Practice Lead, Natural Environment

Practice Lead – Natural Environment

• Join an encouraging leadership group, committed to your growth and development
• Diverse & challenging projects
• Based out of any company hub: Montreal, Salt Lake, London, Brisbane or Perth

About the role

Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs.

The primary purpose of the Practice Lead, Natural Environment is to map the path forward to ensure Rio Tinto’s activities protect the natural environment.

This is a great opportunity for a passionate scientist to help promote the earth’s interests while working within a company that has the resources and motivation to make a difference.   

The Environmental Area of Expertise (AoE)

We are an open, connected global team that includes some of the industry’s best and brightest minds. We offer competitive, performance-focused remuneration and a wide range of benefits to reward your contribution. With a global reach, the opportunities to develop and grow your career are broad and exciting.

Reporting to the Head, Environment Area of Expertise, and working with a global collaborative community, you will:

• Lead a global team of experts in biodiversity and land management
• Monitor global trends and perform regular horizon scanning for best practices, trends and innovation
• Lead approach to land and biodiversity risk, key policy, direction, streamlined approach and visibility of global risk, expert advice and support links to communities and social performance (CSP) group. Oversee risk management within disciplines and provide support on key functional risks
• Develop and track delivery of biodiversity & land management targets
• Support and provide oversight on the rehabilitation performance, compliance and post-mining planning / R&D / sharing during the operational phase
• Provide R&D support which includes reviewing for RT usage / adoption and enabling innovative solutions for assets
• Conduct due diligence on upstream / downstream value chains and M&As
• Provide guidance and oversight on external partners / alliances and advocacy to Group Executives, SLT and PGs as required
• Engage with external stakeholders, regulatory authorities and professional associations
• Prepare reports/specialized content for Investors, CSO Round table and Board / SusCo
• Engage and representation with global organisations (ICMM, MAC, MCA etc)
• International engagement with key global NGOs and external groups

What you’ll bring

• A commitment to the safety and well-being of yourself and your team
• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering (or related field)
• Postgraduate qualifications in the environmental sciences would be highly desirable

Who you are

• A high EQ innovator with strong engagement skills who is able to build, maintain, and leverage relationships across a global organization, and work with inter-disciplinary teams and committees as well as external stakeholders.
• Experienced in developing, implementing and managing complex programs, particularly those relating to environmental protection
• An innovative thinker with a track record of delivery/implementation.
• Bilingualism (French / English) is highly desirable

What we offer

Be recognized 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
• Career development & education assistance to further your technical or leadership ambitions
• A competitive base salary reflective of your skills and experience with annual incentive program
• Ongoing access to family-friendly health and medical programs, pension and savings plans
• Attractive share ownership plan
• Leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation/annual, paid parental, sick leave)
• Exclusive employee discounts

About Rio Tinto

Every idea, every innovation, every little thing the world calls ‘progress’ begins with a first step, and someone willing to take it: explorers, inventors, entrepreneurs. Pioneers. 

For nearly 150 years, Rio Tinto has been a company of pioneers – generations of people spanning the globe, all with the grit and vision to produce materials essential to human progress. 

Our iron ore has shaped skylines from Shanghai to Sydney. Our aluminium – the world’s first to be certified “responsible” – helps planes fly and makes cars lighter. Our copper helps wind turbines power cities and our boron helps feed the world, and explore the universe. Our diamonds help us celebrate the best parts of life. 

Every Voice Matters

At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, women, the LGBTQIA+ 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.