Operations Director, Certification

ERM Certification and Verification Services (CVS) is seeking a Technical Director or Partner to lead and scale our global Responsible Mining & Metals certification team. This role is central to the growth and operational excellence of our mining sector portfolio, combining strategic leadership, technical depth, and commercial acumen. The successful candidate will oversee global operations, drive business growth, and ensure the delivery of high-quality, client-centric certification services aligned with evolving market demands and stakeholder expectations.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Lead and scale ERM CVS's certification business in the mining sector, ensuring alignment with global market drivers and stakeholder needs.
• Oversee and optimize operational performance across the mining certification portfolio, with direct accountability for sales, net revenue, profitability, and cost control.
• Review and implement improvements to internal processes, systems, and tools to ensure lean, scalable, and effective operations that enable sustainable growth.
• Develop and execute strategic plans to expand our mining services portfolio, ensuring relevance to emerging standards (e.g., CMSI) and evolving client expectations.
• Build and lead a high-performing global team of assessors and project managers, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous learning; expand team capacity and geographic coverage in line with business growth.
• Provide mentorship, coaching, and professional development opportunities to ensure team members are equipped to deliver services that meet and exceed client expectations.

Technical Excellence

• Serve as the senior technical authority on mining certification, with deep expertise in standards such as IRMA, ASI, RBA, CopperMark, ICMM, ISO Management System standards (e.g., ISO 14001, ISO 45001), and other ESG-related frameworks.
• Lead complex, multi-standard audit and assurance engagements, ensuring technical rigor and stakeholder engagement, including with Indigenous and community representatives for applicable schemes.
• Drive the implementation of best practices and continuous improvement across audit methodologies, tools, and delivery models.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, regulatory developments, and evolving client needs to ensure ERM CVS remains a leader in responsible mining certification.

Commercial Growth & Client Engagement

• Collaborate with Sales Directors, Partners, and Project Managers to maintain and grow the mining certification business through strategic client engagement and market development.
• Lead commercial conversations, develop compelling value propositions, and support proposal development and contract negotiations.
• Contribute to account planning, pipeline development, and cross-selling of ERM CVS services to maximize client value and business impact.
• Represent ERM CVS at industry events, forums, and client engagements to enhance visibility and thought leadership.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Finance, Environmental Science, or a related sustainability field. Master's is a plus.
• 10+ years of experience in certification, auditing, compliance, or related fields.
• Proven track record of scaling businesses and managing complex global projects and teams.
• Deep understanding of the mining sector, certification schemes, and the global regulatory and stakeholder landscape.
• Demonstrated success in business development, P&L management, and operational leadership.
• Excellent leadership and commercial skills, with the ability to inspire and grow high-performing, geographically distributed teams.
• Outstanding communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to engage effectively across internal and external stakeholders.
• Detail-oriented and proactive, with a commitment to continuous improvement and delivering high-quality, client-focused services.
• Fluent in English; additional languages such as Spanish, French, or Portuguese are advantageous.

Performance Measures:

• Development and execution of the global mining certification strategy.
• Growth in mining certification sales and client portfolio.
• Achievement of sales, net revenue and profitability targets.
• On-time, on-target delivery and client satisfaction.
• Team utilization, development, and retention.
• Continuous improvement in operational efficiency and service quality.
• Execution of strategic initiatives aligned with ERM CVS's global certification goals and growth priorities.

About ERM CVS

ERM Certification and Verification Services (CVS) partners with global organizations across diverse industries to identify risks and opportunities in their management systems, ensuring regulatory compliance, ESG performance enhancement, and stakeholder trust through certification and verification services.

We specialize in ISO certification and verification, supporting clients in industries such as Oil & Gas, Mining, Manufacturing, Technology, and Pharma. Our structured certification audits ensure alignment with international standards and help organizations demonstrate commitment to quality, sustainability, and compliance.