Principal Advisor, Employee Relations

Principal Advisor - Employee Relations

• Impactful people-focused opportunity to work for a global company
• Join a global network and diverse team encouraged to offer unique perspectives and build knowledge and connections
• Permanent role based in Brisbane or Melbourne CBD – Flexible working conditions

About the role

We’re looking for an experienced ER practitioner to provide strategic, tactical and operational employee relations advice to support the achievement of Rio Tinto's business objectives through an engaged workforce.

Reporting to the Senior Manager, People Experience, you will be responsible for:

• Identifying opportunities, and undertaking projects (either individually or as a team member), to further develop, refine and deliver on Rio Tinto’s ER strategy, and address ER/IR and employee engagement issues;
• Providing practical ER and IR advice and support to site-based HR teams and operational leaders in relation to enterprise bargaining, right of entry, case management, investigations, grievances and dispute resolution and fair treatment claims, which addresses relevant workplace legislation, industrial instruments and policies;
• Representing Rio Tinto externally, including by preparing relevant applications and responses, and appearing in the FWC and other tribunals;

• Building capability of HR teams and frontline leaders through coaching, development and training;

• Developing strong collaborative relationships with leaders within the People function, the Business Conduct Office and the broader business; and

• Applying and role-modelling Rio Tinto’s values of care, courage and curiosity and championing Rio Tinto’s people strategy around Everyday Respect.

About you

To be successfully considered for this role, you will have:

• A tertiary qualification in Human Resources and/or Law, and/or Employee and Industrial Relations;
• Demonstrated capability in an ER or IR role or similar specialist role;
• Demonstrated capability in enterprise bargaining;
• Sound judgement with the ability to think critically and provide holistic and practical solutions to complex matters, effectively balancing risk and commercial pragmatism;

• Expert knowledge and understanding of relevant ER/IR legislation within different jurisdictions and the ability to translate this knowledge into practical solutions in a business context; 
• A forward thinker, you will demonstrate capability in anticipating and responding to regulatory change. You will be able to demonstrate how you have implemented practical change programs and initiatives in a business context as a consequence of changed legislative, regulatory or policy settings;

• Demonstrated communications, stakeholder management and relationship building skills;
• Demonstrated commitment to collaboration, with an ability to influence at all levels of the organisation;
• Demonstrated experience in providing practical advice that balances industrial relations and operational/business needs in a complex operational environment
• Effective time management and the ability to manage several competing priorities and time-sensitive work; and
• Advocacy experience.

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 competitive base salary reflective of your skills and experience with annual incentive program
• Career development & education assistance to further your technical or leadership ambitions
• Exclusive employee discounts (banking, accommodation, cars, retail and more)
• Domestic re-location if required

Where you will be working

As part of the People function, People Experience provides HR advisory, global mobility, talent acquisition and recruitment, employee relations, remuneration and performance services to leaders, employees and HR business partners. 

You can take advantage of an ideal combination of working remotely, from home, as well as spending face-to-face time with your colleagues on a regular basis at our office located in Brisbane or Melbourne CBD.

You will also, on occasion, be required to visit our operational sites.

About Rio Tinto 

Every idea, every innovation, every little thing the world calls ‘progress’ begins witha 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.

Every Voice Matters 

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.

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. 

Applications close on 30 October 2022. (Rio Tinto reserves the right to remove advertised roles prior to this date).

Rio Tinto does not accept unsolicited CVs or candidate profiles from recruiters or employment agencies. Rio Tinto will not consider or agree to payment of any referral compensation or recruiter fee relating to unsolicited CVs or candidate profiles. Rio Tinto reserves the right to hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. Any unsolicited CVs or candidate profiles, including those submitted to hiring managers, are deemed to be the property of Rio Tinto.