Lead Project Geologist / Exploration Manager

An International Mining company is looking for an experienced Lead Project Geologist / Exploration Manager to be based in Cote d’Ivoire.Role summary:The Exploration Manager leads the safe and effective delivery of the approved exploration and resource programs on the company gold project. Reporting to the Principal Geologist, the role owns the day-to-day execution of field operations to advance targets from prospect through to resource definition. A core part of the role is validating and checking that all work and processes are performed at the highest level – from field technicians through to geologists and contractors – ensuring that every activity, procedure and data set is completed correctly and to standard. The Exploration Manager is accountable for HSEC performance on site, for the quality and integrity of geological data, and for maintaining strong working relationships with contractors, JV partners, host communities and local authorities.The Lead Project Geologist will be responsible for the following main tasks:Program delivery & field operationsHelp identify, prioritise and implement the approved exploration programs across all licenses, in line with agreed budgets and timelines.Plan, implement and supervise field programs – geological mapping, soil and rock-chip geochemistry, trenching, auger, RC and diamond drilling – ensuring the exploration potential of the properties is properly and systematically assessed.Manage drilling and field service contractors day-to-day, monitoring performance, productivity, cost and adherence to scope and standards.Ensure all projects are carried out effectively and efficiently in the field, and that programs stay on schedule and within budget.Health, safety, environment & community (HSEC)Adhere to and enforce company HSEC procedures at all times, and ensure all employees and contractors maintain the same attitude and respect for safety.Actively promote and lead a safe, healthy and environmentally responsible working environment for all personnel on site.Act as a first point of contact for the community team, supporting positive relationships with host communities, landowners and local authorities.Data, targeting & reportingCompile and interpret field data – historic and current – to produce maps, models and reports supporting target generation from prospect to regional scale.Contribute geological input to resource-definition drilling and to the advancement of targets toward mineral resource estimation.Responsible for the delivery of 3D geologic modelling of all deposits and targets.Provide clear, timely reporting on program progress, results, budgets and forecasts.Quality, validation & database custodianshipSystematically validate and check all exploration work, data and processes at all levels – from field technicians through to geologists and contractors, and across mapping, sampling, logging, surveying, data entry and reporting – to confirm they are completed correctly, accurately and to company standard.Routinely audit and verify that all procedures and protocols are being implemented and followed correctly by staff and contractors and take timely corrective action where they are not.Act as custodian of the exploration database, ensuring all geological, sampling, survey and drilling data is captured accurately, validated, secured and regularly backed up as a single, reliable source of truth.Implement and enforce QA/QC procedures across all sampling and assaying – including field duplicates, certified reference standards, blanks and umpire/check assays – and routinely monitor results to confirm data quality.Ensure field and laboratory data-management protocols are consistently understood and followed by all staff and contractors, providing training and oversight on database and QA/QC standards.Maintain full sample chain-of-custody and audit-ready documentation to underpin the integrity of results reported to the market and used in mineral resource estimation.Team leadership & communicationMaintain strong lines of communication with the Principal Geologist and with all staff and contract workers in the field.Effectively manage geologists and technicians to deliver results in a manner that promotes high ethical standards, morale, team spirit and entrepreneurial, creative behaviours.Assist with strategic reviews and exploration planning as required and contribute to the continuous improvement of exploration methods and systems.Plan and manage staff rotations, ensuring adequate staffing to complete all tasks.To be successful in the role you will have:12+ years experience as a geologist in a Greenfields or Brownfields mine environmentWorked in a Mine & Exploration environmentMasters level preferableStrong organiserHard workerSpeaks French and EnglishIs ambitious and has clear career goalsOpen to mentorship