VP Permitting & Major Project Development

As the VP of Permitting & Major Project Development you will report directly to the CEO of a growing mining company responsible to lead permitting, community relations, government relations, environmental and sustainability function in support of major projects, including new mine development and mine expansion initiatives.

The initial and primary focus of this role is to advance the current project which is a proposed open-pit, heap-leach copper operation utilizing SX/EW technology located in Arizona.

As the VP you will work closely in coordination with senior management, technical teams, consultants, contractors and external stakeholders to secure all permits and social license necessary to develop and operate the project.

This role has no direct reports and does not perform routine technical work; rather it carries functional leadership and oversight responsibility across multiple disciplines and workstreams critical to project advancement.

Success in this role will depend heavily on influence, coordination, relationship-building, and strategic alignment across internal and external stakeholders.

DUTIES INCLUDE:

• Functional Scope & Oversight:
  • Mine Permitting
  • Community Relations & Social License
  • Government Relations (Federal, State, County, Local)
  • Environmental Impact & Compliance
  • Sustainable Design & Development
• Achieve alignment and cooperation among multiple contractors, consultants and managers.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with key agencies and stakeholders including:
  • Arizona State Land Development
  • Arizona State Mine Inspector
  • Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)
  • State Historic Preservation Office
  • Air Quality Divisions
  • Govern's Office Resource Advisors
  • County Supervisors
  • Local Mayors and Municipal Leaders
  • Congressional Representatives and State Legislators
  • Contract Lobbyists
• Exercise exceptional organizational leadership across complex, multi-year workstreams.
• Influence outcomes without direct authority.
• Navigate conflict, opposition and public scrutiny with professionalism and composure.
• Serve as a charismatic, credible and trusted public representative of the Company.
• Embody a highly collaborative, respectful leadership style.

Permitting:

• Oversee the full lifecycle of mine permitting at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements and submission obligations.
• Lead preparation and submission of permits, applications, and supporting technical documentation.
• Develop and execute strategic permitting roadmaps aligned with project schedules.
• Coordinate cross-functional technical inputs required for permit applications.
• Build constructive working partnerships with regulatory authorities.
• Anticipate regulatory changes and integrate them into project planning.
• Monitor permit status, conditions, and renewal requirements.

Community Relations:

• Develop and execute community engagement strategies that build trust and social license.
• Serve as a visible and credible public face of the Company.
• Organize and participate in town halls, public meetings, and stakeholder forums.
• Proactively address community concerns, including:
  • Water use
  • Power demand and availability
  • Traffic and road impacts
  • Dust and noise
  • Property values
• Design long-term outreach and education programs.
• Partner with schools, NGOs, and local organizations.
• Identify and support community development initiatives.
• Manage public expectations through transparent, strategic communication.

Government Relations:

• Act as primary liaison between Gunnison Copper and government organizations.
• Develop and implement government affairs strategies supporting project advancement.
• Advise executive leadership on political, legislative, and regulatory developments.
• Build and maintain relationships with elected officials and regulators.
• Represent the Company at hearings, public forums, and legislative meetings.
• Oversee and direct contract lobbyists.
• Monitor proposed legislation and regulatory rulemaking.
• Develop advocacy strategies supporting favorable mining policy.
• Prepare briefings and compliance reports for government stakeholders.

Environmental:

• Lead environmental compliance and protection strategies.
• Oversee environmental baseline studies and impact assessments.
• Direct development of mitigation and monitoring programs.
• Ensure compliance with federal and Arizona environmental regulations.
• Lead environmental audits and reporting.
• Oversee waste management and pollution control planning.
• Manage environmental consultants and technical scopes of work.
• Provide functional oversight to multidisciplinary technical teams.
• Support development of permit applications and environmental documentation.

Sustainability:

• Develop sustainability frameworks for project design and operations.
• Promote environmental stewardship and responsible resource development.
• Advance initiatives related to:
  • Carbon footprint reduction
  • Energy efficiency
  • Renewable energy integration
  • Water conservation
  • Land reclamation
• Align sustainability objectives with corporate strategy.
• Track and report sustainability metrics.
• Support ESG and public sustainability reporting.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree in Mining, Environmental Science, Engineering, Public Policy, or related discipline required. Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years in the mining industry.
• At least 5 years in senior leadership roles overseeing major projects, permitting, environmental, government relations, or community affairs functions.
• Direct experience advancing U.S. mine development projects strongly preferred.
• Deep understanding of and experience with:
  • Arizona permitting frameworks
  • Federal mining regulations
  • Environmental compliance requirements
  • SX/EW and heap-leach operations (preferred)
  • Sustainability and ESG practices
• Exceptional organizational and project coordination capability.
• Strategic thinker with execution focus.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to influence without direct authority.
• Skilled in conflict navigation and issue resolution.
• Charismatic communicator and public presenter.
• Proven success building community trust.
• Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Commitment to safe, inclusive, and respectful workplace culture.
• Professional certifications in environmental management, permitting, or mining disciplines are advantageous.