Contract Manager

Copper Quail Global; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Copper Quail Global seeks an experienced Contract Manager to lead drilling and bore projects in a demanding mining environment. You will drive day-to-day operations, ensure safe, productive execution, and oversee crews, equipment, and budgets across multiple project sites.

The role requires hands-on leadership, strong SHEQ governance, and the ability to coordinate with engineers, maintenance teams and clients while delivering profitable outcomes. Extensive site travel is expected.

Qualifications

• Proven hands-on drilling experience in mining or related environments.
• Experience managing drilling operations, people, equipment and resources.
• Experience in contract management, budgeting, and cost control.
• Strong SHEQ, risk-management and governance experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage day-to-day drilling contract operations across project sites.
• Ensure safe project execution, production performance, and client satisfaction.
• Plan and coordinate crews, shifts, equipment, and materials.
• Monitor performance against plan, production rates, downtime, and costs.
• Provide operational support to supervisors and crews on site.
• Drive corrective actions for reliability and production continuity.
• Maintain compliance with SHEQ and mining regulations.
• Manage project budgets, forecasts, and profitability.

Skills

Hands-on drilling

Supervisory/foreman experience

Contract management

Budgeting & cost control

SHEQ & risk management

Leadership & team management

Drilling equipment knowledge

Underground drilling experience

Operational governance

Site safety compliance

Education

Grade 12 / Matric

Mining/Mechanical/Engineering/Project Management qualification

Job description

The Contract Manager will take full operational responsibility for drilling and bore projects, ensuring safe, productive and commercially successful execution. This is a hands-on operational leadership role for an experienced drilling professional who understands the equipment, crews and realities of site operations. The successful candidate must be comfortable operating in demanding mining environments and must have sufficient practical drilling experience to step into operations when required, support crews directly and, where competent and authorised, operate drilling equipment during operational requirements, troubleshooting or emergency coverage.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage day-to-day drilling contract operations across assigned project sites.
• Take accountability for safe project execution, production performance, equipment availability, project quality and client satisfaction.
• Plan and coordinate crews, shifts, equipment, tooling, consumables and operational resources.
• Monitor drilling performance against plan, including production rates, utilisation, downtime and cost performance.
• Maintain a visible presence on site and provide practical operational support to supervisors and drilling crews.
• Support fault diagnosis, breakdown response and operational troubleshooting together with engineering and maintenance teams.
• Ensure scheduled maintenance, rod maintenance, condition monitoring and equipment inspections are completed as required.
• Identify recurring equipment or operational failures and drive corrective actions to improve reliability and production continuity.
• Manage contract budgets, forecasts, operational expenditure, procurement and project profitability.
• Maintain strong client relationships and manage contractual, operational and commercial matters professionally.
• Ensure contract variations, claims, commercial risks and client requirements are identified and managed.
• Lead foremen, supervisors, operators and multidisciplinary site personnel and maintain clear performance expectations.
• Ensure workforce competency, legal appointments, medicals, training and site certifications remain current.
• Ensure full compliance with mining legislation, client standards, SHEQ requirements and company procedures.
• Conduct and participate in operational meetings, risk assessments, inspections, incident investigations and performance reviews.
• Support mobilisation, demobilisation and start-up of drilling contracts and new project sites.
• Maintain accurate daily, weekly and monthly production, cost, equipment and management reporting.

Qualifications

• Grade 12 / Matric.
• Relevant Mining, Mechanical, Engineering, Project Management, Business Management or related qualification is advantageous; substantial relevant drilling experience may be considered where appropriate.
• Minimum 10 years' experience in mining, drilling, raise boring, construction or heavy industrial operations.
• At least 10years' experience in a supervisory, foreman, contract-management or operational-management capacity.
• Demonstrated experience managing drilling operations, people, equipment and operational resources.
• Experience in contract management, client engagement, budgeting and cost control.
• Strong SHEQ, risk-management and operational-governance experience.

Required Skills

• Proven hands-on drilling experience within mining, boring, exploration drilling, underground drilling or a closely related specialist drilling environment like exploration drilling.
• Strong practical understanding of drilling equipment, drilling cycles, tooling, rods, reaming / pilot drilling principles, breakdown response and production constraints.
• Physically fit and medically fit for operational mining work, including underground exposure where required.
• Must be willing and able to work hands-on on site and assist operational crews when circumstances require it.
• Must be capable of operating or supporting the operation of drilling equipment when required, subject to competency, site authorisation and applicable safety requirements.
• Professional working proficiency is required for day-to-day operational communication.
• Valid driver's licence and willingness to travel extensively between project sites.
• Strong operational knowledge of drilling rigs and associated equipment used in underground or specialist mining environments.
• Understanding of drilling tooling, drill strings / rods, reaming, pilot drilling, alignment, setup and drilling support systems.
• Ability to identify common equipment and drilling-process problems and coordinate safe corrective action.
• Practical understanding of equipment condition, maintenance requirements and the impact of machine performance on production.
• Experience working closely with operators, artisans, technicians and OEM / technical-support personnel.
• Able to assess operational readiness of equipment, crews and work areas before production activities commence.

Preferred Skills

• Direct drilling operational experience.
• Previous experience as a Driller, Drill Supervisor, Foreman or similar hands-on drilling role before progressing into management.
• Experience operating specialist drilling equipment.
• Mine Manager's Certificate or relevant statutory appointment experience.
• Formal Project Management, Financial Management, Labour Relations or Leadership training.
• Experience with equipment fleet management, maintenance planning and condition monitoring.