Position Title: Vice President, Sustainability

Reports To: President and Chief Executive Officer

Position Summary:The VP Sustainability is responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing the sustainability strategy for the organization. This includes promoting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives, ensuring regulatory compliance, driving sustainable practices across the business, and leading efforts to reduce the organization’s environmental impact. The VP Sustainability will collaborate closely with internal teams, external stakeholders, and regulatory bodies to advance the company’s sustainability goals and align them with long term business objectives and administer associated policies, procedures and practices.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities of the Position

Collaborate with environmental scientists, engineers, and external stakeholders such as NGO’s government agencies, and industry groups, to promote sustainable initiatives. Facilitate cross-functional collaboration with technology development and deployment teams to ensure that sustainability goals are met.
Lead research, writing, and overall project management for annual Corporate Sustainability Report.
Lead the creation and implementation of sustainability goals, metrics, and action plans to drive environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and corporate governance.
Provide leadership and strategic guidance to senior management on sustainability issues and opportunities
Provide recommendations to the board of directors and senior leadership on emerging risks and opportunities in sustainability.
Prepare technical reports, presentations, and documentation to communicate findings and recommendations. Provide clear and concise information to support decision-making processes.
Represent the organization in public forums, conferences, and sustainability related events.
Analyze and optimize existing processes to reduce waste, energy consumption, water requirements and carbon emissions. Recommend process improvements to project teams and collaboratively work to implement improvements to enhance efficiency and sustainability.
Monitor trends in sustainability and ESG regulations, ensuring the company stays ahead of industry developments and maintains compliance.
Evaluate the environmental impact of materials and processes, propose improvements, and use sustainability metrics to measure and report on environmental performance of competing technical solutions. Conduct trade off studies on competing environmental solutions.
Provide technical support and guidance to project teams on sustainability issues. Offer expertise in materials science and applied technology to solve complex problems.
Manage and actively work to improve performance on key sustainability ratings and rankings and enhance cross-functional collaboration on this work within Hecla.
Enhance coworker engagement on sustainability in support of our commitment to serve the planet.
Support Hecla’s longer-term environmental stewardship goals as part of the company’s business strategy.
Lead and foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement
Engage with third-party sustainability organizations to identify best practices, tell our story, and help guide our sustainability journey.
Act as key expert and point of contact for sustainability issues (legal, regulatory, HSE, etc.)
Establish/Implement short and long range sustainability goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures.
Build effective working relationships with all stakeholders including regulatory bodies, government groups, civil society, local communities and the general public to enhance the company’s reputation and manage any risks.
Develop periodic sustainability plans and ensure that local hiring & procurement, livelihood restoration, capacity building and biodiversity targets are achieved.
Accountable for designing, delivering, and administering site/corporate sustainability strategies – determine resource requirements and the most appropriate method of accessing the necessary specialist technical skills and expertise, engaging and managing contractors as appropriate.
Assist in identification of potential environmental risks/impacts and develop action plans to mitigate in line with the mitigation hierarchy.
Deliver an effective and efficient sustainability service to all areas of the Hecla – ensure that all key aspects of the multi-disciplinary environmental studies are communicated to the construction and operating teams, and that operating activities align with commitments made within the sustainability strategy.
Maintain compliance with corporate values, Code of Conduct, corporate sustainability, and help support corporate culture.

Skills and Abilities:

Must have strong communication, leadership and management skills, in addition to excellent customer service skills. Strong knowledge of sustainability theories and practices
Strong working knowledge of all sustainability and EHS regulatory mandates and requirements within mining and processing operations
Proven track record of delivering a sustainability strategy within a high-risk industry (mining experience necessary)
Solid understanding site-based environmental experience
Must understand how the technical aspects of mining influence the business aspects leading to good business decisions
Understanding the business implications of various strategies required for sustainability and how environmental processes/systems are tools to help facilitate the implementation of these effectively and efficiently
Significant experience of managing multi-disciplinary scientific investigations focused on supporting the development of large scale projects which are socially and environmentally sound as well as safe to construct and operate
Experience with project development and a successful track record integrating multi-disciplinary findings into project designs and construction activities
Effective in problem solving and managing conflict situations
Self-directed and self-motivated, demonstrating initiative to do more than is expected or required in the position with the desire and capability to progress within the organization
Identify, communicate, and manage change effectively and on the appropriate level
Proven track record of effective teamwork, organizational development and leadership

Education and Credentials:

Bachelors Degree in Earth/Environmental/Sustainability/Sciences or related field preferred; experience commensurate with education may be considered.
10+ years of related leadership experience in the area of sustainability leadership roles, preferably in a publicly traded organization
Proven track record in driving sustainability programs, environmental management and ESG reporting
Strong knowledge of sustainability trends, regulations, and best practices.

Hecla Mining Co.

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VP, Sustainability