Head of Procurement

An exciting opportunity is available for an experienced and commercially focused Head of Procurement to build and lead the procurement function for a growing mining organisation with exploration, development and site-based operations in Papua New Guinea.
 
Based in Brisbane and reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, this is a highly visible leadership role requiring regular rotational travel to PNG. The indicative travel commitment will involve approximately 40-60% of your time in PNG, structured around project requirements and vendor-critical activities.
 
The Opportunity
This role will suit a hands-on procurement leader who is equally comfortable developing strategy, negotiating major supplier agreements and resolving urgent supply challenges in remote operating environments.
You will be responsible for establishing the procurement team, systems, governance frameworks and standard operating procedures required to support the organisation's continued growth. At the same time, you will remain actively involved in sourcing, vendor negotiations, supplier development and operational problem-solving.
Working closely with the Head of Logistics, Finance, Project Managers and site leadership, you will ensure procurement activities are aligned with project schedules, budgets, cash-flow requirements and operational priorities.
 
Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the organisation's overall procurement and sourcing strategy.
• Build a structured procurement function supporting both Brisbane and PNG operations.
• Recruit, lead and develop procurement personnel across Australia and PNG.
• Establish procurement procedures covering requisitions, vendor onboarding, approvals, purchase orders, receipting, invoice reconciliation and payment release.
• Develop delegated financial authority frameworks, three-way matching processes and audit-ready procurement records.
• Build and manage a reliable network of local PNG and international suppliers.
• Establish preferred supplier panels and framework agreements across categories including fuel, PPE, consumables, plant hire, camp supplies and drilling consumables.
• Personally lead commercial negotiations with key suppliers, contractors and service providers.
• Identify long-lead and critical-path materials early and implement appropriate purchasing strategies.
• Manage procurement expenditure against approved budgets and report on savings, cost avoidance and procurement performance.
• Develop supplier risk-management processes covering commercial, contractual, financial, safety and compliance requirements.
• Provide practical solutions when faced with customs delays, constrained shipping windows, foreign-exchange exposure and limited local supplier availability.
• Mentor and develop PNG-based procurement personnel while supporting local-content objectives.

About You
To be successful, you will bring:

• Demonstrated procurement or supply-chain leadership experience within mining, exploration, resources, heavy construction or a similarly complex industry.
• A proven ability to build or significantly improve a procurement function, including systems, procedures, governance and team capability.
• Strong commercial negotiation and supplier relationship-management skills.
• Experience managing procurement activity against project schedules, budgets and operational requirements.
• A practical and resourceful approach to solving supply challenges in remote or developing-market environments.
• The ability to influence senior stakeholders and maintain appropriate commercial and governance standards.
• Strong leadership skills, including the ability to manage teams located across different countries and operating environments.
• The flexibility and personal circumstances required to spend extended periods working in Papua New Guinea.
• Eligibility to travel to and work in PNG, including obtaining the required visas and work permits.

Direct experience working in Papua New Guinea, the Pacific or another frontier-market environment will be highly regarded. Relevant qualifications in procurement, supply chain, logistics, business or engineering will also be advantageous.
 
What Is on Offer

• Senior leadership position reporting directly to the CFO.
• Opportunity to build a procurement function and team from the ground up.
• Brisbane-based permanent position with structured rotational travel to PNG.
• Competitive base salary plus superannuation.
• PNG travel and rotation allowance.
• Short-term incentive linked to measurable cost-saving and delivery outcomes.
• The opportunity to make a significant commercial and operational impact during an important period of growth.

 
Applications are invited from commercially astute procurement leaders who enjoy building capability, taking ownership and delivering practical outcomes in challenging operating environments.
 
Please apply with an up-to-date résumé outlining your mining, resources or project procurement experience, including any exposure to Papua New Guinea or comparable international operations.