Lead Risk Engineer – PMC

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Role Summary

The Lead Risk Engineer is the PMC's focal point for project risk and opportunity management and serves as the independent advisor on threats and opportunities affecting project delivery. On a large-scale brownfield RKEF nickel smelter expansion in Sulawesi, the role provides structured risk management across engineering, procurement, Chinese supply chain activities, logistics, construction, shutdowns, operational interfaces, commissioning, and commercial matters. The position is critical in ensuring that project risks are identified early, quantified appropriately, actively managed, and clearly communicated to support successful delivery of the second production train while protecting existing operations and project value.

Role Purpose

The Lead Risk Engineer is responsible for establishing, implementing, and maintaining the Project Risk Management Framework for the expansion of an operating nickel smelter through the addition of a second Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace (RKEF) production train in Sulawesi, Indonesia.

As part of the PMC organization, the Lead Risk Engineer provides independent project risk management oversight and assurance, ensuring risks and opportunities are systematically identified, assessed, mitigated, monitored, and reported throughout the project lifecycle.

The role acts as the focal point for project-wide risk management across engineering, procurement, logistics, construction, commissioning, start-up, operational integration, commercial, regulatory, and stakeholder activities. Particular emphasis is placed on managing the unique risks associated with a brownfield smelter expansion, a China-based equipment supply chain, and integration of Train 2 into an operating nickel processing facility.

The Lead Risk Engineer provides project leadership with objective visibility of project threats and opportunities, enabling proactive decision-making and safeguarding project safety, schedule, cost, quality, and operational objectives.

Key Accountabilities

The Lead Risk Engineer is accountable for:

• Development and implementation of the Project Risk Management Plan.
• Facilitation of project risk identification and assessment processes.
• Maintenance of the Project Risk Register.
• Schedule and cost risk analysis.
• Quantitative and qualitative risk assessments.
• Risk reporting and executive risk dashboards.
• Monitoring effectiveness of risk mitigation actions.
• Opportunity management.
• Integration of risk management into project decision-making.
• Independent risk assurance across all project phases.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Risk Management Leadership

• Develop and implement the Project Risk Management Framework.
• Establish project risk management procedures, standards, and reporting requirements.
• Promote risk awareness and a proactive risk culture across the project team.
• Ensure risk management is embedded within project governance processes.
• Provide expert risk advice to project leadership.
• Facilitate structured project-wide risk management activities.

2. Project Risk Identification

Lead structured risk identification workshops throughout project execution.

Coordinate participation from:

• PMC Team
• Owner Team
• EPC Contractor
• Operations Representatives
• Commissioning Team
• Supply Chain Team
• Regulatory Stakeholders

Identify risks relating to:

• Strategic Risks

• Project execution strategy
• Stakeholder alignment
• Regulatory changes

• Technical Risks

• Design maturity
• Technology integration
• Process performance

• Commercial Risks

• Contractual exposure
• Change management
• Claims

• Operational Risks

• Plant integration
• SIMOPS activities
• Production continuity

Maintain comprehensive records of identified risks and opportunities.

3. Risk Register Management

Serve as custodian of the Project Risk Register.

Responsibilities include:

• Establish risk classification structure.
• Assign risk ownership.
• Record risk causes, events, impacts, and mitigation actions.
• Facilitate regular updates.
• Monitor closure of actions.
• Escalate critical risks.
• Maintain audit trails.

Ensure risks remain active until properly closed or transferred.

4. Brownfield Risk Management

This is one of the most critical elements of the role.

Lead the identification and management of risks associated with executing a major expansion inside an operating nickel smelter.

Key focus areas include:

• Operational Interfaces

• Impact on Train 1 operations.
• Utility interruptions.
• Process integration challenges.
• Maintenance access restrictions.

• Shutdown Risks

• Delayed tie-ins.
• Extended outages.
• Incomplete preparation.
• Insufficient contingency planning.

• SIMOPS Risks

• Construction adjacent to live operations.
• Energization activities.
• Heavy lifting over operating areas.
• Utility isolation management.

Develop mitigation and contingency strategies to minimise production impacts.

5. Engineering and Technical Risk Management

Monitor engineering-related project risks.

Typical risks include:

• Design maturity.
• Incomplete technical information.
• Vendor design integration.
• Constructability issues.
• Technology integration challenges.
• Design changes.
• Interface management failures.

Particular attention should be given to:

• Rotary Kiln design.
• Electric Furnace installations.
• Transformer integration.
• Utility systems interfaces.
• Control system integration.

6. Supply Chain and Logistics Risk Management

Given the likely sourcing strategy, major focus shall be placed on China-based procurement and logistics risks.

Monitor and assess risks associated with:

• Manufacturing

• Supplier capacity constraints.
• Fabrication delays.
• Quality deficiencies.
• Workforce shortages.

• Logistics

• Shipping disruptions.
• Port congestion.
• Heavy-lift transportation.
• Customs clearance delays.

• Materials

• Critical shortages.
• Delivery sequencing conflicts.
• Storage and preservation failures.

Support the Supply Chain Manager in developing mitigation and recovery plans.

7. Schedule Risk Analysis

Support the Lead Planner / Scheduler and Project Controls Manager through structured schedule risk assessments.

Responsibilities include:

• Evaluate schedule threats and opportunities.
• Assess critical path vulnerabilities.
• Identify milestone risks.
• Support development of recovery strategies.
• Facilitate schedule risk workshops.

Key milestones include:

• Engineering Completion
• Equipment Delivery
• Mechanical Completion
• Energization
• Kiln Dry-Out
• Furnace Energization
• First Ore Feed
• First Hot Metal
• Performance Testing

8. Cost Risk Management

Work closely with the Lead Cost Engineer to evaluate:

• Cost growth risks.
• Change exposure.
• Claims exposure.
• Procurement cost escalation.
• Contractor productivity impacts.
• Schedule-related cost consequences.

Support:

• Contingency assessments.
• Cost forecasting.
• Commercial risk evaluations.
• Estimate at Completion (EAC) reviews.

9. Quantitative Risk Analysis

Where required, conduct or coordinate quantitative risk assessments.

Responsibilities include:

• Schedule Risk Analysis

• Monte Carlo simulations.
• Confidence level assessments.
• Critical risk ranking.

• Cost Risk Analysis

• Contingency modelling.
• Cost uncertainty analysis.
• Forecast confidence assessments.

Provide decision-makers with probabilistic project outcomes and recommendations.

10. Opportunity Management

Promote proactive management of project opportunities.

Potential opportunities may include:

• Construction productivity improvements.
• Alternative logistics strategies.
• Early procurement approaches.
• Reduced shutdown durations.
• Commissioning acceleration.
• Cost-saving initiatives.

Maintain an Opportunity Register alongside project risk registers.

11. Regulatory and External Risk Management

Support management of:

• Regulatory Risks

• Permitting delays.
• Approval uncertainties.
• Environmental obligations.

• External Risks

• Community impacts.
• Infrastructure limitations.
• Weather events.
• Geotechnical conditions.
• Political and regulatory changes.

Work closely with the Regulatory & Permitting Coordinator to monitor emerging external threats.

12. Commissioning and Operational Readiness Risks

Support risk management activities during transition from construction to operations.

Focus areas include:

• Mechanical Completion readiness.
• System turnover.
• Commissioning interfaces.
• Operational readiness.
• Training completion.
• Performance testing risks.

Particular attention should be given to:

• Furnace start-up.
• Kiln commissioning.
• Utility reliability.
• Process ramp-up.
• Production stabilization.

13. Assurance, Audits and Reviews

Facilitate project risk assurance activities.

Responsibilities include:

• Risk audits.
• Independent risk reviews.
• Project health checks.
• Stage-gate reviews.
• Executive risk assessments.

Verify that risk management processes are being effectively implemented by all project stakeholders.

14. Reporting and Communication

Prepare regular risk reports for project leadership.

• Weekly Reports

• Critical risks.
• New risks.
• Escalated issues.
• Mitigation progress.

• Monthly Reports

• Top project risks.
• Risk trend analysis.
• Opportunity status.
• Contingency exposure.
• Schedule and cost risk outlook.

Present findings to:

• Project Director.
• PMC Leadership Team.
• Owner Steering Committee.
• Project Controls Reviews.

RKEF and Brownfield-Specific Experience

The successful candidate should have an understanding of risks associated with:

• Process Facilities

• Rotary Kilns
• Electric Furnaces
• Furnace Transformers
• Electrode Systems
• Ore Drying Systems
• Slag Handling Systems
• Material Handling Systems

• Utilities

• Power generation and distribution.
• High-voltage substations.
• Cooling water systems.
• Fuel systems.
• Firewater systems.

• Brownfield Integration

• Utility tie-ins.
• Shutdown execution.
• Operational interfaces.
• SIMOPS management.
• Production continuity.

• Supply Chain

• Chinese equipment suppliers.
• International logistics.
• Heavy-lift transport.
• Customs and importation.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Project Management, Construction Management, Risk Management, or related discipline.

Preferred Professional Certifications

• PMI-RMP (Risk Management Professional)
• AACE Certified Cost Professional (CCP)
• AACE Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP)
• PMP
• IRM Certification
• ISO 31000 Risk Management Training

Experience

• Essential

• Minimum 12–15 years of experience in project risk management, project controls, planning, cost engineering, or major project delivery.
• Minimum 5 years in a Lead Risk Engineer, Risk Manager, Project Controls Manager, or equivalent role.
• Experience on projects exceeding US$500 million CAPEX.
• Strong understanding of EPC project execution.

• Preferred

• Mining and metals projects.
• Nickel processing facilities.
• Smelters or pyrometallurgical facilities.
• Brownfield industrial expansions.
• PMC, EPCM, or Owner's Engineer environments.
• Indonesian or Southeast Asian project experience.
• Experience with Chinese EPC and supply chain environments.

Technical Competencies

• Risk Management

• ISO 31000 principles.
• Risk identification and assessment.
• Risk register management.
• Opportunity management.
• Risk facilitation.

• Quantitative Analysis

• Monte Carlo simulation.
• Schedule risk analysis.
• Cost risk analysis.
• Contingency analysis.
• Probabilistic forecasting.

• Project Controls

• Primavera P6.
• Cost forecasting.
• Change management.
• Earned Value Management.

• Systems

• Primavera Risk Analysis (PRA)
• Safran Risk
• Acumen Risk
• Power BI
• Excel advanced modelling

• Leadership Competencies

• Strategic thinking.
• Analytical capability.
• Influencing skills.
• Facilitation and workshop leadership.
• Communication and presentation skills.
• Problem solving.
• Stakeholder management.
• Independent judgement.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Risk Management

• Risk Register maintained and current.
• Mitigation actions completed on schedule.
• Risks escalated before impacting project objectives.

• Forecasting and Assurance

• Accuracy of schedule and cost risk assessments.
• Effective contingency management.
• Credibility of risk reporting.

• Brownfield Risk Management

• Effective management of shutdown and tie-in risks.
• No major unanticipated impacts on Train 1 operations.
• Robust SIMOPS risk management.

• Project Support

• Early identification of emerging risks.
• Effective support to project decision-making.
• Opportunity realization where feasible.

• Stakeholder Satisfaction

• Confidence of Project Director and Owner in risk management outputs.
• Effective collaboration with Project Controls, Construction, Contracts, Supply Chain, and Operations teams.

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