Director, Tailings Governance

Position Title:

Director, Tailings GovernanceLocation:

Coeur d Alene, ID; Vancouver, BC; with travel to mine sites (est 30%)

Reports To:

VP, Technical Services Position Summary:

The Director, Tailings Governance provides senior technical leadership and subject matter expertise for tailings storage facilities (TSFs) and waterretaining dams across Heclas global operations and major projects. This role ensures that Hecla is well positioned to manage geotechnical, operational, and waterrelated risks through strong governance, consistent standards, and effective collaboration with sites, Engineers of Record (EoRs), and senior leadership. This role provides guidance for the safe, responsible, and sustainable management of Heclas TSFs and dams throughout the full facility life cyclefrom design and construction through operation, closure, and postclosure. This includes delivering corporate bestpractice guidance, conducting seniorlevel technical reviews, and strengthening performance through continuous improvement.

The Director serves as a key link between site teams and corporate leadership, communicating facility performance, elevating emerging risks, and supporting informed decisionmaking. They help ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulatory requirements, Heclas Corporate Standards, the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM), and other relevant guidelines. Close coordination with EoRs and technical consultants is essential to provide highquality review, oversight, and direction.

ESSENTIAL

FUNCTIONSTechnical Leadership and Subject Matter Expertise:

Provide seniorlevel technical expertise on tailings storage facilities (TSFs), waterretaining dams, and surface water management across all Hecla operations.

Serve as a corporate technical advisor and senior reviewer for design, construction, operation, monitoring, and closure of TSFs and dams.

Stay current with geotechnical engineering best practices and emerging technologies relevant to tailings and dam safety.

Support research, innovation, and evaluation of new technologies to improve performance and closure outcomes.

Governance, Standards and Compliance:

Provide stewardship and governance for all TSFs and dams, ensuring alignment with Hecla Corporate Standards, regulatory requirements, and the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM).Establish, implement, maintain, and verify procedures and SOPs for proper facility management across the company.

Support the development and continuous improvement of corporate standards, guidelines, and tools for tailings and water dam management.

Help implement and oversee systematic review processes, including dam safety inspections, dam safety reviews, and assurance audits.

Ensure sites act on recommendations from internal audits, independent reviews, and regulatory inspections.

Technical Review and Risk Management:

Conduct technical reviews of investigation plans, engineering designs, construction drawings, specifications, monitoring data, and closure plans.

Lead and participate in technical evaluations, risk assessments, and development of mitigation strategies for TSFs and dams.

Assist sites with risk assessments, risk mitigation plans, and followup actions.

Conduct regular performance reviews of facilities and recommend appropriate riskreduction measures.

Plan, coordinate, and oversee annual reviews and audits of TSFs.

Collaboration with

Sites, EORs and External Partners:

Liaise with Engineers of Record (EoRs), consultants, and contractors, providing technical review, oversight, and direction.

Provide technical supervision, guidance, and mentoring to sitebased Responsible Tailings Facility Engineers (RTFEs) and Heap Leach Responsible Persons.

Engage with Joint Venture partners and represent Hecla in external technical forums, industry groups, and stakeholder engagements.

Participate in industrywide working groups to influence policy and communicate regulatory or industry changes back to the business.

Capacity Building and Continuous Improvement:

Contribute to training, workshops, and mentoring to strengthen global tailings and dam safety capabilities.

Organize and deliver training programs to build site capacity in tailings and heap leach management best practices.

Promote knowledgesharing, consistency, and continuous improvement across all sites.

Support team development and help foster an inclusive, highperforming environment aligned with Hecla values.

Reporting and Communication:

Report on the status of TSFs and heap leach facilities, including monitoring results, compliance activities, and emerging risks, to Hecla leadership.

Act as a key link between site teams and senior leadership, ensuring critical information is communicated clearly and promptly to support informed decisionmaking.

Additional Responsibilities:

Represent the company in regulatory, community, and industry engagements related to tailings and dam safety.

Perform other duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and ExperienceMasters degree in Civil, Geological, or Geotechnical Engineering preferred; Ph.D. a plus20+ years of progressive experience in geotechnical engineering, tailings management, and/or dam safety, with demonstrated senior leadership in a mining operator or technical consultancyDeep expertise in geotechnical engineering, with demonstrated proficiency in dam and pond design, construction, and long-term governance across the full facility life cyclePrior experience as an Engineer of Record (EoR) for tailings storage facilities or water-retaining dams strongly preferred; experience working closely with EoRs in an owner or oversight role is equally valued. Experience with heap leach/stack operations is a plus.

Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng.) registration required; multi-jurisdictional registration preferredTechnical SkillsIn-depth SME knowledge of critical state soil mechanics, tailings rheology, geotechnical engineering and TSF operations as evidenced through related tertiary qualifications and extensive post-graduate and practical on-ground experience.

Expertise in specialist geotechnical investigation techniques, advanced laboratory testing, slope stability and seepage analysis and detailed design relating to tailings and water storage facilities and associated infrastructure.

Proven capability in successful design and/or management of High consequence TSFs in a range of challenging mining operations and projects.

Demonstrated ability to influence decisions and performance at both the operational and management level through effective written and verbal communicationDemonstrated ability to develop and maintain sound working relationships (face-to-face and remote)Flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing business needs and circumstancesExcellent skills in managing time, setting priorities, planning, and organizingCapable of working with minimal supervision and able to self-manage priorities, with focus on high quality outputs and attention to detail.

Ability to engage and gain trust of stakeholders at all levels of an organizationExperience in external stakeholder engagement (industry, community, regulatory), including ability to influence policy direction.

Strong understanding of tailings facility design principles and geotechnical stability analysisProficiency with AutoCAD and project management software (MS Project or Primavera P6)Working knowledge of geotechnical analysis software and instrumentation data interpretationFamiliarity with risk assessment methodologies and industry guidelines (GISTM, CDA, MAC)Demonstrated ability to quickly adopt and implement new technical software, technologies, and methodologies as industry practices evolveGeneral CompetenciesStrong analytical skills to evaluate technical data combined with the ability to effectively communicate complex engineering concepts to diverse audiences with varying technical backgroundsDemonstrated problem-solving capabilities and collaborative work styleExcellent time management skills and attention to detailAbility to build relationships with site personnel, leadership, and external consultants