Principal Advisor Exploration Strategy

• Based in Beijing – China

About The Role
We are looking for a Principal Advisor Exploration Strategy & Engagement (China) to lead the China-based RTX team and provide guidance and leadership to Rio Tinto's JV with MinMetals via the entity known as MED.

This role will build and maintain good relationships with the RT China office teams, led by the Rio Tinto China Country Manager. It is a great opportunity to build and maintain strong strategic relationships with Chinese partners, colleagues and government stakeholders, enabling RTX to operate successfully in China.

This role will also be responsible for defining and implementing the best possible opportunities for RTX to discover a mineral deposit in China. Where appropriate, have the seniority and experience in the commercial practise to negotiate deals on behalf of RTX China.

Reporting to the Exploration Director, and working in a collaborative and exciting environment you will

• Regular meetings and relationship building with MinMetals senior leaders to ensure alignment and demonstrate continued commitment to the relationship
• Ensure all agreements with our partners are adhered to and kept relevant.
• Manage/support the team geologists to design and budget for realistic and pragmatic drill programme.
• Undertake and manage any required regulatory, HSEC or governance paperwork on required on behalf of the MED entity.
• You will have a good understanding of the complexities and opportunities inherent in working with Chinese companies and SOEs.
• You will be responsible for ensuring the RTX China team meet yearly KPIs and that they are aligned with the company strategy on China, commodities and partnerships.

About You
To be successfully considered for this role, you will have

• 10-15 years' experience in managing complex and critical strategic relationships in China
• Fluency in Mandarin, competency in English
• An ability to work within the Chinese cultural context and also translate this experience to interacting within an Australian/Anglo major company
• A geological background or strong knowledge of the exploration sector
• A strong understanding of commercial acumen in China. This includes the ability to anticipate and respond to shifts in the economic and commercial landscape.
• Bachelor degree in either a technical discipline (geology, engineering) or in business (Commerce, Finance, Communications& Media)
• Work experience in China is essential, work experience in both China and a Western context would be highly regarded,
• Must have the ability to lead small teams and leverage relationships and networks to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome
• Need to be diplomatic, decisive, culturally aware, able to lead via influence and a builder of strong relationships.

Where you will be working
You will be based in our office in Beijing.

Since Rio Tinto established its first office in Beijing almost 40 years ago with just three people, the Group has built partnerships with China that span supply, innovation, knowledge transfer, culture and procurement. It's a relationship that has been transformative for Rio Tinto and which continues to make a significant contribution to China's growth story.

The company's history in China stretches back over a century, when Rio Tinto made the first borates sales to the country. Since 1973 when Rio Tinto was one of the first foreign companies to export iron ore to China, it has shipped over 2.5 billion tonnes of the commodity, more than any other mining company. This extraordinary volume has been driven in large part by the pioneering joint ventures and partnerships that the Group has forged in recent decades.

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 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.