Director – Tailings Governance

Role Overview

• Provide senior-level technical expertise on tailings storage facilities (TSFs), water‑retaining dams, and surface water management across all Hecla operations.
• Serve as a corporate technical advisor and senior reviewer for design, construction, operation, monitoring, and closure of TSFs and dams.
• Stay current with geotechnical engineering best practices and emerging technologies relevant to tailings and dam safety.
• Support research, innovation, and evaluation of new technologies to improve performance and closure outcomes.
• Provide stewardship and governance for all TSFs and dams, ensuring alignment with Hecla Corporate Standards, regulatory requirements, and the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM).
• Establish, implement, maintain, and verify procedures and SOPs for proper facility management across the company.
• Conduct technical reviews of investigation plans, engineering designs, construction drawings, specifications, monitoring data, and closure plans.
• Liaise with Engineers of Record (EoRs), consultants, and contractors, providing technical review, oversight, and direction.
• Report on the status of TSFs and heap leach facilities, including monitoring results, compliance activities, and emerging risks, to Hecla leadership.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Civil, Geological, or Geotechnical Engineering preferred; Ph.D. a plus
• 20+ years of progressive experience in geotechnical engineering, tailings management, and/or dam safety, with demonstrated senior leadership in a mining operator or technical consultancy
• Deep expertise in geotechnical engineering, with demonstrated proficiency in dam and pond design, construction, and long-term governance across the full facility life cycle
• Prior experience as an Engineer of Record (EoR) for tailings storage facilities or water-retaining dams strongly preferred; experience working closely with EoRs in an owner or oversight role is equally valued.
• Experience with heap leach/stack operations is a plus.
• Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng.) registration required; multi-jurisdictional registration preferred
• In-depth SME knowledge of critical state soil mechanics, tailings rheology, geotechnical engineering and TSF operations as evidenced through related tertiary qualifications and extensive post-graduate and practical on-ground experience.
• Expertise in specialist geotechnical investigation techniques, advanced laboratory testing, slope stability and seepage analysis and detailed design relating to tailings and water storage facilities and associated infrastructure.
• Proven capability in successful design and/or management of High consequence TSFs in a range of challenging mining operations and projects.
• Demonstrated ability to influence decisions and performance at both the operational and management level through effective written and verbal communication
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain sound working relationships (face-to-face and remote)
• Flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing business needs and circumstances
• Excellent skills in managing time, setting priorities, planning, and organizing
• Capable of working with minimal supervision and able to self-manage priorities, with focus on high quality outputs and attention to detail.
• Ability to engage and gain trust of stakeholders at all levels of an organization
• Experience in external stakeholder engagement (industry, community, regulatory), including ability to influence policy direction.
• Strong understanding of tailings facility design principles and geotechnical stability analysis
• Proficiency with AutoCAD and project management software (MS Project or Primavera P6)
• Working knowledge of geotechnical analysis software and instrumentation data interpretation
• Familiarity with risk assessment methodologies and industry guidelines (GISTM, CDA, MAC)
• Demonstrated ability to quickly adopt and implement new technical software, technologies, and methodologies as industry practices evolve.

Benefits

• Represent the company in regulatory, community, and industry engagements related to tailings and dam safety
• Perform other duties as required