Commissioning Manager

Title: Commissioning Manager

Greenfield Copper & Gold Project – Yorke Peninsula, South Australia

Senior Owner’s Team role leading commissioning strategy from early design through start‑up and handover

Critical interface leadership across EPCM, construction, operations readiness and asset handover

Project Summary: Rex Minerals is an Australian mining company dedicated to the development of its flagship A$1.0B Copper-Gold Hillside Project located on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia. The project will be a significant contributor to the South Australian economy and is providing employment opportunities for locals and for those looking to move to the area.

Hillside is in a highly attractive regional location approximately 150km from Adelaide and is one of the largest copper/gold projects under development in Australia. The project is fully approved and early-stage site access work, major Highway diversions, site utilities and awarding of contracts and building the team to execute the project has commenced.

KBR is a global provider of full life cycle professional services supporting clients in delivery of major projects like Hillside and is providing expertise as part of an Integrated Owners team delivering the Project on behalf of Rex Minerals.

About the role

The Commissioning Manager (Owner’s Team) is accountable for the end‑to‑end commissioning strategy and execution of the Hillside Project, ensuring a safe, integrated, and efficient transition from construction into commissioning, start‑up, and operational handover.

Reporting to the Project Director, the role establishes commissioning philosophy, ensures early operability input to design and construction, and leads coordination across EPCM, construction contractors, operations readiness, and asset owners.

This role is critical to achieving safe, on‑schedule, and right‑first‑time start‑up for a major greenfield processing operation.

Key Responsibilities: Develop and maintain the Project Commissioning Strategy, including systems definition, sequencing, turnover requirements, and start‑up philosophy

Ensure commissioning requirements are embedded early into design, procurement, construction and contracting strategies

Lead integration between construction completion, pre‑commissioning, commissioning, start‑up, and handover to operations

Oversee commissioning planning, readiness reviews, and execution across process plant, utilities, infrastructure, and supporting facilities

Provide Owner’s Team leadership at key commissioning interfaces with EPCM, package contractors, OEMs, and operations representatives

Ensure robust systems completion, punch listing, handover documentation, and acceptance processes

Champion safe commissioning practices, SIMOPS planning, and compliance with statutory and operational safety requirements

Coordinate commissioning input to schedules, ensuring alignment with construction completions and critical path activities

Support development of operating procedures, training, spares, and maintenance strategies in collaboration with Operations Readiness

Prepare commissioning and start‑up readiness reporting for project leadership and governance forums

Skills & Experience Required

• Essential Significant experience (typically 12+ years) in commissioning and/or start‑up leadership on major capital projects within mining, minerals processing, or heavy industry

• Demonstrated success commissioning greenfield process plants, utilities, and associated infrastructure

• Strong understanding of systems‑based commissioning, completions management, and start‑up methodologies

• Proven ability to manage complex interfaces across Owner’s Teams, EPCM partners, contractors, and operations

• Tertiary qualification in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Process, or equivalent) or relevant technical discipline

• Successful incumbent must reside in South Australia for the duration of the project.

• Desirable

• Experience working within an Owner’s Team or integrated Owner/EPCM delivery model

• Copper or base‑metals processing experience

• Exposure to completions management systems and digital handover tools

• Start‑up or operational experience post‑commissioning

• Why Join Us? Key Owner’s Team leadership role on one of Australia’s most significant greenfield copper developments

• Opportunity to shape commissioning outcomes from early execution through successful start‑up and handover

• Strong influence across EPCM, construction, and operations readiness disciplines

• Competitive remuneration aligned to experience

• Full‑time, project‑based role with long‑term execution horizon

• KBR Values Our KBR Values - We Value Our People, We Deliver, We Are People of Integrity, We Empower, We Are a Team of Teams - embody our people centric organisation.

• Our culture, and our genuine focus on our people is a major factor in our success and we want you to be part of our journey.

• Help shape tomorrow by applying today! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to leave your impact on our society with one of Australia’s leading infrastructure businesses. Apply now and follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date with all the latest news and job opportunities. #LI-DNP #LI-DNI #S-DNI