Chief Rock Engineer

Valterra Platinum, formerly Anglo American Platinum, is a leading primary producer of platinum group metals (PGMs), with integrated mining, smelting, and refining operations in South Africa and Zimbabwe, marketing the metal we produce globally. Following our demerger from Anglo American plc, Valterra Platinum is now an independent, publicly listed company with a primary and secondary listing on the Johannesburg and London stock exchanges respectively.

As we embark on this exciting new chapter, Valterra Platinum is positioned to define and pursue its own strategy, anchored in operational excellence, sustainability, and value creation for the long-term. With full accountability for our performance and growth, we are focused on strengthening our capabilities across the entire PGM value chain, from mine to market.

Our independence empowers us to deepen our commitment to stakeholders and lead with purpose - to Unearth Value to Better Our World. We remain steadfast in our ambition to be the world’s foremost producer of platinum group metals, while embedding safety and sustainability in everything we do.

If you're driven by purpose and the opportunity to make a lasting impact, we invite you to join us. Apply today and be part of something bigger.

Add Location: Thabazimbi, South Africa

The purpose of this role is to provide advanced Rock Engineering expertise, implement effective ground management strategies, and develop plans for complex mining operations. It involves creating and enforcing standards, participating in industry forums, optimizing efficiency, conducting geotechnical modelling, contributing to feasibility studies, ensuring governance, managing rock engineering services, performing risk analysis, supporting operational management, and overseeing quality assurance of support systems.

1. Safety:

• Create a safety culture through productive and authorized operational systems/processes that allow all employees (including contracting partners) to provide their outputs in a risk-controlled environment. Oversee consistent application of Safety & Health principles in all discipline interactions and take personal responsibility for safety of self and others to ensure zero harm and elimination of fatalities.

2. Performance and Delivery:

• Providing the Mine with high level and specialist Rock Engineering services and expertise
• Implement Fall of Ground Management Strategies
• Develop/contribute to tactics and plans for mining at increasing depth and complexity
• Develop and Implement Rock Engineering systems, policies, protocols and standards to satisfy
• Regulatory requirements, Valterra Group Geotechnical Standard and mandatory Fall of Ground Critical Control requirements
• Participate in industry technical forums and liaison with external parties (e.g. local government, other mining companies)
• Benchmarking the state of rock engineering practice in relation to established best practice (technology)
• Review and sign off mandatory codes of practice and rock engineering related systems
• Investigate opportunities to optimize efficiency and cost, driven by rock engineering input
• Conduct and sign-off geotechnical modelling for mine design and sequence purposes
• Conduct/contribute to feasibility studies for new on-mine projects
• Liaison with Manager Geotechnical to facilitate Governance
• Responsible for the rock engineering service at the Mine including Human Resources optimization and talent management
• Business and technical risk analysis.
• Cross discipline (Mining, Planning, Safety, Geology, Hydrogeology and UG Geotechnical) input in mine planning
• Support the overall operational management of the Mine.
• Manage QA/QC of support and rockfall systems in conjunction with Manager Rock Engineering.
• Collection, analysis and database management of geotechnical rock mass data.

3. People & Teams:

• Implement a purpose-driven, high-performing culture that is aligned with the company values, is inclusive and promotes diversity, supports engagement and fosters continuous improvement to work processes
• Develop a high performing team through upskilling them in numerical modelling and best practice geotechnical design principles
• Coach, conduct Visible Felt Engagement and conduct training as required

4. Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with internal and external regulatory, legislative and permitting requirements

• Grade 12 (Mathematics & Physical Science); or Technical Trade Specific N2
• Legal requirement: Chamber of Mines Rock Mechanics Certificate
• Advanced Rock Engineering Certificate or MSc for the discipline would be desirable
• Registration with a professionally recognised body (SANIRE, SAIMM, ECSA, SACNASP) would be desirable

Experience:

• At least 8 years’ experience in rock engineering/strata control
• Sound knowledge to integrate with mining, Safety & Health, Legislation, ventilation, geology and planning disciplines
• Experience in managing a team of qualified rock engineering/strata control staff
• Ability to conduct geotechnical risk assessments, including evaluating rock bursts and groundwater-related risks.
• Expertise in using software tools to simulate and predict ground behavior in complex mining environments.
• Proficient skill to translate complex geotechnical data into actionable insights and present findings in technical reports that guide mine design and operations.

Technical Skills:

• Working knowledge of specialist rock engineering computer programs and models
• The understanding of and experience in asset management principles around mining, equipment and associated operational / maintenance standards /philosophies will be required.
• Sound knowledge pertaining to people management
• Project evaluation skills
• Business objects reporting skills

Social Process Skills:

• Self-awareness, and of behaviours that successfully drive team performance and collaboration
• Demonstrate drive, determination, persistence, and commitment to apply other elements of capability work

What We Offer

At Valterra Platinum, you will join a team committed to excellence and impact.

We offer:

• Meaningful work in a high-performance, values-led environment
• Market-aligned reward and recognition
• Opportunities for learning, development and progression
• A culture that respects diversity and encourages innovation
• A clear commitment to safe Operations

Inclusion and Diversity

Valterra Platinum is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to promoting an inclusive and diverse workplace where we value and respect every colleague for who they are and provide equality of opportunity so that everyone can fulfill their potential.

Valterra Platinum has a zero tolerance to dignity harm, these include all acts of gender-based violence, bullying, harassment and victimisation. Ensuring the safety of our employees extends beyond physical safety and includes the eradication of harmful behaviours from our workplace. This responsibility extends to everyone at Valterra Platinum both during work hours and outside of work. We are unconditional in creating a respectful, inclusive, and safe working environment to ensure that no colleague will be violated or harassed under our watch.

How to Apply

To apply for this role, please complete our online application form via this job advert.

Closing Date

16 November 2026