Daily execution
Crew allocation, permits, isolations, priorities, constraints and handovers close to the work front.
← Six role families
Role family 05
Planning and leadership careers.
These roles turn strategy, defects and production priorities into executable work. Progression depends on judgement, communication and evidence—not simply time served or a title.
The core idea
Good leadership makes work executable.
Planners define the work, schedulers place it in time, coordinators clear interfaces and frontline leaders direct people close to execution. At higher levels, leaders balance risk, production, asset health, cost and workforce capability.
A company supervisor title is not automatically a statutory appointment. Jurisdictions and mines define formal appointments separately, and the written scope matters.
The test is not how many people reported to you. It is whether the work was understood, resourced, controlled and closed out properly.
Where the work sits
Six places planning and leadership decisions land.
Titles and work boundaries vary between owners, contractors, projects and commodities. Read the actual scope behind the vacancy.
Maintenance planning
Defects and strategies converted into scoped jobs with labour, parts, tools, access, duration and quality requirements.
Scheduling
Ready work sequenced against people, production windows, dependencies, shutdowns and resource limits.
Shutdown control
Large scopes, contractors, critical paths, emerging work and handbacks coordinated within a fixed outage window.
Projects & SMP
Engineering, procurement, construction, lifting, quality, commissioning and operations aligned across package delivery.
Operational leadership
Superintendents and managers integrate people, risk, budget, asset strategy and production performance.
Role guide
Ten planning and leadership pathways.
Every band is an indicative 2026 Australian mining range, not a promised rate. Open the salary guide for the basis and comparison rules.
Leading hand
Trade, operations, shutdown and project crews
Indicative 2026 Australian mining band$135k–$185kAUD annual gross, generally before super- Typical work
- Allocate tasks, clarify scope, monitor progress and quality, support less-experienced workers and keep communication moving between crew and supervisor.
- Foundation
- Strong role credibility and trusted field judgement. A leading-hand title does not automatically create statutory or trade authority.
- Evidence to show
- Crew size, work fronts, decisions, constraints, coaching, quality checks, handovers and a supervisor who can verify how you led.
Maintenance planner
Fixed plant, mobile fleet, infrastructure and shutdown planning teams
Indicative 2026 Australian mining band$120k–$165kAUD annual gross, generally before super- Typical work
- Define job scope, labour, parts, tools, drawings, access, isolation interfaces, duration, quality points and feedback requirements.
- Foundation
- Trade, technical or maintenance experience plus work-management system discipline. Planning is more than creating a work order.
- Evidence to show
- Work types planned, asset class, planning horizon, field scoping, BOMs, job plans, constraints removed and feedback used to improve future work.
Scheduler
Weekly, daily, shutdown and integrated production schedules
Indicative 2026 Australian mining band$110k–$155kAUD annual gross, generally before super- Typical work
- Sequence ready work within labour, equipment, access, production, contractor and dependency constraints; maintain schedule logic and communicate change.
- Foundation
- Work-management understanding, schedule tools and strong interface communication. A scheduler should not hide unready work inside a calendar.
- Evidence to show
- Schedule level and horizon, resources, dependencies, changes managed, compliance measures and how decisions were agreed.
Shutdown planner
Major fixed-plant, rail, port and infrastructure outages
Indicative 2026 Australian mining band$130k–$180kAUD annual gross, generally before super- Typical work
- Develop executable shutdown work packs, scopes, estimates, materials, tooling, lifts, access, quality and contractor interfaces.
- Foundation
- Trade or technical depth plus outage planning discipline and field engagement. Annualised contract earnings can vary with campaign utilisation.
- Evidence to show
- Shutdown size and plant, planning lead time, packages prepared, critical constraints, scope growth, handover and lessons incorporated.
Maintenance coordinator
Daily, weekly and shutdown execution teams
Indicative 2026 Australian mining band$130k–$180kAUD annual gross, generally before super- Typical work
- Coordinate ready work, people, parts, access, operations and contractors; manage emerging constraints and maintain accurate status and handovers.
- Foundation
- Strong execution and work-management credibility. The role often bridges planner, scheduler, supervisor, operations and supply.
- Evidence to show
- Work volume and horizon, interfaces, schedule decisions, break-ins, backlog or close-out improvement and verifiable delivery examples.
Supervisor
Operations, maintenance, projects, shutdowns and services
Indicative 2026 Australian mining band$150k–$210kAUD annual gross, generally before super- Typical work
- Lead people, work allocation, risk controls, quality, performance, incidents, consultation and cross-discipline coordination.
- Foundation
- Relevant operational or technical depth and demonstrated leadership. Legal or mine-specific appointments sit on top of the company position.
- Evidence to show
- Crew and scope, decisions, controls, coaching, incident or change response, documentation, delivery and people outcomes.
Statutory supervisor
Appointed mine areas or functions defined by the jurisdiction and operation
Indicative 2026 Australian mining band$160k–$220kAUD annual gross, generally before super- Typical work
- Carry the functions of the written statutory appointment while supervising work and monitoring relevant risks within the nominated area or scope.
- Foundation
- Current jurisdictional eligibility, approved training and exam where applicable, relevant experience and formal written appointment. WA requirements are detailed in the S26 guide.
- Evidence to show
- Appointment type and area, eligibility evidence, inspections, risk decisions, escalations, handovers and accountable mine authority.
Superintendent
Mining, processing, maintenance, technical services, shutdowns or projects
Indicative 2026 Australian mining band$190k–$280kAUD annual gross, generally before super- Typical work
- Lead multiple supervisors or functions across people, risk, budget, strategy, contractors, performance and operational interfaces.
- Foundation
- Substantial field and leadership evidence relevant to the function. Seniority without system understanding is not enough.
- Evidence to show
- Accountable area, workforce, budget or program scale, performance decisions, risk ownership, stakeholder interfaces and sustained outcomes.
Maintenance manager
Site or business maintenance functions
Indicative 2026 Australian mining band$210k–$320kAUD annual gross, generally before super- Typical work
- Set maintenance direction, govern work management and asset risk, lead capability and budgets, and integrate with operations, engineering and supply.
- Foundation
- Deep maintenance and leadership experience; some roles also expect engineering or trade foundations. Legal accountability depends on the appointment structure.
- Evidence to show
- Asset and organisation scope, strategy, budget, reliability and backlog decisions, workforce capability, governance and independent assurance.
Project manager
Sustaining capital, expansions, infrastructure, technology and SMP packages
Indicative 2026 Australian mining band$170k–$260kAUD annual gross, generally before super- Typical work
- Lead scope, cost, schedule, contracts, risk, design, delivery, commissioning and operational handover across a defined project.
- Foundation
- Relevant project and technical experience. Formal project qualifications help, but delivery evidence and governance matter more than terminology.
- Evidence to show
- Project value and boundaries, team and contracts, approvals, changes, critical decisions, assurance, completion and benefit ownership.
Capability foundations
Five foundations for defensible planning and leadership.
Verify current qualification, licensing, mine, employer and task requirements before paying for training.
Define what good looks like
The job, area or program needs clear boundaries, acceptance criteria, accountabilities and known interfaces.
Remove constraints before execution
Labour, parts, access, isolations, drawings, tools, permits, quality and operational windows must align.
Use risk and evidence
Strong leaders make defensible calls, record why, escalate at the right point and adjust when conditions change.
Build clarity and capability
Task allocation, coaching, consultation, verification and respectful accountability are practical leadership work.
Return useful information
Completed work, defects, changes, measures, lessons and asset history must flow back into the system.
Career map
Progress from task coordination to system accountability.
Progression is not automatic. It comes from broader competence, stronger evidence and accountability other people can verify.
- 01
Credible delivery
Build practical depth and reliable evidence in the work being planned or led.
- 02
Frontline coordination
Take on leading-hand, work-pack, scheduling or small-crew responsibilities.
- 03
Formal role
Move into planner, scheduler, coordinator or supervisor work with explicit accountabilities.
- 04
Broader function
Lead multiple crews, a shutdown, an SMP package or an operating area.
- 05
Business accountability
Own strategy, people, risk, budget and performance across a function or major program.
Planner · scheduler · coordinator
Progress through better scoping, readiness, sequence logic, feedback and control of cross-functional interfaces.
Leading hand · supervisor · statutory appointment
The focus is safe execution, people, quality, communication and the exact authority of the role.
Superintendent · manager · project manager
Accountability expands across systems, strategy, budgets, contracts, risk and sustained business performance.
The evidence test
Show decisions, not management language.
Replace broad claims with a defined area, planning horizon, workforce, constraint, decision, result and person who can verify the work.
Too vague
“Managed a high-performing team and delivered shutdown KPIs.”
More useful“Supervised two mechanical crews across a crusher shutdown, re-sequenced work after a crane constraint, protected the isolation and QA hold points, and handed the completed scope to operations with remaining defects recorded.”
EvidenceShowAvoid
ScopeArea, assets, people, budget or schedule horizonUsing 'large team' with no scale
DecisionWhat you changed, approved, stopped or escalatedDescribing meetings instead of judgement
ConstraintParts, labour, access, isolation, quality or production limitPretending the plan never changed
ControlWork system, risk, quality and handover mechanismLeadership slogans
OutcomeDelivery, readiness, defect, backlog, capability or risk resultUnsupported percentage claims
AuthorityCompany role, statutory appointment and technical limitsLetting the title imply legal authority
Important boundaries
Shortcuts that do not hold up.
“Planner and scheduler are the same job.”
Planning makes work executable; scheduling places ready work in time. Some businesses combine the roles, but the functions remain distinct.
“Supervisor means statutory supervisor.”
A company title and a legal appointment are different. Confirm the jurisdiction, written appointment, area and functions.
“SMP supervisor means every discipline.”
The role coordinates a multidisciplinary package but does not automatically grant each trade, engineering or high-risk work authority inside it.
“Promotion proves competence.”
A new title creates accountability. Credibility still comes from observable decisions, current knowledge, clear limits and sustained performance.
Sources and further reading
Check the role, regulator and market.
Source-checked 28 August 2026. Requirements and advertised pay can change.
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WorkSafe WA — Mining statutory positions
Current eligibility and appointment criteria for WA mine statutory roles.
The FIFO Hub — Schedule 26 pathway
Detailed electrical and statutory supervisor progression, exam and operator appointment guidance.
Training.gov.au — BSB40920
Current Certificate IV in Project Management Practice qualification.
SEEK — Maintenance Planner salaries
Current advertised Australian planner salary evidence and regional comparisons.
SEEK — Mining Supervisor salaries
Current advertised mining supervisor salary range.