He is notable for having led Brann to the Norwegian top division championship in 2007, breaking the widely supported team's notorious spell of 44 years without a league title.

After returning to Brann from Austria in 1996, Mjelde scored 19 goals in 15 league appearances, earning him the Kniksen award as "striker of the year".

Retiring as a player after the 2001 season, Mjelde became the new coach for Brann's reserve team in the Norwegian Second Division.

In 2007, his coaching career hit new heights as he took Brann to their first league title in 44 years, six points ahead of Stabæk.

[3] He was hired as head coach of Start halfway through the 2011 season, but could not save the team from relegation.

In December 2016, Mjelde was appointed as head coach for Åsane IL, a Norwegian First Division team from Bergen.