Deputy Project Director
About the role
Summary The Deputy Project Director – Tailings Storage Facilities (TSF) is a senior leadership role responsible for supporting the Project Director in the execution of complex, high‑value TSF projects. This position provides strategic and operational leadership across engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover phases, with an emphasis on integration of multidisciplinary teams, civil and mining infrastructure, sequencing, and organizational alignment. The ideal candidate will have a strong civil/mining engineering background, demonstrated experience in TSF and heavy civil projects, and the ability to routinely interface between corporate, project teams, and site operations.
Responsibilities Project Leadership & Integration
- Act as the second‑in‑command on TSF projects, partnering closely with the Project Director to set execution strategy and governance.
- Lead the integration of engineering, procurement, construction, and operations teams to ensure coordinated sequencing and delivery.
- Serve as a key liaison between corporate, client, regulatory agencies, and field operations.
TSF Strategy & Execution
- Drive development and maintenance of the Tailings Restart Integration Model including deposition planning, water balance, reclaim systems, and geometry control.
- Ensure TSF planning accounts for engineering alignment, construction sequencing, commissioning readiness, and safe operations handover.
- Champion robust risk management, ensuring early identification and mitigation of technical, schedule, safety, and environmental risks.
Team Leadership & Oversight
- Provide leadership to project managers, discipline leads, and functional managers across civil, geotechnical, hydraulics, operations, and commissioning.
- Mentor and develop high‑performance teams focused on safety, quality, and schedule performance.
- Strategic oversight of contractor performance and subcontractor delivery.
Program Controls & Reporting
- Oversee project controls efforts including integrated schedule, cost forecasting, change management, and performance reporting.
- Ensure schedule logic reflects integration points between engineering, procurement, and construction – with clear visibility to critical path activities.
- Lead executive reporting, status updates, and performance presentations to stakeholders.
Planning & Sequencing
- Lead development of logically linked project schedules that tie TSF earthworks, infrastructure, hydraulics, and operations together.
- Ensure work sequences support controlled deposition, stable geometry, reclaim water routing, and long‑term risk minimization.
- Provide escalation, sequencing guidance, and decision support to package leads and discipline coordinators.
Safety, Quality & Compliance
- Promote a strong safety and compliance culture with alignment to industry and regulatory TSF standards, site procedures, and corporate policies.
- Ensure quality oversight of designs, constructability reviews, and acceptance criteria for all TSF scopes.
- Coordinate readiness reviews and performance evaluations throughout construction and commissioning phases.
Handover & Operations Support
- Lead or support turnover planning, integrated governance handover packages, and acceptance criteria development.
- Ensure appropriate documentation is in place for ongoing operations, O&M systems, and regulatory compliance after project close‑out.
About JDS Group of Companies
The JDS Group of Companies (JDS) is a diverse and dynamic team of over 200 professionals focused on delivering innovative engineering, construction, procurement, reclamation and management solutions for our energy and mining customers. JDS prides itself on delivering project concepts from inception to full operations – a process it has executed for operations throughout Canada's North and across the world. JDS is committed to world-class safety and health standards, proactive environmental stewardship and leaving a lasting positive legacy for local communities in the areas in which they operate.
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Deputy Project Director
About the role
Summary The Deputy Project Director – Tailings Storage Facilities (TSF) is a senior leadership role responsible for supporting the Project Director in the execution of complex, high‑value TSF projects. This position provides strategic and operational leadership across engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and handover phases, with an emphasis on integration of multidisciplinary teams, civil and mining infrastructure, sequencing, and organizational alignment. The ideal candidate will have a strong civil/mining engineering background, demonstrated experience in TSF and heavy civil projects, and the ability to routinely interface between corporate, project teams, and site operations.
Responsibilities Project Leadership & Integration
- Act as the second‑in‑command on TSF projects, partnering closely with the Project Director to set execution strategy and governance.
- Lead the integration of engineering, procurement, construction, and operations teams to ensure coordinated sequencing and delivery.
- Serve as a key liaison between corporate, client, regulatory agencies, and field operations.
TSF Strategy & Execution
- Drive development and maintenance of the Tailings Restart Integration Model including deposition planning, water balance, reclaim systems, and geometry control.
- Ensure TSF planning accounts for engineering alignment, construction sequencing, commissioning readiness, and safe operations handover.
- Champion robust risk management, ensuring early identification and mitigation of technical, schedule, safety, and environmental risks.
Team Leadership & Oversight
- Provide leadership to project managers, discipline leads, and functional managers across civil, geotechnical, hydraulics, operations, and commissioning.
- Mentor and develop high‑performance teams focused on safety, quality, and schedule performance.
- Strategic oversight of contractor performance and subcontractor delivery.
Program Controls & Reporting
- Oversee project controls efforts including integrated schedule, cost forecasting, change management, and performance reporting.
- Ensure schedule logic reflects integration points between engineering, procurement, and construction – with clear visibility to critical path activities.
- Lead executive reporting, status updates, and performance presentations to stakeholders.
Planning & Sequencing
- Lead development of logically linked project schedules that tie TSF earthworks, infrastructure, hydraulics, and operations together.
- Ensure work sequences support controlled deposition, stable geometry, reclaim water routing, and long‑term risk minimization.
- Provide escalation, sequencing guidance, and decision support to package leads and discipline coordinators.
Safety, Quality & Compliance
- Promote a strong safety and compliance culture with alignment to industry and regulatory TSF standards, site procedures, and corporate policies.
- Ensure quality oversight of designs, constructability reviews, and acceptance criteria for all TSF scopes.
- Coordinate readiness reviews and performance evaluations throughout construction and commissioning phases.
Handover & Operations Support
- Lead or support turnover planning, integrated governance handover packages, and acceptance criteria development.
- Ensure appropriate documentation is in place for ongoing operations, O&M systems, and regulatory compliance after project close‑out.
About JDS Group of Companies
The JDS Group of Companies (JDS) is a diverse and dynamic team of over 200 professionals focused on delivering innovative engineering, construction, procurement, reclamation and management solutions for our energy and mining customers. JDS prides itself on delivering project concepts from inception to full operations – a process it has executed for operations throughout Canada's North and across the world. JDS is committed to world-class safety and health standards, proactive environmental stewardship and leaving a lasting positive legacy for local communities in the areas in which they operate.