Senior Mine Planning Engineer

Maamba energy www.maambaenergy.com
Maamba Energy Limited (MEL) is jointly owned by Nava Bharat Singapore Pte.
Limited and ZCCM-IH plc. The Company owns and operates a large-scale coal
mine and a 300 Megawatt coal-fired Power Plant to cater for the growing
demand for power in Zambia. The company is also in the process of expansion
to produce 600MW of power.

Maamba Energy Limited is looking for a dynamic and enthusiastic professional
to build a career under the Mining Department in Maamba, Sinazongwe
District, Southern Province.

The position on offer is:
To develop, manage and deliver accurate, practical and optimised mine plans
and production schedules that align the Life-of-Mine strategy with annual
budgets, medium term plans and short-term operational requirements.
The role will provide senior technical expertise in open pit coal mine design,
sequencing, scheduling, production forecasting, optimization and reconciliation,
ensuring that mine plans are safe, operationally achievable, cost – effective and
aligned with geological, geotechnical, environmental and coal quality
requirements.
The Senior Mine Planning Enginner will also be responsible for monitoring the
performance and compliance of mining contractor against approved mine plans,
production targets, contractual obligations and agreed KPIs, identifying
deviations and driving timely corrective actions in collaboration with mining
operations and relevant departments.
The Senior Mine planning engineer will work closely with mining operations,
geology, survey, SHEQ, finance, Engineering and CHPP teams to translate
strategic objectives into executable mine plans and provide timely technical
advise to support the achievement of production cost targets.

MINE PLANNING AND SCHEDULING

• Develop and integrate and maintain Life of Mine, long term, medium
  term and short term mine plans and production schedules
• Prepare practical mine designs and mining sequences aligned with
  operational, geological, geotechnical safety, environmental and
  requirements.
• Develop and optimise pit designs, mining phases/pushbacks,
  production sequences, haul roads, ramps, waste dumps and stockpile
  strategies.
• Optimise mining sequences to maximise coal recovery, manage
  stripping ratios and minimize dilution and mining losses.
• Develop executable weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual mining
  plans that reflect actual operational constraints and available
  resources.
• Ensure that mine plans are practical, achievable and aligned with
  available mining equipment, workforce and infrastructure
• Evaluate alternative mining strategies and scenarios to support
  operational and strategic decision-making

LIFE-OF-MINE AND BUDGET PLANNING

• Develop, Maintain and continuously optimise Life-of-Mine plans,
  annual budgets, production targets and cost forecasts.
• Provide technical inputs into annual budgets, business plans,
  production forecasts and financial models.
• Develop production and cost scenarios to support strategic decisions
  and capital investment requirements
• Assess the impact of changes in geology, equipment availability,
  mining performance, coal quality, operational costs and other
  constraints on the Life of Mine plan.
• Ensure alignment between mine plans, production targets, budgets
  and overall business strategy.

CONTRACTOR PLANNING, COMPLIANCE AND PERFORMANCE

MANAGEMENT

• Monitor mining contractor performance against approved mine
  plans, production schedules, contractual obligations and agreed KPIs
• Establish and maintain appropriate systems for measuring contractor
  performance against planned coal, overburden, total material
  movement and lead distances
• Monitor key operational indicators including productivity, equipment
  utilization, availability, cycle times, stripping ratios, coal recovery,
  dilution, mining losses and compliance to planned mining sequences.
• Conduct regular plan versus actual assessment and identify
  deviations, their root causes and required corrective actions
• Provide timely technical advice and recommendations where
  contractor performance deviates from approved plans or agreed
  targets
• Participate in contractor performance review meetings and provide
  accurate technical information to support performance management
• Verify contractor production reports and supporting data against
  mine planning, survey and operational information
• Monitor contractor adherence to approved mining designs,
  excavation limits, dump designs, haul road layout and mining
  sequence
• Identify recurring contractor performance issues and recommend
  practical interventions to improve productivity and compliance
• Support the development, review and continuous improvement of
  contractor KPIs and performance measurement systems

OPERATIONAL PLANNING SUPPORT

• Prepare detailed weekly and monthly plans based on equipment
  availability, workforce capacity, geological conditions and operational
  constraints.
• Work closely with mining operations to ensure that plans are
  translated into executable mining activities
• Provide Technical guidance to operational teams on mining
  sequences, priorities and production requirements
• Identify potential operational constraints in advance and develop
  mitigating strategies
• Provide planning support during changes in mining conditions,
  equipment fleet, operating strategy or production requirements.

PRODUCTION MONITORING, RECONCILIATION AND FORECASTING

• Establish robust systems for monitoring planned versus actual mining
  performance.
• Reconcile coal, overburden and total material movement against
  approved plans.
• Analyse production variances, identify root causes and recommend
  corrective measures.
• Prepare reliable short-, medium- and long-term production forecasts.
• Monitor production trends and provide early warnings where targets
  are at risk.
• Maintain accurate planning assumptions, production databases and
  technical records.
• Ensure reconciliation between mine planning, survey, geology and
  operational data.

Coal Mine Planning and Optimisation

• Apply sound technical principles to the planning and optimisation of
  coal mining operations.
• Optimise coal exposure, extraction sequences and access to mining
  areas.
• Consider geological structures, coal seam characteristics,
  overburden/interburden, mining losses, dilution and coal quality in
  mine planning.
• Integrate geological and survey information into mine designs and
  production schedules.
• Coordinate mine planning requirements with ROM, stockpile, TPP
  and CHPP operations where applicable.
• Identify opportunities to improve coal recovery, reduce waste
  movement and optimise overall mining costs.

MINE DESIGN AND INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING

• Design and optimise pit layouts, ramps, haul roads, dumps, stockpiles
  and other mining infrastructure.
• Ensure designs comply with applicable safety, geotechnical,
  environmental and operational requirements.
• Review actual mining conditions against approved designs and
  recommend modifications where required.
• Coordinate with Survey and Geology to ensure that mine designs are
  based on accurate and current information.

COST CONTROL AND PERFORMANCE OPTIMISATION

• Monitor mining costs against budget and approved production plans.
• Provide planning inputs into cost-per-tonne,
  cost-per-bank-cubic-metre and other relevant mining cost metrics.
• Identify opportunities to improve equipment productivity, fleet
  efficiency and overall mining economics.
• Evaluate the operational and financial implications of proposed
  changes to mining sequences and production strategies.
• Support management with accurate information for operational and
  investment decisions.

RISK MANAGEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT

• Identify mineplanning, production and operational risks and develop
  appropriate mitigation scenarios.
• Undertake sensitivity and scenario analysis for changes in production
  targets, equipment availability, geological conditions, costs and other
  key assumptions.
• Maintain contingency plans for potential operational disruptions.
• Provide early identification of risks that may affect production, cost,
  coal supply or achievement of the Life-of-Mine strategy.

REPORTING, GOVERNANCE AND TECHNICAL ASSURANCE

• Prepare accurate and timely mine planning reports, production
  forecasts, reconciliations, dashboards and management reports.
• Develop and maintain appropriate mine planning standards,
  procedures and controls.
• Ensure that mine plans and schedules are supported by sound
  technical assumptions and reliable data.
• Maintain proper records for technical assurance, audits and
  management review.
• Ensure compliance with applicable mining legislation, company
  policies, standards and approved technical procedures.
• Promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement,
  operational discipline and adherence to approved plans.

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COORDINATION

• Work closely with Mining Operations, Geology, Survey, SHEQ,
  Engineering, Finance, CHPP and other relevant departments.

• Ensure effective communication of mine plans, production priorities,
  changes and constraints to all relevant stakeholders.

• Coordinate planning inputs across technical and operational
  disciplines to ensure an integrated mining plan.

• Provide clear technical recommendations to management on
  production, planning and operational matters.

• Grade 12 Certificate or equivalent.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mining Engineering or a closely related discipline.

• Postgraduate qualification in Mining, Engineering, Mineral Economics,
  Management or a related field will be an advantage.

• Paid up member of EIZ & ERB or another equivalent body, where
  applicable.

• Minimum of 10 years’ relevant mine-planning experience within
  an operating mine, with 5 years specifically in surface coal
  mining.

• Demonstrated experience in open-pit/surface mine planning,
  with significant practical experience in surface coal mining.

• Proven experience in surface coal mine planning is mandatory.

• Proven experience in pit design, mining phase/pushback design,
  production sequencing, haul-road design and waste dump
  planning.

• Demonstrated understanding and practical experience in coal
  exposure, stripping ratios, overburden/inter burden management, coal recovery, dilution and mining losses.

• Proven experience in production scheduling, production
  forecasting, budgeting, cost modelling and mine plan optimisation.

• Demonstrated experience in monitoring mining contractor
  performance against approved mine plans, production targets,
  contractual requirements and KPIs.

• Experience in plan-versus-actual reconciliation, variance analysis
  and development of corrective actions.

• Demonstrated experience working with Mining Operations,
  Geology and Survey to reconcile planned versus actual coal and
  waste movement.

• Experience in a large-scale mechanised coal mining operation will
  be an advantage.

• Experience with Deswik or equivalent mine planning and
  scheduling software is highly desirable.

• Advanced proficiency in mine planning software, production
  reporting systems and Microsoft Excel will be an advantage.

• Experience in mining operations involving significant contractor-managed mining activities will be an advantage.

• Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing
  Life-of-Mine, long-term, medium-term and short-term mine
  plans.

Experience

• Advanced mine planning, scheduling and optimisation skills.
• Strong open-pit coal mine design and sequencing capability.
• Strong understanding of coal mining operations, production cycles and
  mining economics.
• Strong contractor performance monitoring and KPI management
  capability.
• Excellent analytical, numerical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interpret and analyse large volumes of technical and operational
  data.
• Strong production forecasting, reconciliation and variance analysis skills.
• Strong understanding of mining costs, productivity and operational
  efficiency.
• Ability to identify deviations from plan and develop practical corrective
  actions.
• Advanced computer literacy, including Microsoft Excel and mine planning
  software.
• Strong technical report-writing and presentation skills.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and cross-functional coordination
  skills.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound technical judgement and
  make decisions under operational pressure.
• High level of attention to detail, planning discipline and commitment to
  data accuracy.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong leadership and professional integrity.
• Results-oriented and commercially aware.
• Strong safety and environmental focus.
• High level of accountability and ownership.
• Proactive approach to identifying and resolving operational challenges.
• Sound judgement and decision-making ability.
• Strong communication, interpersonal and negotiation skills.
• Ability to challenge non-compliance professionally and constructively.
• Ability to work effectively with contractors, operational teams and senior
  management.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Personal Attributes

• The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate measurable
  contribution to:
• Achievement of approved coal and waste movement targets.
• Compliance of mining activities with approved mine plans and designs.
• Improvement in contractor performance and KPI compliance.
• Accuracy of production forecasts and mine plans.
• Reduction in plan-versus-actual variances.
• Optimisation of stripping ratios, coal recovery and mining sequences.
• Effective control of mining costs against budget.
• Timely identification and mitigation of production risks.
• Continuous improvement in mine planning systems, processes and
  reporting.
• Effective integration between technical planning and mining operations.

Key Perfomance Expectation

• The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate measurable
  contribution to:
• Achievement of approved coal and waste movement targets.
• Compliance of mining activities with approved mine plans and designs.
• Improvement in contractor performance and KPI compliance.
• Accuracy of production forecasts and mine plans.
• Reduction in plan-versus-actual variances.
• Optimisation of stripping ratios, coal recovery and mining sequences.
• Effective control of mining costs against budget.
• Timely identification and mitigation of production risks.
• Continuous improvement in mine planning systems, processes and
  reporting.
• Effective integration between technical planning and mining operations.

If you believe you meet the above qualifications and experience, please
submit your application to the undersigned, enclosing a detailed CV,
certified copies of qualifications certified by the Zambia Qualifications
Authority (ZAQA), and three (3) traceable references. Applications
should be sent with the subject line “Application for [Position Title] –
[Applicant Name]” not later than 26th September 2026

maamba energy www.maambaenergy.com
The Human Resource & Administration Manager
Maamba Energy Limited
P.O. Box 99
Maamba
Email: applications@maambaenergy.com

How to Apply

Apply by emailing: applications@maambaenergy.com