Corporate Counsel

• Full-time legal opportunity supporting Rio Tinto Aluminium & Lithium’s (RTAL) Pacific Operations across diverse and complex commercial, regulatory and operational matters.
• Brisbane-based role working across a range of assets, operations and strategic legal issues.
• Join a high-performing legal team where you will provide practical, commercially focused advice and help shape outcomes across a dynamic operational portfolio.

We’re Finding Better Ways™ to provide materials the world needs, now and in the future. Our values – care, courage and curiosity – guide how we work and how we treat each other.

About the role:

We are looking for a Corporate Counsel to join our team and play a leading role in the provision of legal support and strategic advice to RTAL’s Pacific Operations across a broad range of matters. This is an important role within the legal team supporting RTAL’s Pacific Operations, working across different assets in the Australia-Pacific region.

This is a great opportunity for a commercially minded and highly capable legal practitioner to work across operational, regulatory and strategic issues, partnering closely with stakeholders across the business. Based in Brisbane, this role offers broad exposure across Pacific Operations and the opportunity to contribute to important commercial and reputational outcomes.

Reporting to the Chief Counsel, RTAL Pacific Operations and working in a high-performing legal team within the broader Rio Tinto LGC&A function, your role will include the following:

• Provide timely, accurate and commercial legal advice on commercial, regulatory and operational issues relating to RTAL Pacific Operations to support delivery of the business plan and safeguard business interests and reputation.
• Delivery high-quality legal advice and judgment on HSE, tenure, infrastructure, native title and contractual issues and legal risks relating to Pacific Operations, including its bauxite assets.
• Support operations, commercial and functional teams on work streams, projects and business opportunities through your legal advice and strong commercial judgement.
• Manage and prioritise multiple legal work streams effectively across a varied portfolio.
• Develop and maintain close, collaborative working relationships with internal clients, including site leadership and fellow team members within the Australian and global RTAL LGC&A team, as well as colleagues across related functions.
• Work and support other members of the RTAL Legal team and the broader Rio Tinto LGC&A function.
• Manage external legal resources in strategic and cost-effective ways to deliver the best outcomes for the business.

About you:

• A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team.
• A law degree and at least 8 years’ post-qualification experience as a legal practitioner.
• Experience and technical skills in the following areas would be advantageous and highly regarded: regulatory (including HSE), operational, native title, infrastructure, tenure and contractual matters.
• Highly organised with the ability to identify core issues and prioritise competing demands and workloads, together with excellent communication, writing, drafting, time management and organisational skills.
• Strong commercial acumen and a solution-driven approach, with the ability to identify practical solutions, negotiate commercial outcomes and consider stakeholder and reputational sensitivities.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong working relationships and collaborate effectively across multi-disciplinary teams.

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 and salary packaging options.
• Career development and 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 working:

Based in Brisbane, you will be joining Rio Tinto LGC&A, working in a high-performing legal team supporting RTAL’s Pacific Operations across diverse and complex commercial, regulatory and operational matters. You will work across a range of assets, operations and strategic legal issues, while collaborating closely with internal clients, site leadership, fellow team members within the Australian and global RTAL LGC&A team, and colleagues across related functions.

#gts

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 situations and meet opportunities.

Respect and Inclusion

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.