Mining Workforce Learning & Development Lead Consultant

Location

Must be based in Johannesburg or West Rand, South Africa.

The role will be contracted for one year, with the possibility for extension, contingent on continued client funding.

The role can be 60% - 100% dependent upon the budget. Benefits will not be offered.

Open to candidates with current work authorization in South Africa (sponsorship cannot be provided). Consultant to be paid in ZAR.

Palladium is a global company working to design, develop and deliver positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of people around the globe; broaden access to health, water, power, and infrastructure; build enduring, sustainable, and transformative institutions and market systems to address global challenges; and conserve the natural world. We operate in over 50 countries and have a workforce of more than 2,000 talented and motivated staff around the world.

Palladium is part of GISI’s global family of companies, which aim to create solutions for the world’s most complex challenges. With annual revenues of $14 billion, GISI’s approximately 15,000 employees are engaged in projects across 100 countries worldwide providing construction, program/project management, and engineering consulting services.

Skills for Our Common Future (SCF) Group Legacy Programme (GLP)

The GLP is a pioneering platform designed to build community and business resilience in the West Rand and greater Gauteng Province of South Africa. By aligning training and academic offerings with evolving industry needs, the programme aims to reduce unemployment, bridge the gap between skill supply and demand, and facilitate job placement in mining and adjacent sectors. The GLP leverages cross‑sector partnerships, innovative financing, and a results‑based approach to place 6,000 people in jobs and create 800 new roles over 10 years, with a strong emphasis on in‑demand and transferable skills.

The Mining Workforce Learning & Development Lead Consultant will drive the design, alignment, and implementation of future‑focused, industry‑aligned training and workforce development initiatives. The role is central to building a resilient talent pipeline for the mining sector and adjacent industries, ensuring that training programmes are responsive to technological change, employer demand, and the needs of local communities. The Lead will convene and collaborate with mining companies, standards setters, educational institutions, and other stakeholders to co‑create curricula, facilitate job placement, and foster sustainable partnerships.

Having prior experience working on training and workforce development for or with mining companies is required.

• The position is based in Johannesburg, Gauteng or West Rand, South Africa. Palladium does not have an office, so the role will be primarily remote with a requirement for periodic in‑person engagements.

• The Mining Workforce Learning & Development Lead Consultant will collaborate closely with the Project Director (London‑based) and actively support the Project Lead (Johannesburg‑based).

• Lead the collaborative alignment of training and academic offerings with current and future workforce needs in the mining sector, with a focus on automation, mechanisation, and digital skills.
• Facilitate the co‑design and rollout of modular, part‑based qualifications and career pathways that are transferable across industries (e.g., millwright, fitter & turner, electrical technician).
• Convene mining companies, standard setters (e.g., QCTO), training providers, and academic institutions (e.g., University of Pretoria, Wits Mining Institute) to align on skills priorities and curricula updates.
• Formalise and strengthen relationships with education and training partners for ongoing curriculum review and delivery.
• Lead the process to identify, prioritise, and update curricula for in‑demand job profiles (e.g., ICT specialist, data scientist, diesel mechanic, mine manager, mining artisan).
• Strengthen curricula review processes and institutional mechanisms to ensure ongoing alignment with industry standards and regulatory…