractors, subcontractors, engineering teams, project controls, procurement, operations and other project stakeholders.
• Ensure construction activities are executed safely and in accordance with approved designs, specifications, quality requirements and statutory standards.
• Review work packs, method statements, lift plans, temporary works and inspection and test plans prior to execution.
• Verify construction readiness, including materials, access, permits, resources, drawings and interface clearances.
• Lead constructability reviews and ensure practical, safe and cost-effective construction methods.
• Establish and maintain appropriate quality, inspection, testing, completion and handover requirements.
• Monitor physical progress, productivity, schedule and cost performance, identifying variances and implementing corrective actions.
• Manage contractor performance, ensuring compliance with contracts, schedules, quality requirements, safety standards and project objectives.
• Monitor contractor resources, productivity, progress and performance against the approved programme and budget.
• Review and validate contractor progress claims, measured quantities and payment recommendations.
• Support contract administration, change management, claims avoidance and commercial risk management.
• Monitor construction scope and field conditions to prevent unauthorised scope growth, rework and cost overruns.
• Review construction changes and assess their safety, scope, quality, cost and schedule impacts.
• Identify construction risks relating to work methods, interfaces, temporary works, logistics, site conditions and contractor performance.
• Develop and implement risk mitigation, corrective and schedule recovery actions.
• Ensure accurate and auditable construction records, daily reports, quality documentation, redlines and completion documentation.
• Coordinate with Project Controls to manage critical-path activities, constraints, productivity, forecasts and recovery plans.
• Coordinate with procurement and contracts teams regarding materials, vendor information, logistics and contractual requirements.
• Provide construction support to engineering, commissioning and operational readiness
• Prepare and present regular reports covering safety, progress, productivity, quality, cost, schedule, risks and key decisions.
• Ensure compliance with applicable South African mining, environmental, occupational health and safety and regulatory requirements.
• Lead and participate in site safety inspections, risk assessments, critical-control verification and close-out of safety actions.
• Maintain strong relationships with contractors, consultants, suppliers, regulatory authorities, operations and community stakeholders.
• Lead, coach and develop construction supervisors, package managers and contractor teams.
• Challenge contractor performance constructively and drive accountability and continuous improvement.
• Provide management with clear advice on construction risks, progress, constraints, performance and recovery requirements.
• Ensure construction activities remain aligned with project objectives, contractual obligations and client requirements.
• Perform any additional construction management duties as required by Management.

Closing Date

Submissions for this vacancy will close on14 September 2026. You may still submit your CV for this position until7 October 2026.