Assore is an international mining holding company, which principally engages in projects involving the mining, processing and marketing of ores, minerals and metals throughout several countries.
Assore boasts a diverse product portfolio and a global customer base. We are proudly renowned for our excellence in supplying iron, manganese and chrome ores, as well as manganese alloys.
Our philosophy is centered on our commitment to safety, operational excellence, customer focus and sustainability. For generations, these efforts have allowed us to positively impact industries and local communities.
We are looking to hire a Business Analyst in our Assore SA Operations Team. This role is based at our office in Illovo, Johannesburg.
Job Purpose
The Business Analyst – ASA Operations is responsible for delivering consistent, decision-grade performance information, analysis, and executive reporting across the Assore South Africa Operations (ASA) portfolio.
The role acts as a central analytical “single source of truth” for operational performance, supporting transparent governance, value protection, and performance improvement across Dwarsrivier Chrome Mine (“DCM”) (100% owned) and Assmang (50% JV) operations, comprising Khumani Iron Ore Mine (“KH”) and Black Rock Mining Operations (BRMO).
The role supports the ASA Executive Team, Assore EXCO Committees, and the MD ASA by providing accurate, timely, and insightful interpretation of operational results, key drivers, risks, and strategic initiatives - enabling informed decision-making, effective shareholder oversight, and disciplined follow-through.
Key Deliverables and Reporting Cadence
- Weekly: Consolidated ASA Operational Pack (safety, production, logistics, critical constraints), including executive summary and key movements.
- Monthly: ASA Monthly EXCO Dashboard and supporting commentary; consolidation of monthly operational performance for KH, BRMO, and DCM.
- Quarterly / Periodic: Quarterly performance and governance material to support Board and shareholder oversight (including JV lens analysis where applicable).
- Ad hoc: Deep-dive analyses, scenario assessments, and executive requests to support operational decisions, reviews, and planning.
Operational Reporting and Performance Information
- Consolidation of weekly ASA operational reporting, including safety, production, logistics, and key constraint metrics, with clear narrative on drivers and movements.
- Preparation and consolidation of monthly and quarterly operational performance reporting for KH, BRMO, and DCM, ensuring consistency of definitions, reconciliations, and data integrity across sources.
- Development, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the ASA Monthly EXCO Dashboard (content, structure, and commentary) to ensure decision usefulness.
- Support in preparing Board packs and EXCO reporting material, including quality control, alignment to governance requirements, and completeness of supporting analysis.
Business Analysis and Insights
- Trend, variance, and driver-based analysis across operations, translating results into implications for production, cost, cash generation, and delivery against plan.
- Development of early-warning indicators and identification of emerging risks, constraints, and material deviations; timely escalation to the ASA MD and Executive Team where appropriate.
- Analytical review of Assmang EXCO reporting through an ASA shareholder and governance lens, highlighting variances, inconsistencies, key risks, and required follow-up actions.
- Synthesis of complex and sometimes incomplete information into concise executive-level insights, options, and recommendations (including scenario-based analysis where required).
Strategic Initiative and Project Coordination
- Coordination and tracking of strategic initiatives and actions across ASA operations, ensuring clear owners, milestones, and due dates.
- Analytical tracking of initiatives against intended value drivers and benefits realisation (e.g., throughput, recovery, cost, safety, logistics performance), including independent challenge of reported progress and assumptions.
- Follow-up on matters arising from EXCO, committees, and sub-committees, ensuring closure, evidence-based status updates, and disciplined governance.
- Support for strategic reviews and planning processes through structured analysis, scenario evaluation, and consolidation of inputs.
Market and Industry Intelligence
- Monitoring and summarising relevant market, peer, and industry information other than what is already done by Assore’s other Corporate Office Functions like Growth and Strategic Development and Group Finance.
- Translation of external trends into implications for ASA operational performance, risk profile, and strategic priorities, highlighting potential opportunities or threats for executive consideration.
Executive and Ad Hoc Support
- Delivery of special analyses, governance queries, and executive briefing material requested by the ASA MD, Executive Team, or committees.
- Responsive handling of ad hoc information requests with appropriate quality control, confidentiality, and traceability of underlying assumptions and sources.
Data Governance, Systems and Continuous Improvement
- Maintain standard performance definitions, templates, and reporting logic to ensure comparability across operations and over time.
- Perform reconciliations and reasonability checks across data sources; proactively resolve discrepancies with operations and finance stakeholders.
- Develop and continuously improve analytical models, dashboards, and reporting packs (including simplification, automation, and improved visual communication where appropriate).
- Promote good information management practices (version control, documentation of assumptions, and auditability of key metrics).
EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Science, Industrial Engineering, Mining Engineering, Statistics, Data Analytics, Mathematics, or a related discipline.
- Postgraduate qualification (Honours) in a relevant field; MBA; CA(SA)/CIMA will be advantageous.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- 3–5 years’ relevant experience in business analysis, management reporting, performance analytics, or operational finance (preferably in a mining environment).
COMPETENCIES REQUIRED
Behavioural
- Professional discretion when handling sensitive information in an executive and shareholder environment.
- Proactive, structured working style with strong planning, follow-through, and deadline discipline.
- Comfortable operating in a JV and governance context, including working with ambiguity and incomplete information.
- Resilience and agility to manage competing priorities across multiple operations while maintaining quality.
Technical
- Strong analytical and problem-solving capability with ability to move from data to insight.
- Advanced MS Excel and data visualisation skills; comfort working with large, multi-source datasets and building robust models.
- Exposure to Power BI (or similar) and ERP/operational data sources is advantageous.
- Ability to interpret operational, safety, and logistics performance data and relate it to value drivers and risk.
- Clear structuring of complex information, including documentation of assumptions, limitations, and conclusions.
- Demonstrated ability to compile executive-ready packs/dashboards and translate multi-source operational data into insights, risks, and recommended actions; experience in supporting EXCO/Committee/Board reporting.
Business and Interpersonal
- Understanding of mining operations, performance drivers, and the commercial context (cost, margin, cash, and delivery obligations).
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with ability to write executive-ready commentary and present insights confidently.
- Ability to engage and influence senior stakeholders without formal authority, including constructive challenge of inputs and assumptions.
- Ability to synthesise competing viewpoints and priorities into a coherent, decision-focused narrative.
