Superintendent, Government Relations

At First Quantum, we free the talent of our people by taking a very different approach which is underpinned by a very different, very definite culture – the “First Quantum Way”.

Working with us is not like working anywhere else, which is why we recruit people who will take a bolder, smarter approach to spot opportunities, solve problems and deliver results.

Our culture is all about encouraging you to think independently and to challenge convention to deliver the best result. That’s how we continue to achieve extraordinary things in extraordinary locations.

Job description:

General Role Purpose (brief description of this job)

To coordinate the work of the Cobre Panama teams engaging the government/authorities, such as to guarantee the coherence of the overall effort, ensuring that Cobre Panama extracts maximum political and reputational benefit.

Qualifications (required for job) & Knowledge & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations, Law and Political Sciences, Business Administration or related fields.
• A minimum of 6 years of experience of engagement with external stakeholders in Panama – government, international bodies, NGOs, media, business associations.
• Experience in development of strategy.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, Access and Internet applications.
• Good communication skills across various levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated aptitude for working in teams.
• Ability to handle complexity and coordinate work involving a range of stakeholders.
• Clear focus on outcomes, and ability to solve problems. 
• Good research, analytical and report writing skills. 
• Ideally, a knowledge of national and international regulations relating to Cobre Panama (example, our contract law and EIA commitments, and IFC, World Bank, UN, BID guidelines).
• Proficient in both English and Spanish.

Core Specific Responsibilities & Expected Deliverables 

• To help ensure effective engagement with stakeholders in pursuit of Cobre Panama’s objectives – through direct engagement with stakeholders or by adding value to work done by other teams.
• To devise and implement an External Affairs plan for sustainable development/ESG. This will involve engagement with the relevant national and international bodies.  And to give shape and direction to the broader CP effort on sustainable development/ESG.  This with a view to positioning CP as a leading player in Panama on sustainable development/ESG.
• In collaboration with other teams, to identify the outcomes they seek to achieve with the government/authorities; to participate in drawing up an External Affairs plan capturing those outcomes; and periodically to review the execution of that plan. 
• Ensure that Cobre Panama extracts maximum political and reputational benefit from its ESG activities; and that our other work with government/authorities is conducted effectively. 

• Assist with the development of an External Affairs Strategy for Cobre Panama, and in the implementation of that strategy, working closely with the different teams involved.
• Creation of a stakeholder map and risk register as part of the strategy; reviewing the map and the risks periodically in order to maximize long-term relationship development.
• Coordination of the External Affairs/Government Relations work of different teams, with a particular focus on projects/activities undertaken in the communities. Coordination of projects/donations through a committee including External Affairs, Community Affairs, Commercial, Legal and Permits, Environment and HR.
• Devise and implement an External Affairs plan for sustainable development/ESG – with a particular focus on managing the relationships with international (UN, BID, World Bank, IFC, embassies), national (Sumarse/Global Pact, AEI, Camara de Desarollo Sostenible and other organizations) and government bodies responsible for sustainable development issues.  Helping to position CP as a lead company in Panama with regard to sustainable development.
• Coordinate internally and externally on production of annual CP ESG report.
• Managing relationships more broadly with national, provincial and municipal authorities.  Supporting different teams as required in their engagement with these authorities.
• Engagement with national and regional business bodies as required.
• Fluid dialogue with several members of Cobre Panama management team – on projects, donations, strategy and operational tasks.
• Developing expertise on CP’s ESG activities in order that External Affairs can add further value to the handling of these issues; and to generate/spot opportunities, including communications opportunities, to develop CP’s reputation/image in the ESG area.  
• Close engagement with Communications team on ESG issues. 
• Effective coordination with corporate level on ESG/sustainable development issues. 

• Representation of CP at meetings with stakeholders; participation in fora/events; preparation of material for use in meetings/forums.
• Generating correspondence with range of External Affairs stakeholders.
• Participation in visits to site and communities undertaken by government and international representatives, media figures and stakeholders with an interest in ESG/sustainable development issues.
• Member of External Affairs management team along with Country Manager and heads of Government Relations and Communications teams. 

Behavioral Traits / Personal Characteristics

• Outcomes focused.
• Aptitude for working in teams.  Collaborative in approach.
• Excellent organisational skills
• Adept at managing relationships – with external and internal stakeholders, irrespective of grade.
• Able to handle complexity and detail, monitoring progress on projects/undertakings and taking corrective action as required.
• Sets high standards. 
• Healthy attitude to personal development.  Looking to be stretched. 
• Resilient.
• Ability to act on initiative – while knowing when to consult.
• Good planning skills.
• Highly professional in approach – in person and in writing.  Comfortable in a representational role

Operational Requirements

• Job will be based in TDLA, but the person in the role will need to spend time each week on site and in the communities.
• Knowledge/experience of project management is an advantage.
• Holder of Panamanian driving licence.

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