Chief Counsel Iron Ore

Chief Counsel Iron Ore

• Utilise your strong commercial acumen and influencing skills
• Strategic advisory and complex business negotiations
• Significant leadership role based in Perth

About the role

Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs.

We are looking for a Chief Counsel Iron Ore to lead a team of lawyers providing legal support to our Iron Ore business across a range of regulatory and contractual matters, with a primary focus in Traditional Owner agreement modernisation, Aboriginal cultural heritage and environment. This work is complex and strategically important to Rio Tinto, requiring significant legal support to oversee the drafting, negotiation and management of native title and cultural heritage agreements relating to mining and related developments, as well as the application of Rio Tinto’s Community and Social Performance, Business Integrity and Compliance standards.

This is a great opportunity for a driven individual who thrives on challenges and with strong resilience to drive the desired outcomes. 

Being one of Rio Tinto’s senior leaders means helping to run a company that drives human progress. You are writing the next chapter of our story.

You lead some of the industry’s best and brightest minds, working to solve the challenges of the 21^st century. We offer competitive, performance-focused remuneration and a wide range of benefits to reward your contribution. With a global reach, the opportunities to develop are broad and exciting.

Reporting to the General Counsel Iron Ore and working in challenging and exciting environment, you will:

• Provide legal support and advice to the MDs and GMs in Iron Ore in matters primarily relating to Traditional Owner agreement modernisation, Aboriginal cultural heritage and environment.
• Provide legal support and advice in connection with indigenous affairs and environment regulatory and policies for the CEO Australia.
• Provide legal support and advice to the Indigenous Australia team.

• Provide outstanding leadership to a team of high calibre lawyers.

• Structure and advise on complex multi-stakeholder negotiations with multiple stakeholders.
• Ensure adherence to the highest standards of compliance in order to build and protect Rio Tinto’s

What you’ll bring

You are a caring and empowering people leader with the ability to build strong and lasting relationships with both internal and external stakeholders at all levels. You should also bring:-

• A commitment to the safety, wellbeing and growth of yourself and your team.
• In-house legal leadership at a senior level in a multinational business.
• Proven leadership skills and ability to work collaboratively within a matrix organisation.
• Excellent complex stakeholder management skills with a record in improving business outcomes.
• Pragmatic attitude to the handling of risk.
• Ability to prioritise and leverage the team’s expertise and insight. Empowers and delegates appropriately.
• Ability to anticipate issues, and be proactive and creative, focusing on improvements and solutions.
• Strong cross-cultural awareness and ability to quickly adapt to the situation at hand
• Strong influencing skills and ability to use credibility and experience to leverage debates whilst aligning to organisational and ethical
• Passion for developing high-performing teams and creating an inclusive and engaging culture.
• Willingness to role model Rio Tinto’s values of Care, Courage and Curiosity
• Resilience and ability to navigate complex issues.
• Previous experience supporting complex negotiations is essential in addition to your willingness to broaden, learn and try new things.
• Previous experience in the areas of native title, cultural heritage and environment is favourable.

What we offer

Be recognised for your contribution, your thinking and your hard work, and go home knowing you’ve helped the world progress.

• A work environment where safety is always the number one priority
• A permanent position working directly for Rio Tinto
• A competitive base salary reflective of your skills and experience with annual incentive program
• Comprehensive medical benefits including subsidised private health insurance for employees and immediate family
• Attractive share ownership plan
• Company provided insurance cover
• Extensive salary sacrifice & salary packaging options
• Career development & education assistance to further your technical or leadership ambitions
• Ongoing access to family-friendly health and medical wellbeing support
• Leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation/annual, paid parental, sick leave)
• Exclusive employee discounts (banking, accommodation, cars, retail and more)
• Possible domestic relocation assistance

About Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto is a leading global mining and materials company. We operate in 35 countries where we produce iron ore, copper, aluminium, critical minerals, and other materials needed for the global energy transition and for people, communities, and nations to thrive.

We have been mining for 150 years and operate with knowledge built up across generations and continents. Our purpose is finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs – striving for innovation and continuous improvement to produce materials with low emissions and to the right environmental, social and governance standards. But we can’t do it on our own, so we’re focused on creating partnerships to solve problems, create win-win and meet opportunities.

Where you’ll be working The Iron Ore Legal Team, led by the General Counsel. This is a Perth-based position.

Every Voice Matters

We are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable to be themselves. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard, all cultures respected and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome – they are essential to our success. We treat each other fairly and with dignity regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or anything else that makes us different.

At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, the LGBTI+ community, mature workers, people with disabilities and people from different cultural backgrounds.

Applications close on Monday, 23^rd October 2023 (Australian time zone).