Technical Studies Lead قائد الدراسات الفنيه

<p dir = "auto"><strong>ROLE PURPOSE </strong>:</p>
<p dir = "auto">The Technical Study Lead is responsible for the end-to-end management of MDO's technical studies across the full front-end loading (FEL) lifecycle, from initial concept and scoping through Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS), Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS), and Front-End Engineering Design (FEED). The role owns the consultant management and scope definition process, integrates multi-discipline technical inputs, and ensures that all study deliverables meet the quality and governance standards required for investment decision-making.</p>
<p dir = "auto">The Study Lead acts as MDO's primary interface with external study consultants and EPCM firms, leading technical-economic trade-offs and value engineering to optimise project outcomes and prepares the Gate 3 FID package in close coordination with the Director of Studies &amp; Delivery. The role ensures full compliance with MDO's Stage-Gate governance framework, OIA investment policy, and international reporting standards including JORC and NI 43-101</p>
<p dir = "auto"><strong>KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:</strong></p>
<p dir = "auto"><strong>Study Lifecycle Management</strong></p>
<p dir = "auto">• Manage and coordinate the full study lifecycle across all phases: Scoping (G0–G1), Pre-Feasibility Study (G2), Definitive Feasibility Study (G3), and FEED, ensuring each phase is delivered to scope, schedule, and approved budget.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Define and own the scope of work for each study phase, establishing terms of reference, work programmes, and deliverable registers that align with MDO's project development objectives and Stage-Gate requirements.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Monitor study progress against approved plans and budgets, identifying deviations early and implementing corrective actions in consultation with the Director – Studies &amp; Delivery.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Prepare and maintain study schedules, milestone registers, and deliverable trackers across all active study phases.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Ensure lessons learned from previous studies and projects are systematically reviewed, captured, and applied to future study scopes.</p>
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<p dir = "auto"><strong>Consultant Management &amp; Scope Definition</strong></p>
<p dir = "auto">• Own the consultant management process across all study phases, including scope definition, terms of reference development, deliverable specification, performance monitoring, and quality review of all outputs.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Act as MDO's primary owner-side interface with study consultants, specialist technical firms, and EPCM contractors, ensuring deliverables meet MDO quality, governance, and decision-quality requirements.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Review and challenge consultant deliverables and technical reports, ensuring technical rigour, completeness, and fitness for investment decision purposes.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Support the procurement and onboarding of study consultants in collaboration with the Contracts &amp; Execution Planning Manager and MDO's Procurement function.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Manage consultant performance against agreed KPIs and escalate performance issues to the Director – Studies &amp; Delivery as required.</p>
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<p dir = "auto"><strong>Multi-Discipline Technical Integration</strong></p>
<p dir = "auto">• Integrate multi-discipline technical inputs across geology, mining, metallurgy, process engineering, infrastructure, utilities, and environmental disciplines to produce coherent, integrated, and decision-quality study outputs.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Coordinate metallurgical and process study inputs, ensuring testwork programmes are fit-for-purpose, recovery assumptions are technically justified, and process design criteria are validated against testwork outcomes.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Coordinate technical inputs from internal MDO functions including Exploration, ESG, Finance, and Legal to ensure integrated and comprehensive study outputs at each phase.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Identify multi-discipline integration risks and gaps early in each study phase and develop resolution plans with relevant technical leads and consultants.</p>
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<p dir = "auto"><strong>Technical Report Validation &amp; JORC / NI 43-101 Compliance</strong></p>
<p dir = "auto">• Validate all technical reports, study deliverables, and engineering outputs produced by consultants and EPCM firms, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and alignment with MDO's technical governance framework.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Ensure all studies comply with international reporting standards including the JORC Code and NI 43-101, Omani regulatory requirements, and MDO's technical governance policies across all study phases.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Maintain a register of all study documents, reports, and technical deliverables, ensuring version control and traceability from concept through to Gate 3 approval.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Support the Director – Studies &amp; Delivery in the preparation and presentation of gate packages to the CPTO, Investment Committee, and Board.</p>
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<p dir = "auto"><strong>Technical-Economic Trade-Offs &amp; Value Engineering</strong></p>
<p dir = "auto">• Lead technical-economic trade-off analyses throughout the study lifecycle, evaluating project configuration options, processing routes, infrastructure alternatives, and capital cost scenarios to identify the highest-value, lowest-risk project development pathway.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Drive value engineering initiatives during study phases, challenging consultant assumptions and identifying opportunities to optimise capital cost, improve schedule, enhance operability, and reduce technical risk without compromising project value.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Prepare and present trade-off study reports and value engineering outcomes to the Director – Studies &amp; Delivery and CPTO for decision-making.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Ensure that value engineering findings and trade-off decisions are formally documented and carried through into subsequent study phases.</p>
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<p dir = "auto"><strong>Gate Readiness &amp; FID Package Preparation</strong></p>
<p dir = "auto">• Prepare the Gate 3 FID (Final Investment Decision) package in close coordination with the CPTO and Director – Studies &amp; Delivery, ensuring all technical, economic, and governance requirements are met prior to Board submission.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Prepare gate-ready study documentation for all Stage-Gate reviews (G0 through G3), ensuring completeness and compliance with MDO's gate criteria and OIA investment policy requirements.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Coordinate with the Director – Project Controls &amp; Readiness to align study outputs with cost estimates, risk registers, and schedule baselines required for each gate approval.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Ensure study documentation supports due diligence processes, project financing, permitting, and JV partner engagement as required.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Maintain compliance with MDO's Stage-Gate framework and document all gate decisions, conditions, and follow-up actions.</p>
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<p dir = "auto"><strong>Stakeholder Coordination</strong></p>
<p dir = "auto">• Interface effectively with internal MDO stakeholders including Exploration, ESG, Investments, Finance, Legal, and Operations to ensure study inputs are complete and integrated at every study phase.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Maintain productive working relationships with external parties including government agencies, JV partners, community representatives, and regulatory bodies as they relate to the study programme.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Prepare and present regular study progress updates to the Director – Studies &amp; Delivery and other relevant stakeholders.</p>
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<p dir = "auto"><strong>Team Leadership &amp; Capability Building</strong></p>
<p dir = "auto">• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and study coordinators within the Studies &amp; Delivery team.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Embed a culture of technical excellence, capital efficiency, and continuous improvement in all study activities.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Contribute to the development of MDO's study management frameworks, templates, and standards.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Mentor Omani talent and contribute to national capacity-building objectives in line with MDO's Omanization commitments.</p>
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<p dir = "auto">ROLE ALIGNMENT WITH STAGE-GATE PROCESS</p>
<p dir = "auto">Stage-Gate Role of Technical Studies Lead</p>
<p dir = "auto">G0–1 (Concept/Scoping) Responsible – leads and manages the scoping study, defines project parameters, integrates multi-discipline inputs, and prepares concept documentation for Gate 1 review.</p>
<p dir = "auto">G2 (Pre-Feasibility) Responsible – manages PFS execution, owns consultant scope and deliverables, coordinates metallurgical and process inputs, validates technical reports, and prepares Gate 2 package.</p>
<p dir = "auto">G3 (Feasibility/Investment Decision) Responsible – manages DFS and FEED execution, leads technical-economic trade-offs, ensures JORC/NI 43-101 compliance, and prepares Gate 3 FID package with CPTO support.</p>
<p dir = "auto">G4 (Execution/Construction) Consulted – provides technical study reference documentation and supports engineering assurance during the execution phase.</p>
<p dir = "auto">G5 (Handover/Closure) Informed – contributes study-phase lessons learned to support the post-implementation review and future study improvement.</p>
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<p dir = "auto"><strong>MINIMUM QUALIFICATION &amp; EXPERIENCE :</strong></p>
<p dir = "auto">• Bachelor's degree in Mining, Process, Metallurgical, Mechanical, or Civil Engineering; Master's degree preferred.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• PMP or equivalent project management qualification is an advantage.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• 13+ years of experience in mining or industrial project development, with demonstrated experience managing the full FEL study lifecycle from Scoping through FEED.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Proven track record owning consultant scope definition and managing EPCM firms and specialist study consultants in the context of mining or processing projects.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Strong experience integrating multi-discipline technical inputs across geology, mining, metallurgy, process engineering, and infrastructure.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Demonstrated ability to lead technical-economic trade-off analyses and value engineering initiatives across study phases.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Proficient in study management, scope development, cost estimation principles (AACEI classifications), and Gate 3 FID package preparation.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Strong understanding of JORC Code and NI 43-101 reporting standards, and ability to validate technical reports for compliance.</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Familiarity with MDO's Stage-Gate / FEL governance frameworks and OIA investment decision-making processes.</p>
<p dir = "auto"><strong>KEY COMPETENCIES:</strong></p>
<p dir = "auto">• End-to-end study lifecycle management from Scoping through FEED</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Consultant management and scope definition ownership</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Multi-discipline technical integration across mining and processing disciplines</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Validation of technical reports and JORC / NI 43-101 compliance assurance</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Technical-economic trade-off analysis and value engineering leadership</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Gate 3 FID package preparation and investment case development</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Clear and concise technical reporting for executive and Board audiences</p>
<p dir = "auto">• Stakeholder management and cross-functional collaboration</p>
<p dir = "auto">• High commitment to HSE, ESG, and ethical governance principles</p>
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<p dir = "auto">- This position requires a high level of business and commercial understanding, particularly in relation to mining project economics, investment decision frameworks, technical-economic trade-offs, and OIA governance requirements.</p>