Group Manager, Safety

Exxaro Resources is seeking a dynamic Group Manager, Safety to join our team in Centurion, Gauteng. This leadership role is pivotal in driving strategic safety governance, occupational hygiene, and operational risk management across our diverse business units. You will lead the development and implementation of enterprise-wide safety frameworks, ensuring compliance with statutory regulations such as the Mine Health and Safety Act and Occupational Health and Safety Act. As a key advisor to executive management, you will foster a proactive safety culture, enhance organisational resilience, and champion continuous improvement through innovative solutions and digital tools. The ideal candidate will bring a minimum of 10 years' experience in senior safety leadership within high-risk environments, strong knowledge of SHE management systems aligned to ISO 45001 and ISO 14001, and proven stakeholder engagement skills. Join Exxaro and contribute to a safe, compliant, and high-performing organisation committed to sustainability and excellence.

Minimum Requirement

• Bachelor's Degree (Hons) in a relevant field (Essential/Minimum)
• Management Development Programme (Essential/Minimum)
• Minimum of 10 years progressive experience in senior safety leadership, ideally within mining or similarly high-risk environments
• Demonstrated expertise in developing and implementing enterprise-wide safety governance frameworks, standards, and policies
• Strong knowledge of Mine Health and Safety Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, and related statutory and regulatory requirements
• Proven experience in operational risk management, critical control management, and integrated Safety, Health, and Environmental (SHE) management systems aligned with ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 standards
• Proven capability in occupational hygiene governance and management of enterprise safety management systems
• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with regulators, organised labour, industry bodies, and diverse internal and external stakeholders
• Proven leadership and people management skills with experience mentoring and developing high-performing, diverse teams
• Psychometric Assessment (Essential/Minimum) (To be conducted by Exxaro)
• Certificate of Fitness (Essential/Minimum) (To be conducted by Exxaro)

Duties & Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and governance for the Group's safety, occupational hygiene, operational risk, and integrated SHE management systems, ensuring a safe, compliant, and high-performing organisation.
• Develop, implement, and maintain enterprise-wide safety governance frameworks, policies, standards, systems, and assurance processes to support operational excellence and effective critical risk management.
• Ensure compliance with statutory and non-statutory safety requirements, including the Mine Health and Safety Act and Occupational Health and Safety Act, while managing organisational legal liability through effective governance and due diligence.
• Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of the Group Operational Risk Management Framework, including hazard identification, risk assessment, and critical control management to mitigate operational risks.
• Serve as the Group's subject matter expert on safety governance and operational risk, providing strategic advice to Executive Management, governance committees, and operational leadership.
• Foster collaborative relationships with regulators, industry bodies, organised labour, and other stakeholders to continuously improve safety performance and safeguard the organisation's legal and social licence to operate.
• Drive safety innovation and continuous improvement by leveraging new technologies, digital tools, analytics, and organisational capabilities focused on safety leadership.
• Lead, coach, and develop Safety teams across diverse business units to build organisational capability, technical excellence, and a high-performance safety culture centred on innovation, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Monitor emerging legislation, industry trends, and best practices to enhance safety governance, operational risk management, and overall organisational resilience.
• Promote and sustain a culture of ethical leadership, high performance, diversity, engagement, and collaboration within the safety function and across the organisation.