Exploration Manager

The Exploration Manager is responsible for leading the Company’s exploration strategy and programs in Ethiopia, with the objective of identifying, prioritizing and advancing economically significant gold targets and supporting the Company’s ambition to build a mineral resource base of 1 million ounces.

The role covers exploration at and around the Segele mine, regional exploration across the wider license area, including the Gingibil–Joru corridor, and the progressive evaluation of Gilo and other prospective areas. The Manager is expected to combine strong geological judgement with a commercial and results-oriented approach, applying the most effective combination of modern exploration methods, including remote sensing and satellite data, geophysics, geochemistry, structural interpretation, 3D geological modelling and data-driven or AI-assisted targeting tools where appropriate.

A key responsibility is to build and continuously rank a pipeline of exploration targets and design efficient programs to test them. Exploration activities should be prioritized based on geological potential, probability of discovery, cost, time to result and potential economic significance, with a strong focus on generating measurable results and decision-useful information continuously.

The Exploration Manager will lead the Company’s geological team and oversee drilling activities, including planning and prioritisation of drilling programs and evaluation of the technical and economic performance of in-house drilling versus external contractors. The Manager is responsible for ensuring that exploration expenditure, people and equipment are directed towards activities with the highest potential to create value.

The role will also support management in evaluating and communicating exploration results, target potential and resource development opportunities, with an understanding of the information required by international investors and capital markets, while ensuring that all exploration activities and technical reporting are conducted to appropriate professional, safety, environmental and regulatory standards.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

Exploration Strategy and Operations

1. Develop and continuously refine the Company’s exploration strategy and target pipeline, with a focus on identifying and advancing economically significant gold targets and supporting the Company’s ambition to build a mineral resource base of 1 million ounces.
2. Lead target generation and prioritisation across Segele, the wider Gingibil–Joru corridor, Gilo and other prospective areas, integrating existing geological information with new exploration data and geological interpretation.
3. Identify and apply the most effective exploration methods and technologies for each target area, including geological mapping, geochemistry, remote sensing and satellite data, airborne and ground geophysics, structural interpretation, 3D geological modelling and data-driven or AI-assisted targeting tools where appropriate.
4. Maintain a continuously ranked pipeline of exploration targets based on geological potential, probability of discovery, potential economic significance, cost and time required to test each target.
5. Design and execute efficient exploration programs that generate measurable and decision-useful results on a continuous basis, enabling promising targets to be accelerated and lower-priority targets to be eliminated or deferred at an early stage.
6. Plan and prioritise drilling programs based on clearly defined geological objectives and ensure that drilling is executed safely, efficiently, cost-effectively and to appropriate technical and QA/QC standards.
7. Monitor drilling productivity, cost per metre, equipment utilisation, downtime, contractor performance and sample recovery, and regularly evaluate the technical and economic case for in-house drilling versus external drilling contractors.
8. Ensure the proper collection, logging, handling, preparation, analysis, QA/QC, validation and storage of geological samples and exploration data, and that results are rapidly incorporated into geological interpretation and subsequent exploration decisions.
9. Ensure that exploration expenditure, personnel, equipment and external service providers are allocated to activities with the highest potential to advance the Company’s exploration and resource-development objectives.

Geological Interpretation, Modeling and Mineral Resource Development

1. Lead the integration and interpretation of geological, structural, geochemical, geophysical, drilling and assay data to continuously improve the Company’s understanding of its gold systems and identify new exploration opportunities.
2. Ensure that geological models are continuously updated as new information becomes available and actively used to generate, rank and refine exploration and drilling targets.
3. Oversee geological modelling, data validation and mineral resource estimation activities in accordance with applicable technical standards and reporting requirements, coordinating with qualified external specialists where appropriate.
4. Ensure the accuracy, integrity, traceability and effective management of geological databases, drilling records, assay results, QA/QC information and other exploration data.
5. Regularly assess exploration results and resource-development opportunities and provide clear recommendations to senior management on geological potential, target priorities, further exploration and drilling, and allocation of exploration capital.
6. Ensure that geological interpretations and resource-development opportunities are presented in a technically robust and commercially relevant manner, allowing management to understand their potential scale, significance, risks and next steps.

Health, Safety, Environment, and Regulatory Compliance

1. Ensure that all exploration and drilling activities are planned and conducted safely and in compliance with applicable Ethiopian laws, mining regulations, environmental requirements, occupational health and safety standards, and Company policies.
2. Identify and manage HSE and operational risks associated with exploration and drilling activities, ensuring that appropriate risk assessments, safe work procedures and control measures are implemented.
3. Promote a strong safety culture within the exploration team and ensure that employees, contractors and service providers understand and comply with applicable HSE requirements.
4. Ensure that incidents, near misses, environmental concerns and operational non-conformities are appropriately reported, investigated and addressed.
5. Ensure that required exploration reports, technical documentation, permits and regulatory submissions are accurate, properly maintained and submitted to the relevant authorities within applicable deadlines.

Budgeting, Capital Efficiency and Continuous Improvement

1. Prepare, manage and continuously prioritise exploration and drilling budgets, work programs and expenditure plans in line with the Company’s exploration strategy and resource-growth objectives.
2. Treat exploration expenditure as a capital allocation process, directing resources towards the targets and activities with the strongest combination of geological potential, economic significance, probability of success, cost and time to result.
3. Monitor exploration and drilling costs, productivity and budget performance, identify variances and implement corrective actions where required, without compromising safety, data quality or technical standards.
4. Regularly evaluate the technical and economic performance of in-house drilling against external drilling contractors, and recommend the most efficient combination based on cost, productivity, reliability, flexibility and the requirements of the exploration program.
5. Continuously evaluate exploration methods, technologies, contractors and service providers, introducing improved approaches where they can increase exploration effectiveness, accelerate target evaluation or reduce cost.
6. Provide concise and regular reports to senior management covering exploration results, target pipeline and ranking, drilling performance, expenditure against budget, key risks and opportunities, and recommended next actions and capital allocation.

Stakeholder and Government Relations

1. Maintain constructive working relationships with relevant government authorities, local communities, contractors, consultants and other stakeholders in connection with exploration activities.
2. Work closely with the Company’s responsible functions to ensure that exploration programs, field activities and access requirements are appropriately coordinated with local communities and relevant authorities.
3. Represent the exploration function in technical meetings, government consultations, management reviews and other relevant engagements as authorised by the Company.
4. Provide clear and technically accurate information on exploration activities, plans and results when required for government, community or other stakeholder engagement.
5. Ensure that any commitments or representations made on behalf of the Company remain within delegated authority and are consistent with Company policies and applicable requirements.

Team Leadership and Performance Management

1. Lead, organise and develop the exploration team, establishing clear responsibilities, priorities and performance expectations aligned with the Company’s exploration objectives.
2. Build a results-oriented exploration culture focused on geological quality, speed of execution, disciplined target testing, collaboration and accountability.
3. Set clear objectives and priorities for team members, regularly review progress and ensure that geological work is translated into timely conclusions, recommendations and next actions.
4. Develop the technical capabilities of the exploration team through coaching, knowledge sharing, training and appropriate use of external specialists and expertise.
5. Ensure effective deployment of personnel across exploration programs and adjust team structure, responsibilities and resources as exploration priorities evolve.
6. Identify capability or performance gaps and recommend recruitment, development or other appropriate actions in accordance with Company procedures.

Corporate Governance, Ethics, and Personal Accountability

1. Ensure that exploration activities and departmental employees operate in accordance with Company policies, delegated authorities, applicable laws and professional and ethical standards.
2. Demonstrate professional integrity, sound judgement and personal accountability, and lead by example in the application of Company values and standards.
3. Protect the confidentiality, integrity and appropriate use of geological data, exploration results, technical information and other Company information and resources.
4. Maintain appropriate professional competence and remain informed of developments in exploration technologies, methodologies and industry practices relevant to the Company’s exploration objectives.
5. Perform other relevant duties assigned by senior management consistent with the scope and responsibilities of the position.