Specialist, Commercial Contracts

FQM Zambia; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 800 000 - 1 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading mining company in Johannesburg is seeking a Commercial Manager to support procurement processes and manage contracts across various projects. This role involves preparing legal documents, coordinating tenders, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations. The ideal candidate will possess a Bachelor's degree in a related field and have at least 7 years of experience in contract management, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to work collaboratively across teams. A dynamic work environment and competitive compensation are offered.

Benefits

Competitive base compensation

Discretionary bonuses

Flexible working environment

Leave options aligned with local market best practices

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years experience in contracts/category management.
• Experience in the resource sector or asset-intensive industry.
• Strong understanding of procurement fundamentals.

Responsibilities

• Prepare contractual documents and legal agreements.
• Coordinate tenders and contractual negotiations.
• Ensure compliance with laws and regulations.

Skills

Communication skills

Commercial acumen

Negotiation expertise

Time management

Contract drafting

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in a legal, commercial or supply chain discipline

Tools

Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Teams)

Job description

At First Quantum, we free the talent of our people by taking a very different approach which is underpinned by a very different, very definite culture – the “First Quantum Way”. Working with us is not like working anywhere else, which is why we recruit people who will take a bolder, smarter approach to spot opportunities, solve problems and deliver results. Our culture is all about encouraging you to think independently and to challenge convention to deliver the best result. That’s how we continue to achieve extraordinary things in extraordinary locations.

Company Description

First Quantum Minerals is a leading Canadian-based global mining & metals company focused on the production of copper, nickel, gold & cobalt. As a company, we strive for continuous excellence and after 25 years of operations we are now one of the world’s top 10 copper producers, exporting millions of tonnes of concentrate from multiple countries to customers worldwide. Our operations and future developments span across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and the Americas, and we are globally recognised for our specialist technical, engineering, construction and operational skills, which allow us to unlock value from complex mineral projects and deliver rewarding careers for our people, returns for our shareholders and sustainable development for the many local communities that host our operations. As we expand our operations, continue to provide metals to build the modern world and shift to a low carbon, greener economy in the years ahead, our mining projects will continue to require the best and the brightest talent to help us solve the emerging challenges of our time, shape our business and unlock opportunities for our future.

Job Description

The FQM Group Commercial function is positioned to create value through the unlocking of synergies between sites and within the supply chain, and by leveraging the FQM Group’s aggregate demand and good reputation in the procurement of goods and services. These efforts are supported by the depth of experience across the Group and breadth of established relationships within the marketplace and with our various stakeholders. These objectives are achieved by working closely with FQM Operations, service providers and suppliers, continuously evaluating the market environment and retaining flexibility to adapt accordingly, where necessary and possible.

Primary Purpose

To support the FQM Commercial Group in the running of commercial processes for procuring large value inputs, logistical or other services.

Job Responsibilities

• Preparation of contractual documents such as letters of intent, memorandums of understanding, purchasing agreements, service contracts, and other legal documents;
• Coordinating the process for setting up tenders and contractual negotiations, ensuring that scopes of work and schedules are clear, well understood and efficiently communicated, and all commercial and operational terms are clearly defined and similarly well understood by all parties and stakeholders;
• Ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations in the drafting of contracts and setting up of tenders, including local laws, environmental aspects, labor standards, tax implications, and other legal obligations;
• Communicating and checking with legal experts within FQM and externally (in some cases) to ensure that legal precedents and industry best practices are maintained;
• Performing risk assessments, including the identification and qualification of risks, determining potential consequences and mitigating;
• Collaborating with internal departments (including finance, technical, procurement, human resources, and others) as necessary during the contract development process;

Problem Solving

May Include The Following

• Conflict resolution, especially between suppliers, service providers and FQM partners
• Assessing supplier or service provider performance, especially if performance is not in line with KPIs

Key Relationships

• FQM Group Commercial (Group Commercial Manager, Zambia Commercial Manager, Mine Site Commercial teams, and South African Commercial teams)
• FQM Zambian Operations (at mining and processing sites)
• Various suppliers, service providers, etc.

Education & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a legal, commercial or supply chain discipline is required

Technical Skills

The applicant must:

• Be proficient in the use of Microsoft Suite programmes (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Teams)
• Have highly effective written and oral communication skills
• Have strong commercial acumen and negotiation expertise
• Be effective in time management and personal organizational skills
• Be able and effective in communicating across different cultures and with people with different levels of education / intellect
• Be proficient and effective in managing change
• Have strong contract drafting skills

Relevant Experience

• Within the resource sector, or experience in another asset intensive industry
• Minimum of 7 years experience in contracts/ category management field.
• Demonstrated ability to influence across a diverse stakeholder base
• Strong understanding of procurement fundamentals
• Applicable market knowledge
• Knowledge management and administration – including processes, documents and sharing / distributing of the same to selected groups
• Negotiating and contract drafting / management (including setting up tenders)
• Operating in an international context, including working with people and organizations’ in different regions and virtually

Other Requirements

• Candidates must have the right to work in the applicable region without visa sponsorship
• Mobile. Willingness to work and travel across FQM’s operations and locations worldwide
• Fluency in English is required. Proficiency in other languages highly regarded

First Quantum Benefits

• A dynamic, challenging and extraordinary working environment where safety is a number one priority
• Opportunity to develop within a growing company that is currently one of the world's top 10 copper producers
• Highly competitive base compensation & financial incentives (discretionary bonuses & Long-term share plan)
• Leave options aligned with local market best practice
• Performance over presence culture & flexible working environment as per business requirements

Diversity & Inclusion

At FQM, while at the beginning of our D&I journey, we are committed to embedding the principles of diversity and inclusion into our culture, company and practices with the aim of ensuring an environment of equity irrespective of race, gender age, religion, identity or experience.

Office or Operation’s Location

Johannesburg