Manager, Strategic Production Planning

Manager, Strategic Production Planning

• Drive long-term resource value across the Group through the routine use of Strategic Production Planning processes and fit-for-purpose mathematical optimisation tools;

• Support multiple product groups and commodities globally;

• Located in Brisbane or Perth with occasion site travel.

About the role

Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs.

We are looking for a Manager Strategic Production Planning (SPP) who will report to the Head of Surface Mining Centre of Excellence in Group Technical. The principal function of the role is to enhance value and understanding of strategic business options across the Group, promoting the application of SPP and associated mathematical optimisation approaches at Rio Tinto.

The Manager SPP role will work closely with the IS&T Digital Products team as the adoption of technical solutions transitions from the IS&T team into Group Technical and will lead a small, dedicated team to deliver value enhancing optimisation projects across the Group.

Initially the role will be responsible for establishing SPP within Group Technical and mapping the existing practices across the Group with the intention of creating a set of guidelines that will form the basis of an assurance process for Rio Tinto so that a uniform approach to the shaping of strategic production planning and optimisation is followed. 

Reporting to the Head of Surface Mining CoE, you will be:

• Leading the Strategic Production Planning team to position SPP as a critical process for driving optionality assessment and value from our mineral assets across the Group

• Identifying business challenges that would benefit from strategic production planning assessments and ensuring the technology used in this regard is fit-for-purpose;

• Developing the processes and assurance approach needed to achieve this and to lift SPP capability;

• Partnering with Product Groups and Functions to facilitate leading practice in SPP and identifying opportunities to improve asset value;

• Maintaining robust and timely collaboration with senior leaders across different technical disciplines and mine operations to ensure effective SPP occurs and is supporting their business decision making;

• Providing expert technical support to mine optimisation and value-enhancing option analysis in collaboration with stakeholders;

• Providing coaching and capability development as needed to improve the health of SPP and optimisation within the business to ensure capability both now and in the future;

• Identifying and maintaining a network of third-party partners to ensure continuous improvement regarding the support offered; and

• Defining and communicating the value that SPP and optimisation adds to Rio Tinto.

What you’ll bring

• Experience managing and developing a team of high performing technical team, across a wide range of locations;

• Bachelor degree in Engineering, Mining, Processing, Geology or a similar technical discipline. Ideally combined with a commercially oriented qualification or demonstrated commercial experience in a corporate environment;

• Excellent communication skills in all forms, including an ability to build relationships with challenging stakeholders and present complex principles to a diversity of audiences

• Practical mine planning and optimisation experience for different mining methods (open-cut and underground mining) across multiple commodities and time horizons including strategic planning and long-term optionality assessment;

• Strong exposure to multiple mine optimisation software packages (design, planning, scheduling, modelling)

• Proven application of mineral economics and financial modelling techniques for projects, and probabilistic optimisation strategies;

• Excellent knowledge in related fields such as geology and geometallurgy, processing and metallurgy, geotechnical engineering and hydrology as well as logistics and product marketing.

Other skills and attributes considered for the role

• Ability to influence senior leaders across the business to build the profile and capability of Strategic Production Planning;

• Proven Project Management and strong multi-stakeholder collaboration skills;

• Demonstrated ability to govern a technical discipline in terms of governance and quality assurance across optimization projects.

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

Where you’ll be workingThis role can be based at either our Brisbane or Perth hubs. Occasionally travel to domestic and international locations will also be required.

Applications close on Thursday the 12th of December 2024 (Rio Tinto reserves the right to remove advertised roles prior to this date)

About Rio TintoRio 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 situations and meet opportunities.

Every Voice MattersAt 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.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.