Vice President Mining Strategy Development & Project Office

Job Requisition ID

11716

Closing Date

7 April 2026

OME

MRS : Mining

Location

Secunda , Mpumalanga

Purpose of Job

Lead the development, integration, and execution of Sasol’s Mining Strategy across horizons (H1–H3) and value chain, ensuring a fit-for-purpose portfolio that delivers cost, risk, sustainability, and growth outcomes.  

Accountable for securing long-term coal resource resilience to underpin Sasol’s Secunda and Sasolburg operations through 2050, including resource validation, external supply strategy, portfolio reshaping, and regulatory positioning beyond the current operating asset base. 

Establish and run a high-performing Mining Project Office (PMO) to drive disciplined strategy execution, capital prioritisation, and enterprise-grade governance. 

Partner with Mining operations and cross-functional leaders (Finance, Supply Chain, Technical, SHE, Legal, Corporate Affairs) to translate strategic intent into executable programmes that improve productivity, reliability, and long-term competitiveness in the mining context (underground and/or opencast, as applicable).

Key Accountabilities

Strategy Formulation & Portfolio Shaping 

• Lead the end-to-end mining of the future strategy, including market context, resource life planning, value-chain optimisation, productivity uplift, cost-to-serve reduction, and decarbonisation pathways aligned to Group priorities. 

• Operate as a structurally distinct portfolio-shaping function, independent of operational delivery, ensuring objective long-term resource and capital decisions. 

• Build a dynamic, data-led portfolio view (assets, projects, technology bets, capability build) and recommend portfolio moves (scale-up, fix/exit, partnerships, selective M&A/joint ventures) with quantified value cases and risk-adjusted returns. 

• Translate strategy into clear options, stage gates, and decision papers for EVP/GEC governance. 

• Develop and govern third-party coal sourcing strategies. 

• Shape partnership models as required in collaboration with M&A and infrastructure owners. 

• Assess basin diversification opportunities. 

Project Office (PMO) Leadership & Delivery Assurance 

• Lead the Mining PMO with robust standards for programme and project lifecycle (chartering, business cases, benefits tracking, change, risk, schedule/cost control, and reporting). 

• Ensure portfolio-level critical-path management across brownfield improvements and capital projects (including mine development, extension, productivity programmes, reliability/maintenance transformations, and digital enablement). 

• Maintain a single source of truth (SSOT) for milestones, interdependencies, risks, and mitigations; escalate systemic issues early with actionable recovery plans. 

Capital Planning & Value Realisation 

• Drive integrated capital planning and prioritisation; ensure alignment between strategic outcomes, capital allocation, and operating plans. 

• Set benefits realisation targets per initiative; track delivery with Finance and Operations and course correct to protect NPV/IRR and cash outcomes. 

Cross-Functional Partnering & Stakeholder Management 

• Orchestrate collaboration with Operations, Technical/Engineering, Geology/Resource, SHE, Supply Chain, HR/OD, Finance, Legal, and Corporate Affairs to ensure strategies are practicable, compliant, and workforce-ready. 
• Engage constructively with regulators, organised labour, communities, suppliers, and strategic partners in collaboration with Business, as needed for execution readiness. 

Key Accountabilities Continuation

 Risk, Compliance, and Governance 

• Embed robust governance aligned to Sasol frameworks and mining regulatory expectations; ensure transparent decision making, documentation, and auditability. 

• Anticipate and manage strategic, operational, financial, project execution, and ESG risks; ensure safety-first and environmental stewardship in all plans. 

• Shape long-term mining regulatory and social license strategy aligned to South Africa’s Just Energy Transition framework. 

• Integrate carbon exposure modelling into portfolio decisions. 

People Leadership & Capability Build 

• Build a high-calibre strategy and PMO team; set standards for problem-solving, analytics, and delivery excellence. 

• Develop future leaders; foster an inclusive, performance-accountable culture with a strong safety mindset and disciplined execution. 

Insight, Analytics & Digital Enablement 

• Ensure independent technical validation of coal resources, reserve classification integrity, and life-of-mine assumptions across internal and external opportunities. 

• Institutionalise advanced analytics for productivity, cost, and value modelling (e.g., mine planning scenarios, reliability forecasts, cost curves, scenario planning). 

• Champion pragmatic digital and technology adoption that accelerates safety, productivity, and cost performance in mining operations. 

Formal Education

• Relevant Bachelor’s degree (Mining Engineering, Metallurgy, Geology, Industrial Engineering, or related technical field)
• A Post- graduation qualification / Master’s degree (e.g., MBA, MSc Mining/Engineering) preferred.
• Relevant professional registration or chartership advantageous.

Working Experience

12+ relevant years, including 5+ years’ experience in a Senior Management / Leadership role, preferably with extensive project delivery / PMO experience.

Required Personal and Professional Skills