Epiroc is a leading productivity partner for the mining, infrastructure and natural resources industries. With cutting-edge technology, Epiroc develops and produces innovative drill rigs, rock excavation and construction equipment, and provides world-class service and consumables. The company was founded in Stockholm, Sweden, and has passionate people supporting and collaborating with customers in more than 150 countries.
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The Director of AHS Operations is responsible for the global deployment, support, and operational management of Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) projects from the initial deployment up to and including the operations phase. This role ensures that all AHS projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget, and in alignment with customer contractual requirements and performance expectations.
The Director is a senior level customer facing executive who leads global AHS project execution across Epiroc teams, overseeing the full project lifecycle from purchase order through site readiness, system installation, commissioning, certification, and operational handover, including workforce training and change management. Following deployment, his or her organization provides ongoing operational and technical support for live AHS sites to customers, including Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 (factory-level) issue resolution for both on- and off-board systems, product performance improvement, warranty administration, and lifecycle cost optimization.
The role is accountable for AHS project P&L performance, in partnership with local project leadership and regional management (the CC team), and acts as a key interface between customers, engineering, product management, supply chain, product management and service organizations.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Deployment
· Own and govern the end-to-end deployment of AHS projects from purchase order through operational handover.
· Define and maintain standardized deployment frameworks, stage-gates, readiness criteria, and acceptance milestones across all regions.
· Ensure site readiness (infrastructure, fleet availability, communications, safety systems, and customer preparedness) prior to system installation.
· Coordinate installation, commissioning, validation, and certification activities in collaboration with engineering, product, safety, and customer teams.
· Ensure comprehensive customer and internal training programs are delivered, including operators, maintainers, supervisors, and site leadership.
· Manage deployment risk registers, mitigation plans, and escalation paths for schedule, safety, technical, and commercial risks.
· Drive continuous improvement of deployment methodologies based on lessons learned and post-deployment reviews.
PMO (Program & Project Management Office)
· Establish and lead a global AHS PMO to ensure consistent governance, execution discipline, and transparency across all projects.
· Define standard project management processes, tools, templates, and reporting cadence aligned with Epiroc standards.
· Oversee integrated project schedules, critical paths, dependencies, and resource allocation across concurrent global deployments.
· Ensure formal change management processes are applied for scope, schedule, and cost changes, including customer variations.
· Track and manage project risks, issues, and interdependencies across regions and portfolios.
· Provide executive-level visibility into project health, milestones, and forecast outcomes.
Product Support, Maintenance & Repair
· Lead global AHS product support operations across Tier 1 (site), Tier 2 (regional), and Tier 3 (factory/engineering) support levels.
· Ensure rapid and effective incident response, root cause analysis, and corrective/preventive actions for operational issues.
· Act as the primary operational interface to engineering for identified product defects, performance gaps, and reliability issues.
· Drive the creation and execution of ICAs (Interim Containment Actions) and permanent fixes in collaboration with product & engineering teams.
· Oversee warranty administration, claims management, and cost recovery processes.
· Define maintenance strategies, reliability improvement programs, and lifecycle support models to maximize fleet availability and performance aligned with engineering recommendations
· Support continuous product performance improvement through structured feedback loops from site operations to engineering and product management
Financial Management
· Own P&L performance for AHS projects in partnership with regional and local project leadership.
· Develop and manage project budgets, cost forecasts, and margin targets across the AHS portfolio
· Monitor and control deployment, support, and lifecycle costs, identifying opportunities for efficiency and margin improvement.
· Work with the AHS Business Controller to ensure accurate revenue recognition, cost allocation, and financial reporting in line with contractual and corporate requirements.
· Support commercial reviews, contract negotiations, and scope change assessments from an operational and financial perspective when required by the AHS Business Controller.
· Drive financial discipline and accountability across deployment and support teams.
Customer Management
· Serve as the senior operational interface for AHS customers throughout deployment and operational phases.
· Ensure customer expectations are clearly understood, documented, and managed across the project lifecycle.
· Lead operational governance forums with customers, including steering committees, performance reviews, and escalation meetings.
· Manage operational issue resolution and communication in a transparent, structured, and customer-focused manner.
· Support customer adoption, change management, and long-term value realization from AHS deployments.
Stakeholder Management
· Coordinate closely with engineering, product management, supply chain, safety, legal, and commercial teams inside the AHS business unit.
· Align global and regional stakeholders around priorities, resource allocation, and execution plans.
· Act as a key internal advocate for operational requirements, customer needs, and field realities.
· Ensure strong collaboration across regions to leverage best practices and shared learnings.
Reporting & Performance Management
· Define and maintain a standardized suite of KPIs covering safety, schedule, cost, system availability, reliability, and customer satisfaction.
· Provide regular executive reporting on project status, operational performance, financial results, and key risks.
· Ensure accurate and timely reporting to internal leadership and customers.
· Lead post-deployment and operational performance reviews, ensuring lessons learned are captured and institutionalized.
· Drive a data-driven performance culture focused on continuous improvement and operational excellence.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Education
· Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mining, Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Software, Systems Engineering) or a related technical discipline.
· Master's degree in Engineering, Business Administration (MBA), Project Management, or Systems Engineering is preferred.
Professional Experience
· 15+ years of progressive experience in mining operations, heavy equipment, industrial automation, or autonomous systems, with at least 7-10 years in senior leadership roles.
· Demonstrated leadership of large-scale, multi-site technology deployments in operational mining environments.
· Proven experience delivering complex capital projects from contract award through commissioning and operational handover.
· Direct experience with Autonomous Haulage Systems (AHS), fleet management systems, or advanced mining automation platforms is strongly preferred.
· Strong background in operational support models, including Tier 1-3 support structures, incident management, and reliability improvement programs.
· Experience managing P&L responsibility, project financials, and cost control for complex, long-duration programs.
· Track record of working in global, matrixed organizations, coordinating across regions, cultures, and time zones.
Technical & Domain Expertise
Deep understanding of:
· Open-pit mining operations and production workflows
· Haul truck systems, fleet interfaces, and OEM integration
· Safety-critical systems, site certification, and regulatory compliance
· Industrial communications, networks, and control systems
Familiarity with:
· Systems engineering and product lifecycle management
· Software-enabled products and continuous improvement models
· Maintenance, reliability engineering, and asset performance management
· Ability to translate complex technical issues into operational and commercial impacts.
Project, Program & Governance Skills
· Strong command of project and program management methodologies (PMBOK, PRINCE2, Agile/Hybrid for software-enabled systems).
· Experience establishing and running a PMO for large programs or portfolios.
· Demonstrated ability to manage risk, change control, and cross-functional dependencies.
· PMP, PgMP, or equivalent certification is preferred.
Leadership & Behavioral Competencies
· Proven ability to lead and scale high-performing global teams.
· Strong executive presence with the ability to engage credibly at C-suite, board, and site leadership levels.
· Decisive, structured problem-solver with a bias for action in operationally critical environments.
· Strong customer orientation with experience managing long-term strategic customer relationships.
· Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to operate in high-pressure, high-visibility situations.
Commercial & Financial Acumen
Demonstrated capability in:
· Budgeting, forecasting, and cost control
· Contract interpretation and change management
· Warranty administration and lifecycle cost optimization
· Ability to balance operational excellence with commercial performance.
Additional Requirements
· Willingness and ability to travel internationally as required.
· Experience working across multiple jurisdictions and regulatory environments.
· Fluent in English; additional languages are an advantage.