Ready to build a rewarding career in an industry that is transforming the future?
Who We Are
We are Vale Base Metals – a global supplier of the critical minerals transforming the future.
With industry-leading reserves of copper and nickel in Canada, Brazil, and Indonesia, and state-of-the-art infrastructure in the U.K., Canada, and Japan, VBM delivers a secure and responsible supply of high-quality products to customers across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Global demand for critical minerals is growing exponentially. From energy to aerospace, batteries to magnets, robotics to artificial intelligence, a secure and responsible supply of critical minerals is fundamental to power modern technologies. And at Vale Base Metals, we are transforming our business to provide a secure and responsible supply of these minerals.
Join our diverse team of 13,000 talented individuals committed to providing mineral security to a world in transition. We invite you to put your skills to work, driving meaningful and enduring change while enjoying a rewarding career.
The Opportunity
We are currently seeking a Director, Voisey’s Bay Operations to join our Leadership Team supporting our Vale Newfoundland and Labrador Operations.
This role is a permanent position, working a Monday to Friday schedule, based in St. John’s, with significant travel to the Voisey’s Bay Mine Site.
The Director of Voisey’s Bay Operations holds overall accountability for the strategic leadership and operational performance of the Voisey’s Bay mine site, a complex remote mining operation in Northern Labrador. The Director provides leadership across mining, processing, infrastructure, logistics, workforce, community commitments, and site services, with accountability for delivering safe, sustainable, and reliable operational performance.
Voisey’s Bay encompasses two surface open-pit mines, two underground mines, processing and port facilities, tailings, utilities, maintenance, engineering, laboratories, power generation, transportation, accommodations, medical and recreational facilities, as well as significant externally contracted services.
The Director leads within the unique operating environment of Voisey’s Bay, balancing safety, production, cost, and long-term value with the challenges of a remote fly-in/fly-out operation, including complex logistics, severe northern weather, environmental sensitivity, workforce rotations, supply-chain constraints, and site isolation.
The Director establishes the long-term strategic direction for Voisey’s Bay Operations within a five-to-ten-year planning horizon, translating the Base Metals strategy into operational priorities, business plans and performance objectives. The role is accountable for strengthening organizational capability, optimizing assets, removing operational constraints, advancing technology and positioning Voisey’s Bay for safe, sustainable and competitive long-term performance.
Voisey’s Bay is located within the traditional territory of the Labrador Innu and Labrador Inuit. The Director plays an important leadership role in advancing Vale’s commitments under the Impacts and Benefits Agreements with the Innu Nation and Nunatsiavut Government, including commitments related to employment, development, business participation,
environmental stewardship and the surrounding communities. More than 25% of the Voisey’s Bay workforce comprises Labrador Inuit and Innu employees.
Additionally, in this position you will:
- Provide leadership for health, safety, and operational risk, ensuring effective governance, systems, and controls are in place to manage major hazards, contractor safety, and operational risks.
- Lead overall operational performance to achieve safe, sustainable, and reliable production while meeting productivity, quality, cost, and business objectives.
- Lead the ramp-up and optimization of mining and processing operations, identifying and removing operational constraints and driving continuous improvement in throughput, reliability, and performance.
- Manage the complexities of remote northern operations, including workforce rotations, logistics, transportation, weather-related challenges and supply-chain requirements.
- Ensure effective stewardship of site assets and capital, optimizing asset performance and executing capital investments to support long-term reliability, capacity, and sustainable operations.
- Lead and develop a high-performing workforce and leadership team, including unionized, non-unionized, professional, and technical employees, with a focus on workforce planning, talent development, succession and performance.
- Establish and continuously improve operational systems, processes, and technologies to strengthen safety, productivity, reliability and long-term organizational capability.
- Ensure compliance with environmental, legal, regulatory, and IBA commitments, while modelling the organization’s values and maintaining strong relationships with Indigenous and community stakeholders.
What We Offer You
- Competitive compensation including a variable annual incentive plan
- Participation in a competitive Defined Contribution Pension package
- Comprehensive benefits package (company paid core coverage, health and dental coverage, flex accounts, disability plans and optional insurances)
- Leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation, personal, sick, parental)
- Flexible work arrangements
- Work culture dedicated to safety, diversity & inclusion, and career growth
- Employee Family Assistance Program
- Virtual Healthcare online
- Online training and career development opportunities
About You
Education:
- Undergraduate degree in Mining Engineering is required. A relevant engineer discipline may be considered.
- MBA or relevant postgraduate business qualification is considered an asset.
Experience:
- Minimum of 15 years of progressive mining leadership experience, including significant leadership experience in underground mining operations, with demonstrated accountability for safety, production, cost, people, and overall operational performance.
- Demonstrated experience building effective relationships with Indigenous partners, communities, government and key stakeholders.
- Significant experience operating in a remote fly-in/fly-out environment, with demonstrated ability to manage the logistical, workforce and operational complexities of remote northern operations.
Skills:
- Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing unionized, non-unionized, professional and technical teams.
- Strong background in operational risk, asset management, maintenance, capital planning, project execution and contractor management.
- Strong knowledge of Newfoundland and Labrador occupational health and safety requirements and associated operational risk management practices.
- Proven strategic and commercial acumen, with the ability to translate long-term business strategy into operational plans and results.
- Demonstrated change leadership and organizational agility, including the ability to lead technology adoption, operational transformation and growth.
- Exceptional leadership presence, emotional intelligence and the ability to influence, engage and build trust across diverse stakeholder groups.
Why Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada's easternmost province, is known for its rugged coastline, rich cultural heritage, and significant natural resources. The province's economy is bolstered by a robust mining sector, where Vale Base Metals’ integrated operations play a crucial role. At Long Harbour, we operate a state-of-the-art processing plant, which refines nickel concentrate from Vale Base Metals’ Voisey's Bay mine, located in Labrador, into nickel, copper, and cobalt products. This plant is a cornerstone of our commitment to value-added processing in Canada. Meanwhile, the Voisey's Bay mine is one of the world's most substantial nickel deposits. It provides high-quality nickel, copper, and cobalt, essential for the 21st century economy.
Include to Transform
At Vale Base Metals, we are committed to ensuring an inclusive work environment where people can act like owners, being their authentic selves and empowering them to deliver results. Vale Base Metals encourages everyone to express their ideas and opinions and values the plurality of individual profiles. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard, all cultures respected and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome – they are critical to our success. We treat each other fairly and with dignity regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or any other personal consideration that makes us different.
Vale is an equal opportunity employer seeking to increase diversity across our operations and improve equal opportunity at Vale and in the mining industry.
Vale recognizes the Impacts and Benefits Agreements with the Innu Nation and the Nunatsiavut Government in which Innu and Inuit workers have first preference for employment at the Voisey’s Bay Mine Site. This is guided by an adjacency principle that first
gives preference to those who live on the coast of Labrador, followed by those residing in the rest of Labrador, those residing on the island of the province, followed by the rest of Canada.
Next, priority will be given to Newfoundland and Labrador residents. We also welcome those who are willing to relocate back home and those looking to make NL their permanent home.
Accommodation is available throughout our recruitment process for applicants with disabilities.
Innu Nation members and Nunatsiavut beneficiaries can submit their application to their Vale Indigenous Employment Coordinator.
Employees engaged by the Company must be lawfully able to work for the Company in the country where the role is located. The Company does not provide immigration, work permit, or permanent residence sponsorship or assistance.
Pay Grade: GrD
Apply by: Sunday, November 29th, 2026.
#ValeBaseMetals
Interested applicants must submit their application online at https://vale.eightfold.ai/careers.
