About us

K92 Mining operates the high-grade Kainantu Gold Mine located in Papua New Guinea's Eastern Highlands. Since our inception in 2016, we have achieved consistent production growth, providing significant benefit to the Papua New Guinean economy. Approximately 94% of our workforce are PNG nationals, demonstrating a strong commitment to the communities in which we operate. This commitment extends to educational and developmental initiatives which include scholarships, traineeships, and adult literacy programs.

We have big plans on the horizon, aiming to significantly increase our gold production in the next three years. It's an exciting time, offering a chance for individuals to join a dynamic and expanding team with countless opportunities. K92 is perfect if you're searching for a place to settle in for the long term and make a positive impact on the people around you.

About the role

The Principal – Maintenance Surface provides leadership for the maintenance teams responsible for the Processing Plant and Surface Mobile Equipment at the Kainantu operation. The role ensures that effective structures, systems, and maintenance practices are in place to support asset reliability, operational performance, and safe maintenance execution. The position focuses on strengthening maintenance capability, developing the national workforce, and ensuring maintenance strategies support operational targets while maintaining strong safety and reliability outcomes.

Key Accountabilities

Health & Safety: Ensure compliance with all legislative and company HSE requirements while promoting a safety-first, zero-harm culture across maintenance operations. Provide visible safety leadership through coaching and mentoring, ensure operational risks related to fixed assets are identified and controlled, promote the use of safety observations, and maintain high standards of housekeeping and safe maintenance practices performed by competent technicians.

People & Leadership: Build and lead a high-performing maintenance team by identifying, developing, and retaining talent with a focus on long-term nationalisation. Provide coaching, mentoring, and training to develop team capability while fostering a collaborative team culture aligned with business objectives. Support organisational change, drive innovation, communicate clear direction to the team, and manage the performance and development of direct reports while relieving the Maintenance Manager when required.

Technical Support: Provide technical leadership and support to the Fixed Plant Maintenance teams to ensure plant availability and reliability targets are achieved and maintained within budget. Engage with area superintendents and supervisors, support safety meetings, coordinate critical spares management, assist with development and implementation of work plans, respond to plant issues to minimise downtime, and contribute to the development of maintenance procedures and standard operating practices.

Planning: Support the maintenance planning function to ensure equipment defects are addressed efficiently to optimise plant reliability and availability. Contribute to the development of long-term maintenance strategies and support improvements to the Pronto maintenance management system.

Reliability and Condition Monitoring: Support reliability improvement initiatives aimed at maximising plant performance and reducing operational risk while identifying cost management opportunities. Contribute to maintenance improvement plans including asset criticality reviews, preventative maintenance development and optimisation, and critical parts analysis.

Team & Capability Building: Establish a high-performance culture by setting clear behavioural and performance standards while recognising and rewarding strong performance. Ensure effective communication processes are in place across the team and continuously mentor and coach employees to improve capability. Identify skills gaps, support development of training packages, and actively contribute to workforce development and succession planning for key roles.

Cost / Budget Management: Develop and manage the team’s operational budget to ensure targets are achieved and financial controls are maintained. Promote a culture of cost discipline within the maintenance team and actively seek opportunities to improve cost efficiency while maintaining operational performance.

About you

Qualifications:
• A Degree in maintenance management or engineering; or
• An appropriate trade certificate or qualification

Required Knowledge and Experience:
• Minimum of (10) years’ experience working in fixed plant maintenance.
• Minimum of (5) years’ experience working in a maintenance leadership role, preferably fixed plant.
• Previous experience operating in Papua New Guinea or developing countries in remote locations will be highly regarded.
• Previous experience in processing plants will be highly regarded.
• Computer proficiency in MS Office suite.
• Experience in the use of Pronto will be highly regarded.

Life at K92 

Our core values — Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, and Safety — are central to our operations and fundamental to our success. K92 upholds a commitment to equal opportunity, striving to ensure that every individual can reach their highest potential without experiencing discrimination.

Our camp in Papua New Guinea offers a comfortable and well-maintained living environment, designed to provide support and comfort to our employees living away from home. Residents enjoy healthy meals prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Our camp also offers amenities such as internet access, cable TV, and a gymnasium.

We believe in sharing our success with our employees. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer participation in long- and short-term incentive plans and a friendly work roster.  If you share our values and are looking for your next career step, come join us on this exciting journey.

TO COMPLY WITH PNG GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENTS ALL EXPATRIATE POSITIONS ARE OFFERED ON A FIXED TERM BASIS