An inclusive environment for all
We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where employees feel comfortable being themselves. We also want everyone to feel that their voices matter, that all cultures are respected, and that perspectives, as diverse as they are, are not only welcome, but essential to our success. We treat each other fairly and with dignity, regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation or any other distinguishing aspect.
At Rio Tinto, we welcome and encourage applications from women, older workers, persons with disabilities and representatives from diverse backgrounds.
Everyone is different, and we believe that these differences are our strength. The diversity of skills, life experiences, and perspectives within our team enhances the way we work and our ability to succeed together.
The Specialist Planning – MEM provides specialist support for the planning of preventive, corrective, condition-based and major maintenance activities for the Heavy Mobile Equipment fleet. The role assures the quality and readiness of complex work packages, supports backlog and CMMS governance, improves planning standards and develops planner capability through structured coaching and knowledge transfer. The position works closely with Maintenance, Operations, Reliability, Engineering, Asset Health, Supply Chain, OEMs and contractors to ensure planned work is safe, fully scoped, resourced and executable.
Primary Objectives
· Provide specialist-level planning support for complex, high-risk and major HME maintenance activities.
· Improve work-package quality, planning readiness, backlog health and SAP/CMMS data integrity.
· Coordinate component, parts, labour, tooling, lifting, contractor and technical-documentation readiness before work is scheduled.
· Support maintenance strategy optimisation, shutdown readiness, component replacement programs and reliability improvement.
· Coach HME Planners and transfer sustainable planning capability to Guinean national employees.
· Promote safe execution, continuous improvement and disciplined maintenance work management.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Maintenance Planning and Work Management
· Develop and quality-review detailed work packages for planned, corrective, campaign and major component maintenance.
· Ensure work orders include a clear scope, job steps, labour estimates, durations, parts, tooling, procedures, technical references, lifting requirements, permits, isolations and critical controls.
· Review maintenance strategies, inspections, defects, equipment history and condition-monitoring findings and convert identified work into executable plans.
· Apply risk-based prioritisation and maintain appropriate planning horizons across the HME backlog.
· Confirm work-package readiness before release to scheduling and identify constraints requiring escalation.
· Maintain accurate equipment history, job-plan information and maintenance records within SAP or the applicable CMMS.
Major Maintenance and Readiness
· Lead planning readiness for major component replacements, shutdowns, fleet campaigns and complex corrective work.
· Develop integrated scopes and execution plans covering resources, sequencing, tooling, facilities, lifting and contractor requirements.
· Coordinate long-lead components, materials and specialist support with Supply Chain, Warehouse, OEMs and contractors.
· Identify readiness risks early and drive closure of constraints before the planned execution date.
· Support forward component forecasting, maintenance windows, commissioning, upgrades and equipment modifications.
Planning Governance and Continuous Improvement
· Establish and maintain consistent HME planning standards, templates, standard job plans and quality expectations.
· Conduct backlog and work-order quality reviews and address gaps in scope, materials, resources and technical information.
· Use execution feedback, delay information and maintenance history to improve future job plans and planning accuracy.
· Support optimisation of SAP/CMMS planning processes, master data and reporting accuracy.
· Participate in planning, scheduling, reliability and maintenance performance reviews and recommend improvements to work management practices.
Capability Development and Localisation
· Coach and mentor HME Planners in job scoping, estimating, resource identification, major-work planning and CMMS discipline.
· Develop structured on-the-job learning, standard work and practical planning tools for national employees.
· Provide technical guidance while progressively transferring specialist planning knowledge and responsibilities to capable Guinean team members.
· Support individual development plans and assess progress against defined planning competencies.
Stakeholder Coordination
· Work closely with HME Supervisors, Superintendents, Planners, Schedulers, Reliability, Engineering, Asset Health and Operations.
· Coordinate planning requirements with Supply Chain, Warehouse, OEM technical representatives and maintenance contractors.
· Communicate planning risks, work-package status and readiness constraints clearly to relevant stakeholders.
· Support safe and effective coordination between planning, scheduling and execution teams.
SAFETY, HEALT AND ENVIRONMENT
· Ensure planned work complies with applicable safety, environmental, quality, statutory and site requirements.
· Embed critical controls, isolations, permits, lifting requirements and task-specific risk controls into work packages.
· Promote a culture of safe planning, effective field verification and continuous learning from maintenance execution.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Essential
· Trade qualification, technical diploma, bachelor degree or equivalent experience in mechanical engineering, maintenance engineering, heavy equipment maintenance or a related discipline.
· Substantial maintenance planning or work management experience supporting HME in mining, construction or heavy industry.
· Demonstrated experience planning complex maintenance activities and major component replacements.
· Strong knowledge of HME maintenance practices, backlog management and planning-to-scheduling interfaces.
· Strong CMMS/ERP capability, preferably SAP PM, Pronto or a comparable system.
· Ability to interpret OEM manuals, engineering drawings, schematics, maintenance strategies and condition-monitoring information.
· Strong analytical, organisational, problem-solving, coaching and stakeholder-management capability.
· Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and maintenance reporting tools.
· English required.
Desirable
· Experience with Komatsu, Caterpillar, Liebherr, Hitachi, Sandvik, Epiroc or comparable mining equipment.
· Knowledge of reliability-centred maintenance, root cause failure analysis and condition-monitoring methods including oil analysis, vibration analysis and thermography.
· Experience supporting greenfield commissioning, ramp-up or transition to operations.
· Experience working in remote or developing-country environments and multicultural teams.
· French language capability.
What we offer
Get recognition for your contributions, your ability to think, your hard work, and the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped the world move forward.
- Work environment where safety is always the top priority
- Competitive base salary based on your skills and experience
- Annual cash incentives for eligible employees
- Career development opportunities and training assistance to achieve your aspirations • Access to family-friendly health programs, top-notch retirement and savings plans
- Wellness benefits
- Rio Tinto's generous employee stock ownership plan
- Employee Assistance Program
- One-on-one wellness support (personal and professional matters) for you and your family
- Comprehensive leave policy covering all important life moments (vacation/annual, paid parental leave, etc.)
About the Simandou Project
The Simandou Iron Ore Project is located in the Republic of Guinea, West Africa. It is Africa’s largest infrastructure and mining project and represents one of the largest known reserves of high-grade iron ore in the world.
Rio Tinto holds rights to Simandou Blocks 3 and 4 through SimFer, a joint venture between the Government of the Republic of Guinea, Rio Tinto and Chalco Iron Ore Holdings (CIOH). Construction of the mine, together with the associated rail and port infrastructure, is well underway with first production from the SimFer mine expected in 2025.
About Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto is a global leader in the mining and materials companies. We are established in 35 countries where we produce iron ore, copper, aluminum, critical minerals, and other materials needed for the global energy transition and the prosperity of people, communities, and nations. We have been in business for 150 years, drawing on knowledge accumulated over generations and on different continents. Our mission – to find better ways to provide the materials the world needs – guides us in our quest for innovation and continuous improvement, with the goal of making products that are low in emissions and meet the right environmental, social and governance standards. But because we can't do it alone, we focus on creating partnerships that allow us to solve problems, create mutually beneficial situations and seize opportunities.
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Rio Tinto is a leading global mining and materials company. We operate in 35 countries where we produce iron ore, copper, aluminum, 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 and meet opportunities.
At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, women, the LGBTQ+ community, mature workers, people with disabilities, and people from different cultural backgrounds.
We are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable being 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 who we are.
Start your application
Take your leadership career to the next level.
Where can Rio Tinto take you?
You’re passionate and ambitious with tremendous career aspirations. The breadth and growth of our organisation empowers you to define your ideal career path.
Take a look at Katie’s career journey
Take a look at Katie’s career journey


- 2022 - PresentManager Projects - Energy DevelopmentBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
- 2021Superintendent Operations CentreBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
- 2020Development / Drill and Blast SuperintendentPilbara, Western Australia
- 2019Deputy Quarry ManagerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2018Development SupervisorPilbara, Western Australia
- 2017Senior Engineer of Drill, Blast and SurveyPilbara, Western Australia
- 2016Production EngineerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2015Mine scheduler - 2 week plannerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2014Drill and Blast EngineerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2012Graduate Mining EngineerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2022 – PresentManager Projects – Energy DevelopmentBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
- 2021Superintendent Operations CentreBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
- 2020Development / Drill and Blast SuperintendentPilbara, Western Australia
- 2019Deputy Quarry ManagerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2018Development SupervisorPilbara, Western Australia
- 2017Senior Engineer of Drill, Blast and SurveyPilbara, Western Australia
- 2016Production EngineerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2015Mine scheduler – 2 week plannerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2014Drill and Blast EngineerPilbara, Western Australia
- 2012Graduate Mining EngineerPilbara, Western Australia
Working at Rio Tinto
Help us deliver the materials that make human progress possible.
The plane you’re flying in just landed. You fire up your phone and get your laptop out of the overhead bin. Immediately, you’re in work mode – thousands of miles from your office. Do you ever stop to think about all the materials that make life in the 21st century possible? At Rio Tinto, we discover, develop and deliver the materials that drive human progress. When you work with us, you’ll experience advantages you won’t find anywhere else.
Our application process
01
Apply
The first thing you’ll need to do is apply to the role. You can do this with your LinkedIn profile or you can upload your resume. We’ll also ask you to complete a few questions before you submit your application.
02
Undergo assessments
Our assessments are designed to help us work out whether you are suitable for the role. We will let you know which ones you’ll need to complete.
03
Interview(s)
Our interviews could be in person or online. It’s a great opportunity for us to get to know you a bit better, answer any of your questions and talk about the exciting career opportunity you have applied for.
04
Offers and checks
At this stage, we will let you know if you have been successful. If you have been, we’ll need to conduct a couple of checks, such as a background or security check. You may also need to do a medical assessment depending on the role you have applied for.
05
Join the Rio Tinto team
Once the checks have been completed, we’ll be in touch to talk with you about your start date and answer any questions you may have before you start with us.



















