Asset President - Macraes

OceanaGold is seeking an experienced business and operations leader to be the Asset President of our Macraes operation - New Zealand’s largest active gold mine and the company’s foundation asset, located in the breathtaking Otago region of the South Island. Reporting to the Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, this role provides primary leadership and management of the full Macraes value chain.

With a 35-year continuous operating history and over 5 million ounces of gold produced since 1990, Macraes is a long life, multi‑generation gold operation with both open pit and underground mines, supported by a workforce of over 700 people. The Macraes mine life extension studies are now completed that underpin its growth into next decade. The opportunities in the favourable gold price environment to extend the mine life further are currently underway with encouraging results to date. The role will be pivotal in leading the Macraes next Growth phases. The site continues to evolve with new technology, exploration upside, and operational innovation — including the recent adoption of PhotonAssay™ x‑ray technology to accelerate and enhance ore analysis and embracing fleet electrification.

Why Lead at Macraes?

A High‑Performing, Long‑Life Operation

Macraes is New Zealand’s largest gold producer, comprising multiple open pits and an underground mine (Golden Point), and a modern processing plant, including pressure oxidation capability for sulphide ore.
It remains a cornerstone asset for OceanaGold, benefiting from:

• A long history of strong gold production and resource growth.
• Large-scale mining infrastructure operating in parallel (open pit + UG).
• A geological setting in the Hyde–Macraes Shear Zone, the most significant gold‑bearing structure in the Otago Schist belt.

Meaningful Regional and Community Impact

Located within the Waitaki Whitestone UNESCO Global Geopark, the region offers dramatic landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and vibrant local communities.
Macraes contributes significantly through employment, local procurement, and community partnership, with over 700 people employed across the Macraes and Dunedin offices.

A Lifestyle Role in a World‑Class Location

The successful candidate will live within 60 minutes of site, placing them in one of New Zealand’s most desirable lifestyle regions:

• Dunedin – 1 hour
• Wanaka – 2.5 hours
• Queenstown – 3 hours
• National parks, ski fields, coastal towns – all within half a day’s drive

A Site Focused on Innovation and Public Engagement

Macraes recently launched a self‑guided modern and historic mining tour, showcasing mining practices, equipment, and the mine’s role in New Zealand’s history — reflecting the operation’s commitment to transparency and community education.

Role Purpose:

The Asset President is responsible for safely and responsibly delivering the full value potential of the Macraes Gold Mine. This includes leadership of the Site Management Team, developing strategy and execution tactics, championing operational excellence, and embedding OceanaGold values at every level of the workforce.

This requires a proven passion for the health and safety of everyone at the site, care for the environment and local communities, the ability to inspire and lead teams, formulation and delivery of Life of Mine Plans and annual Budgets, the ability to identify constraints and optimize the value chain and all commercial arrangements to safely, responsibly and predictably maximize Free Cashflow generation.

Key tasks and responsibilities:

• Safety: inspire and strive to create and maintain a safe workplace. Be a strong, authentic and visibly caring leader who role models the application of the primary safety programs of the Company, OurSafe Behaviours Stop and Think and Fatal risk management
• Sustainability: Genuinely care for the environment and local communities and have the team and procedures in place to ensure compliance with all relevant legislation, regulations and OGC policy relating to responsible mining - health, safety, environment, community, regulatory and government relations and human rights in site work practices. 
• Performance: Accountable for safe and responsible delivery of operational plans, capital projects meeting annual guidance with strong cost control.Ensure effective operational monitoring including accurate and timely production forecasts and weekly, monthly and quarterly operational reports.
• Technical: Maintain the integrity of assets and management of technical risks to cost-effectively and reliably deliver on realistic and probably operational plans.
• Projects: Lead and deliver timely execution of site-based capital projects on schedule and at cost.
• Continuous Improvement: Champions continuous improvement mindsets that enables Identification, development and implementation of continuous improvement projects in line with the Company approach and systems which strive to ensure these targets are met and exceeded. Ensure improvement potential is reflected in annual and Life of Mine plans, on a credible basis.
• Procurement Excellence: Advocate for buying better every day, excellence in contractor management and maximizing cash flow generation per ounce.
• People: Attract, develop and retain a high-performance leadership team, supervisory team and workforce by providing OceanaGold Values-driven leadership, regular and engaging communication, performance monitoring and feedback, coaching and training, and recognition.
• Leadership: Day-to-day management of the Macraes operation to achieve committed plans including mining (underground and surface), processing, maintenance, tailings facilities, projects, technical services and functions (People & Culture, Commercial, Health & Safety and Environment, Risk Management).
• Culture: Build an engaging, caring, inclusive and winning workforce culture underpinned by the OceanaGold Values and Respect at Work principles.
• Inspire and Influence: inspire and lead the Management Team and the workforce. Proactively engage with and leverage the fellow members of the OceanaGold Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to get the required support and assurance from the centre.
• Growth:  Actively drive and support organic growth within Macraes and support the broader growth strategy for the organization e.g. Regional Exploration.
• Risks: Manage operational risks through risk assessments and mitigation to ensure business continuity including loss prevention and cost-benefit evaluations for capital expenditure and improvement initiatives.
• Compliance: Manage procedures to ensure compliance with all relevant legislation, regulations and OGC policy relating to responsible mining - health, safety, environment, community, government relations and human values work practices.
• Stakeholders: Develop respectful and open relationships with the community, local, regional and federal government agencies, business partners, vendors and employee groups.

Qualifications

• Preferably tertiary qualified in a mining‑related discipline; however, candidates with extensive operational leadership experience will be strongly considered.
• Minimum 15 years’ experience in large mining or mineral processing operations.
• Demonstrated leadership of multidisciplinary teams and commitment to exceptional safety performance.
• Experience in hard rock mining, with gold experience preferred.
• Capability to work effectively with New Zealand communities and government agencies.
• Must reside within 60 minutes of the mine.

Additional Information

WHAT'S ON OFFER:

• Residential role, must reside within 60 minutes of the mine.
• Competitive salary + short-term and long-term bonus
• Discounts on retail and services
• Free Southern Cross Healthcare and Life Insurance
• Long service recognition
• Living Our Values recoginition program
• Onsite Physiotherapist and health suite
• Access to OceanaGold Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Exceptional working environment where people are valued and respected

Applications close within 2 weeks of job posting with shortlisting to commence immediately. Applicants must be eligible to work in New Zealand or be able to obtain a work permit.

YOU MATTER: OceanaGold is committed to providing equal employment opportunities. We believe a variety of perspectives are not only welcome – they are essential to our success. Should you require any assistance applying for this opportunity, please contact us at careers@oceanagold.com

PLEASE NOTE: APPLICATIONS FROM AGENCIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED AT THIS TIME