Director of Security (Physical)

About the company

The mining industry has steadily become worse at finding new ore deposits, requiring >10X more capital to make discoveries compared to 30 years ago. The easy-to-find, near-surface deposits have largely been found, and the industry has chronically under-invested in new exploration technology, relying on the manual techniques of yesteryear – even as demand accelerates for copper, lithium, and other metals to build electric vehicles, renewable energy, and data centers.

KoBold builds AI models for mineral exploration and deploys those models—alongside our novel sensors—to guide decisions on KoBold-owned-and-operated exploration programs. In the six years since founding, KoBold has become by far both the largest independent mineral exploration company and the largest exploration technology developer. Our data scientists and software engineers, who come from leading technology companies, jointly lead exploration programs with our renowned exploration geologists.

KoBold has proven its first discovery with materially less capital than the industry average and found one of the best copper deposits ever discovered: the copper is far more concentrated than the global average of copper mines, and this asset alone is expected to generate meaningful revenue for decades. KoBold has a portfolio of more than 60 other projects, each of which has the potential for another high-quality discovery.

KoBold is privately held; investors include institutional asset managers T. Rowe Price, and Canada Pension Plan Investments; technology venture capitalists Andreessen Horowitz, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, BOND Capital, and Standard Investments; and natural resources companies Equinor, BHP, and Mitsubishi.

We are hiring a Director of Security to accelerate our mission.

 

About the role:

The Director of Security is responsible for establishing, implementing, and overseeing a comprehensive global security strategy for the company’s activities, with a key focus on high-risk regions such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This role will develop and lead all physical security, travel risk management, crisis response, asset protection, and intelligence-gathering functions to safeguard personnel, assets, and operations across diverse geographic and political landscapes.

 

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Security Leadership: Design and implement a scalable, risk-based security program tailored to the company’s evolving footprint, with emphasis on risks in Central Africa in general, and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in  particular. Establish appropriate physical surveillance protocols for sites and staff in high risk zones.
• Field and Operational Security Oversight: Develop site-specific security plans for exploration camps and project sites. Ensure appropriate access control, perimeter security, and emergency response protocols are in place.
• Travel and Workforce Protection: Establish and manage protocols for workforce travel to high-risk locations. Oversee protective services and secure logistics support, especially for travel within the DRC, Zambia, and bordering countries.
• Coordination and Implementation: Coordinate with our Operations, Legal, and Government Affairs teams to deliver security policies and activities that comply with the law and meet KoBold’s high ethical and operational standards.
• Intelligence and Threat Assessment: Produce actionable intelligence briefs on security conditions, informed by circumstances on the ground. Provide routine briefings to leadership, partners, and stakeholders. 
• Crisis Management and Incident Response: Lead the company’s crisis management framework, including kidnap & ransom preparedness, medical evacuation planning, and response coordination during security incidents.
• Contractor and Vendor Management: Select, onboard, and manage vetted local and international security providers, ensuring quality, compliance, and alignment with the company’s standards. Develop KoBold-specific pass matrix for vendors factoring in local context settings.
• Collaboration with Community Relations and Communications: Partner with Community Engagements teams and train community champions for security awareness of established KoBold sites. Support communications strategies for crisis communications events. 
• Stakeholder and Government Engagement: Liaise with the U.S. Government, host country authorities, international organizations, and local communities to maintain situational awareness and secure operating licenses, access, and goodwill.  Build and maintain networks with provincial governors, military/police commanders, and customary chiefs to proactively manage risks that extend beyond “hard security.” Develop intelligence channels on corruption, artisanal mining  encroachment, and organized crime that may affect KoBold’s operations. Coordinate with Government Affairs to assess and mitigate risks tied to election cycles, community protests, and permit renewals.
• Compliance and Training: Ensure compliance with relevant laws, mining codes, and human rights frameworks. Deliver training programs on personal security, situational awareness, and emergency procedures.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Minimum 12 years of experience in corporate security, development, law enforcement, military, or intelligence, with at least 5 years in a leadership capacity, and a minimum of 5 years in corporate security.
• Experience in Sub-Saharan Africa. 
• Proven ability to develop and manage enterprise-wide security programs in remote and logistically complex settings.
• Experience in or familiarity with leading international operations with significant security roles (such as the US military,  UN Peacekeeping Operations,, USAID or Department of State’s Africa Bureau).
• Human rights & community interface: Knowledge of how to balance private security operations with artisanal miners, NGOs, and civil society in fragile states.
• Anti-corruption compliance: Familiarity with US FCPA, UK Bribery Act, and local anti-corruption frameworks; ability to enforce security contracting that complies with KoBold ethical standards and the law.
• Experience in the mining, oil & gas, or natural resources sector strongly preferred.
• Global standards for Private Security Contractors (IFC or equivalent).
• Excellent knowledge of travel risk management, emergency response, and security technology.
• Strong leadership, negotiation, and cross-cultural communication skills.
• Willingness to travel extensively and work in remote field locations.
• French language proficiency (medium to high) required. 

KoBold Metals is an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunities for people of any race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, or veteran status.

This position is full-time, exempt.

 

The base salary range for this full-time exempt position is US $150,000 – $300,000 annually plus equity participation, and comprehensive benefits.

Location: Location: KoBold is a remote first workplace, we are open to candidates based in Africa, Europe, or North America.