Practice Lead

Job description

Job highlights

Chile

Job ID

1361

Closing date

30/10/2025

Last Updated

09/10/2025

About Glencore Capital Projects Group (CPG)

The Capital Projects Group (CPG) is Glencore's dedicated organisation for developing and delivering selected major capital projects across its global Commodity Departments.

Working within the Life of Asset (LOA) management process, CPG will typically begin supporting selected major projects post concept development when a project is gated to the pre-Feasibility stage (PFS entry).

Collaborating deeply with the respective Commodity Department and regional team, CPG is able to shape, develop and execute, major projects from PFS onwards, into Feasibility and then Execution and handover, deploying organisation capability and project management expertise to achieve targeted outcomes safely and with predictable capital productivity.

Operating with agility and deep expertise, CPG will collaborate with each Commodity Department to develop fit for purpose delivery models that leverage and maximise regional capabilities and skills for each project that it either supports or is accountable for.

As Glencore's portfolio and LOA plans evolve, CPG will strive to continue enhance its impact and influence, driving safe, responsible and sustainable project delivery to the business.

Practice Lead – Value Engineering and Constructability

Division: Capital Projects Group (CPG)
Location: Santiago, Chile
Reports to: Head of Project Execution

Qualifications

College/University Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Civil, Mechanical, Mining, or related discipline).

Experience & Professional Background

Minimum of 20 years of experience in the mining or heavy industry sectors, including senior leadership roles in capital project execution.

Proven track record in the development, delivery, and operational transition of large-scale mining projects.

Demonstrated experience conducting feasibility assessments, trade-off analyses, Constructability, and Value Engineering reviews across multidisciplinary scopes.

Familiarity with project stage-gate processes, capital efficiency frameworks, and investment evaluation methodologies.

Strong ability to influence both technical and strategic decision-making within cross-functional and multicultural environments.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the capacity to prepare high-quality executive-level recommendations and technical documentation.

Main Objective of the Job

To provide technical and strategic oversight ensuring that major project decisions—particularly those made during early-stage definition and design—are optimized for long-term value creation and viability.
The Practice Lead will establish and lead the Value Engineering function within the Capital Projects Group, identifying opportunities for cost and schedule optimization, design simplification, and operational enhancement.
The role also serves as a senior reviewer and advisor during project development, integrating cross-disciplinary perspectives into critical design and execution decisions while ensuring alignment with governance and capital efficiency frameworks.

Operating Context

Operating within the Capital Projects Group (CPG), the Practice Lead – Value Engineering functions as a senior technical authority providing independent, cross-functional reviews across the major projects portfolio.

This role works closely with Project Directors, Engineering Managers, Construction, and Project Controls & Planning teams to evaluate and challenge critical decisions.

The position strengthens the Capital Governance Framework by ensuring that infrastructure, process, and execution strategies are assessed not only for compliance and technical robustness, but also for business viability.

Key considerations include capital cost, schedule implications, technical risk, technology maturity, constructability, operational reliability, and alternative pathways.

The Practice Lead contributes to these decisions by applying technical rigor, operational insight, and lessons learned from prior project delivery and asset performance, supporting improved outcomes across the full project lifecycle.

Control Elements

Capital Management Framework (CMF)

Engineering and Technical Governance Standards

Investment Review processes (IPRs, ITRs, PIRs)

Delegated Authorities and CAPEX stage gates

Project Execution Model

CPG Performance and Capital Efficiency Targets

Corporate HSEC and Operational Readiness Frameworks

Experience & Skills

Extensive experience in executing mining projects with end-to-end involvement—from conceptual engineering through to construction, commissioning, and handover.

Proven ability to evaluate design feasibility, analyze trade-offs between technical risk and cost, and identify levers for capital efficiency.

Strong understanding of Value Engineering frameworks and their structured application in complex and uncertain environments.

Experience leading or contributing to formal technical reviews, value optimization sessions, and multidisciplinary engineering assessments.

Demonstrated ability to rigorously assess technical assumptions and propose substantiated alternative solutions supported by sound engineering and strategic reasoning.

Proven collaboration across engineering, procurement, construction, planning, operations, and finance to align technical decisions with project objectives.

Advanced analytical proficiency and meticulous attention to evaluating technical proposals and commercial frameworks to ensure integrity and value across decision-making processes.

Key Accountabilities

Provide leadership in the facilitation of Value Engineering reviews throughout the project lifecycle, focusing on early-stage definition where decisions most affect value.

Deliver independent and critical assessments of project design strategies, configurations, and execution methodologies to identify opportunities for value enhancement and risk reduction.

Support the development and refinement of project scenarios and investment cases, incorporating operational insights and lessons learned.

Formulate technically and economically robust recommendations, including alternative solutions supported by comparative analyses across cost, schedule, risk exposure, and long-term performance.

Embed Value Engineering principles and methodologies within project planning and engineering processes to ensure systematic application across the CPG portfolio.

Safeguard alignment between engineering decisions and overarching value drivers such as capital efficiency, reliability, maintainability, and operability.

Contribute to the continuous improvement of governance frameworks, strengthening internal capabilities in value-based decision-making and capital optimization.

Job Relationships and Structure

Direct Reports: None

Other Key Relationships

Internal:

CPG Leadership Team

Project Directors and Engineering Managers

Planning, Construction, Procurement, and Business Development

Capital Governance stakeholders

HSEC and Operational Readiness functions

External:

Engineering and Technical Consultants

Performing Contractors, EPCMs, and Delivery Partners

Value Engineering and Constructability Advisors

Peer industry networks and benchmarking initiatives

Commitment to Inclusion and Diversity
At Glencore Capital Projects Group (CPG), we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment that encourages the active and full participation of all individuals within our organization, in alignment with fair labour practices.

Required Skill Profession

Other General